The Importance of Flood Detection in Albany Home Security Systems

Most homeowners associate home security with intrusion detection and perhaps fire prevention, but flood detection also plays a crucial role in any comprehensive residential security solution. The purpose of a flood sensor is to provide an early warning of water accumulation, which lets the homeowner stop the water at the source or call for professional help before any real damage can occur.

How Flood Detection Works

The basic flood detector has three sensors. When any two of those sensors become exposed to water, it completes the electrical circuit, which sends a signal to the system and activates an audible alarm. Some flood sensors are local only and simply activate an audible alarm in the immediate area.

24/7 Monitoring

Most Georgia security companies, however, recommend devices that are integrated into the home security system. These flood sensors still activate a local alarm, but they also notify a central station that is monitoring that residential alarm system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If a flood occurs during the night, for instance, a homeowner can easily sleep through the sound of the alarm, but the central station would detect it, notify the homeowner and, if necessary, contact emergency services.

Limiting Water Damage

Insurance industry statistics indicate that localized residential flooding usually causes significant financial damage, but most floods and leaks are detected well after the fact. Flood sensors are not yet the rule but rather the exception in Albany home security systems. In the vast majority of cases where flood detection was present, financial damage was nonexistent or sharply below industry averages.

Interior Placement

The most common type of flood sensor is placed within the home, such as in a basement, bathroom or laundry room. Most interior flood detectors have an external probe and can operate as a temperature sensor as well. This allows them to function in refrigerator and freezer environments too.

Exterior Placement

The most sophisticated flood sensors offered by Georgia security companies require external placement. These devices are covered with external contacts, have a built-in reed switch and have a tamper-resistant case that also protects against insects. Ideally, these devices are installed at ground height but can be raised when ground-height installation could lead to false positives.

Insurance Benefits

Most homeowners who would consider installing flood sensors will likely also opt for flood insurance. Most insurance companies who provide flood coverage in the Albany, Georgia area provide a discount to the policy rate just as they do a discount to the homeowners policy due to the security system.

Central Monitoring

If you live in Albany or a surrounding area and require flood detection or a comprehensive security solution, then contact Central Monitoring. Central Monitoring is a leading provider of Albany home security systems, and the company has been serving southwest Georgia for more than 29 years. Central Monitoring’s technicians are all bonded, highly skilled and undergo ongoing training, and they specialize in developing unique flood and security solutions for the individual client and his or her home.

Fire at Home — Deadly Enemy – Fight it with Help From Georgia Security Companies

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently released an alarming study about home fires and the number of fatalities it causes each year.

Each year, there are an average of 366,000 reported home fires, which claims the lives of seven people per day. Sixty percent of those deaths resulted from either faulty or missing smoke detectors. Because one out of every 320 homes will suffer a fire each year, it is wise to invest in smoke detectors to protect your home and family.

Georgia security companies, such as Central Monitoring, recommend monitored smoke detectors more than self-purchased models. This is because the company’s central station can monitor the situation at your home even when you are not there.

When it comes to home fires, every second it takes to react to a fire causes damage and put lives in danger. If you are not at home to take action or call 911, you might return to a burned-out husk instead of a home. Foresight pays for itself in the long run, so you should check out a company that provides fire systems in Albany: Central Monitoring. The peace of mind is certainly worth the cost.

Along with Georgia security companies, the government of Georgia and the National Fire Protection Association recommend the following measures to reduce the risk of fire:

• Keep an eye on what you are cooking. Going out and leaving the stove on is a recipe for disaster, especially if there are flammable materials near the stove. Be extra careful if you have a gas stove!

• In the winter, make sure there are no flammable materials anywhere near kerosene or electric space heaters. Those heaters get very hot and can ignite even materials you would not consider combustible.

• If you must smoke, do it outdoors. Falling asleep in bed or on the couch while smoking can ignite a blaze right next to you within minutes. Always make sure to have large, well-made ashtrays, too.

• Matches and lighters, unfortunately, are an irresistible draw to children and teens. Lock them up. The inconvenience could save your life.

• Check all electrical cords in the home. Frayed cords can sometimes ignite combustibles as easily as a space heater. You also do not want your pets to electrocute themselves!

• Ensure you have a plan to escape if a fire breaks out. You will not have time to grab anything in a true emergency, so you should be sure to have a fireproof lockbox or two for important keepsakes and papers. Choose an obvious place outside the home to meet for a head count. Have fire drills at least two or three times a year.

• Be careful with candles. Battery-operated lights are better in situations where the power goes out; however, if you use candles, always make sure to extinguish them when you leave a room.

• Install and test smoke alarms. It is very simple: Smoke alarms save lives. Monitored smoke alarms save even more lives than those that are not monitored.

Central Monitoring provides this service as part of any home security system. When it comes to fire systems in Albany, Central Monitoring has the expertise and experience to keep you and your family protected. For more information, please visit www.central911.com.​

​Innovation is the Key to Commercial Security in GA

Today’s Georgia business requires a state-of-the-art security system that is networked, integrated and interactive. Gone are the days when a simple burglar alarm and smoke alarm would suffice. Leading-edge commercial security in GA includes an array of advanced features, and it protects your commercial property around the clock in a way that traditional systems never could.

Access Control

Controlling access to your commercial security is a focal point of the best GA security systems. Modern software can establish highly customizable access control while also integrating with all preexisting hardware. The most common keyless entry system uses identification cards that the users swipe for access. Other options include proximity cards and biometric technology, and systems can support up to 150 unique user codes.

Supervised Openings & Closings

The most common forms of significant employee theft occur prior to and after standard business hours. With top-of-the-line security, the system logs all entrances and exits, and it can even push reports when the system has been armed or disarmed outside of the expected parameters.

Remote Service

The best systems used for commercial security in GA are connected to the Internet and allow a user to access and even manipulate through any Web-enabled device, including smartphones and dashboard computers. In the scenario of an after-hours disarm, the system can alert the business owner in real-time and even provide a video stream from the CCTV cameras.

Partitioning

The best GA security systems also have partitioning capabilities, which means that you can compartmentalize all aspects of the system. In other words, providing an individual access to the system that does mean having to grant them full access, and it is possible to add and remove privileges for individuals on an as-needed basis.

Fire Protection

Like traditional systems, cutting-edge security systems also integrate fire protection that complies with the fire codes for the jurisdiction in which the physical location resides. In addition to monitored fire alarms, popular features include manual pull stations and horn strobes. In order to comply with fire codes and insurance requirements, the service can also perform monthly or less frequent inspections.

Burglary Protection

Leading commercial security in GA also include sophisticated burglar protection. Modern burglar alarm solutions are customized for the specific business and can include features like panic buttons. With Internet connectivity, the system continues to work even without a phone connection, and with cellular connectivity, the system does not even require a wired or Wi-Fi Internet connection.

Central Monitoring

If you’re a business owner in the market for state-of-the-art protection for his or her commercial enterprise, then contact Central Monitoring. Central Monitoring is a leading GA security firm and has been protecting businesses and homes in the area for more than 29 years. Central Monitoring’s station is up and running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with live operators, and emergency services are available around the clock.