While summer is prime time for long vacations and weekend getaways, it’s also peak season for criminals on the prowl for empty homes. Keep your place safe and secure with these inexpensive technological tricks from home phone and security company, Ooma:

1. Guard the front door. Thirty-four percent of break-ins occur at the front door, so consider installing a doorbell that routes to your phone. Use tools like two-way speakers to give visitors the impression someone is home. You can also install cameras and keep an eye on things from your phone, no matter where you are.
2. Keep windows air-tight. Twenty-three percent of break-ins occur through first-floor windows. Use classic sash locks to keep windows locked, and install wireless motion sensors to be alerted if a window is raised.
3. Examine your AC unit. Many burglars get into your home by pushing in AC units installed in windows. Consider removing window units when you’re leaving town, or install motion sensors near them.
4. Call 911 in your town. If you see someone breaking into your home, but you’re clear across the country, what can you do? Ooma offers a Remote 911 service that allows you to call 911 to your home’s local emergency dispatchers.
5. Secure sliding doors. The locks on sliding doors are generally very easy to pick. Be sure to install barrier bars in the tracks and set up motion detectors in the vicinity.
6. Lights are your best defense. Nothing invites break-ins more than a dark house, so put your lights on timers, or install smart lights that you can control with your phone. 

Source: www.ooma.com/home-security/
 
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