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At Alarm Grid, we provide top-quality monitoring services for users throughout the United States. Obtaining a monitored security system is important no matter where you live, as crime can occur anywhere at any time. But there are some areas where protecting your home is even more crucial.

According to the FBI, burglary is defined as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit felony or theft. A burglary does not require the use of force to gain entry. A study from UNC Charlotte found that homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized and that 83% of convicted burglars say that they check to see if a home has an alarm. Furthermore, 60% of convicted burglars say that they would change their minds about committing a burglary if they discover that a home has an alarm system installed.

*Icons made by Nikita Golubev & Freepik from www.flaticon.com

With the unpredictable nature of burglaries, we urge everyone to protect their homes and keep their families and possessions safe. The best way to do this is by installing monitored security systems. This is even more important if you live in an area where burglaries occur more frequently.

To find out the areas where burglaries are most common, we constructed a list of burglaries per capita. Our methodology was simple. We used FBI crime data from 2018 and took the number of burglaries in a city and divided it by the city's population. We then multiplied that by 10,000 to get burglaries per 10,000 residents. Only cities with a population of 10,000 or higher were included in our list.

With that out of the way, here are the Top 100 US Cities for Burglaries Per Capita:


City
Population
Burglaries
Burglaries Per 10,000
Rank
Bastrop, LA 10,270 342 333.009 1
El Dorado, AR 17,916 576 321.500 2
Hammond, LA 20,550 622 302.676 3
Fairfield, AL 10,625 284 267.294 4
Lake Charles, LA 77,852 1,845 236.988 5
Opelousas, LA 16,262 379 233.0587 6
Alexandria, LA 47,238 996 210.847 7
Hot Springs, AR 37,006 740 199.968 8
Vallejo, CA 122,974 2,456 199.717 9
Anniston, AL 21,592 413 191.275 10
Crowley, LA 12,779 234 183.1129 11
Morgan City, LA 11,066 192 173.504 12
Natchitoches, LA 17,981 308 171.292 13
Henderson, NC 14,780 248 167.794 14
Deming, NM 14,094 232 164.609 15
Santa Fe, NM 84,176 1,380 163.942 16
Brookhaven, MI 12,125 195 160.825 17
Gallup, NM 21,980 351 159.691 18
Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 10,597 169 159.479 19
Pine Bluff, AR 42,195 665 157.601 20
Monroe, LA 48,291 749 155.101 21
Kinston, NC 20,341 313 153.876 22
West Monroe, LA 12,594 193 153.248 23
Helena-West Helena, AR 10,477 160 152.715 24
Starkville, MI 25,559 390 152.588 25
Warr Acres, OK 10,372 158 152.333 26
Fremont, OH 16,125 244 151.318 27
East Point, GA 35,486 531 149.636 28
Bogalusa, LA 11,730 175 149.190 29
Jonesboro, AR 77,134 1,150 149.091 30
Kennett, MO 10,326 153 148.170 31
Laurel, MI 18,486 271 146.597 32
West Memphis, AR 24,668 357 144.722 33
Barstow, CA 24,095 348 144.428 34
Prichard, AL 21,615 309 142.956 35
Camden, AR 10,880 155 142.463 36
California City, CA 14,051 196 139.492 37
Charleston, WV 47,470 660 139.035 38
Cordele, CT 10,669 147 137.782 39
Canton, OH 70,605 970 137.384 40
Athens, TN 13,627 187 137.228 41
Greenwood, SC 23,265 314 134.967 42
Tukwila, WA 20,288 273 134.562 43
Biloxi, MI 46,148 619 134.134 44
Sweetwater, TX 10,530 139 132.004 45
Dyersburg, TN 16,382 216 131.852 46
Memphis, TN 652,226 8,494 130.231 47
Shawnee, OK 31,422 409 130.164 48
Alice, TX 18,925 246 129.987 49
Lima, OH 36,948 479 129.642 50
Warren, OH 39,280 508 129.328 51
Youngstown, OH 64,282 825 128.341 52
Ponca City, OK 24,066 305 126.735 53
Cambridge, MD 12,364 156 126.173 54
Muskogee, OK 37,659 474 125.866 55
Clearlake, CA 15,037 188 125.025 56
Jackson, MI 166,024 2,073 124.861 57
Vinita Park, MO 11,003 136 123.603 58
Poplar Bluff, MO 17,074 210 122.994 59
Centralia, IL 12,372 151 122.050 60
Myrtle Beach, SC 33,687 410 121.709 61
Danville, IL 31,203 379 121.463 62
Birmingham, AL 210,564 2,555 121.341 63
Dayton, OH 140,094 1,697 121.133 64
Cleveland, OH 384,666 4,658 121.092 65
Cahokia, IL 14,004 169 120.680 66
Muskegon Heights, MI 10,720 129 120.336 67
El Segundo, CA 16,881 202 119.661 68
Baton Rouge, LA 224,790 2,686 119.489 69
Tulsa, OK 403,147 4,800 119.063 70
Springfield, OH 59,016 699 118.442 71
Broussard, LA 12,672 150 118.371 72
Cumberland, MD 19,555 231 118.128 73
Elizabeth City, NC 17,629 208 117.987 74
Beverly Hills, CA 34,557 405 117.198 75
Springfield, MO 168,537 1,975 117.185 76
Talladega, AL 15,341 179 116.681 77
Gadsden, AL 35,204 409 116.180 78
Marion, AR 12,426 143 115.081 79
North Myrtle Beach, SC 16,688 192 115.053 80
Calera, AL 14,334 164 114.413 81
Albuquerque, NM 560,235 6,378 113.845 82
Panama City, FL 37,318 423 113.350 83
Mount Vernon, IL 14,914 168 112.646 84
Miami, OK 13,162 147 111.685 85
McAlester, OK 17,999 201 111.673 86
Branson, MO 11,589 129 111.312 87
Thomasville, GA 18,507 206 111.309 88
El Mirage, AZ 35,733 397 111.102 89
Detroit, MI 671,275 7,440 110.834 90
Kalamazoo, MI 76,020 842 110.760 91
Portales, NM 11,768 130 110.469 92
Albemarle, NC 15,991 176 110.062 93
Lenoir, NC 17,904 197 110.031 94
Lawton, OK 93,140 1,023 109.835 95
Pittsfield, MA 42,298 464 109.698 96
Pueblo, CO 111,756 1,224 109.524 97
Lake City, FL 12,182 133 109.177 98
Blythe, CA 19,517 213 109.136 99
Okmulgee, OK 11,919 130 109.070 100

If you want to learn more about keeping your home and your family safe, we invite you to reach out to us by emailing support@alarmgrid.com. We will check your email at our earliest convenience and reply back as soon as possible. Remember that our support hours are from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Note: This post was done in conjunction with our Top 100 Least Burgled Cities in America list. You can download and use a unmodified version of our "100 most and least burgled cities in America" infographic as well.

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There has been a lot of talk in the tech industry lately about security and privacy. With the rise of home security cameras and doorbell cameras, many users are worried about protecting their devices. Today, we're going to discuss how Alarm.com does its part to keep your devices secure.


Every Alarm.com account is protected by a unique username and password. And all sensitive communication with the Alarm.com servers is protected through strict authentication protocols and secure encrypted connections. Whenever your security system or cameras are communicating with Alarm.com, the information is sent across extremely secure encrypted servers. This makes it virtually impossible for others to obtain your sensitive information through malicious methods.

You may have heard talk of other security systems and video doorbells being "hacked" or maliciously accessed. These horror stories are something that will likely always be a factor in the highly advanced technology-based society we live in. As a user, it is important to stay on your toes and always be careful. But one thing you can rest assured about is that Alarm Grid and Alarm.com are on your side. We do everything we can to make sure that your information is protected and that your privacy is always maintained.

But you need to do your part as an end user as well. You must protect your Alarm.com account and stop others from gaining access. This is done by establishing a strong password for your account that includes a combination of numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters. A long password is always advised, and you should not share passwords across multiple websites or services. Additionally, you may want to change your password regularly for added security.

Alarm.com also offers two-factor authentication as another way to keep your account secure. If enabled on your account, you will get a text message with a secret code whenever you go to login to your account. You will need to provide this secret code in order to access your account. Although this takes extra time, it does go a long way towards securing your account. You can enable two-factor authentication for your Alarm.com account by logging into your Alarm.com account and accessing the Settings Menu. Then choose Login Information > Two Factor Authentication > choose Enabled. You will then need to provide your cellular info to receive a confirmation code.

You should also make sure to have your Alarm.com account monitored for any unexpected activity. By enabling this feature, Alarm.com will analyze the data of your system to learn your typical activity patterns. If any activity occurs outside of these normal patterns, then Alarm.com will send a text and/or email alert so that you are notified. This can be very useful if there is system activity that you do not recognize. Again, this feature will need to be enabled on your Alarm.com account for it to work. Please note that it takes 30 days of activity with Alarm.com to establish activity patterns. Alarm Grid provides this service at no additional charge for all customers with Alarm.com monitoring service. Please be aware that other monitoring companies may charge extra for this feature.

If you are an Alarm Grid customer and you want us to enable certain features on your Alarm.com account, then please reach out to us! The best way to reach us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. You can also email us if you are hoping to learn more about how Alarm.com keeps your account protected. Remember that our support hours for responding to emails run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. Please note that our hours will differ for the upcoming holidays. We look forward to hearing from you!

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According to FBI data, United States property crime has declined for the 16th consecutive year. Estimates show that property crime declined 6.3% in 2018 when compared with 2017. One likely contributor to this trend is the increased usage of security systems in homes and businesses.


Every year, the FBI releases an annual crime report titled Crime In The United States. This report outlines statistics, including some that are of great interest to us as an alarm monitoring company. These mostly include property crimes such as burglary, larceny-theft, and arson. It should be noted that while the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not provide estimates for arson data. This is largely due to the varying levels of participation in reporting arson by different agencies.

The FBI defines burglary as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit felony or theft. Larceny-theft is identified as the unlawful taking of another person's property, with the intention to deprive the rightful owner of said property. Arson is defined as any willful or malicious burning or attempting to burn, with or without the intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

Based on the data presented from the 2018 edition of Crime In The United States, an estimated 7,196,045 property crimes occurred in the United States in 2018. This represents a 6.3% decline when compared with the estimate from 2017. Looking further back, property crime in the United States is down 22.9% when comparing the 2018 estimate with the 2009 estimate.

The estimate for 2018 shows that property crime occurred at a rate of just under 22 property crimes for every 1,000 inhabitants. This represents a 6.9% decrease when compared with the estimate from 2017. The estimated 2018 property crime rate is down 14.6% from the 2014 estimate, and down 27.7% from the 2009 estimate.

When considering 2018 property crimes, larceny-theft represented 72.5% of these crimes. Burglaries represented 17.1%. Motor vehicle theft represented 10.4%. The FBI estimates that 2018 property crimes resulted in estimated losses of $16.4 billion. Remember that arson data is not considered in these statistics.

While it is impossible to fully pinpoint the estimated decline in property crimes to any one particular cause or reason, we like to think that the increased usage of alarm systems has at least played some factor. The FBI estimates that burglars are 2.7 times more likely to attempt to enter a home or business if they believe that no alarm system is in place. With more and more homes and businesses using security systems, many burglars are being scared-off from attempting crimes.

It has never been easier to get started with home security and alarm monitoring service. And by installing your own system, you can save yourself hundreds or even thousands of dollars in startup expenses. You can always email us at support@alarmgrid.com if you need any help or direction in getting started. Remember that we are here from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to helping you and your family stay protected!

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Actress Anna Faris, known for her comedic roles, suffered from a not-so-funny incident over the recent Thanksgiving Holiday. The actress and 12 members of her family were the victims of a carbon monoxide (CO) gas incident. The incident occurred in a North Lake Tahoe cabin they were renting.

Qolsys iq carbon

A representative from the North Tahoe Fire Protection District stated that the vacation cabin had carbon monoxide levels as high as 55 parts per million (ppm). Long-term indoor exposure should be no higher than 15 ppm. The structure did not have any carbon monoxide sensors installed to indicate such danger. Nevada state law requires CO alarms in all family dwellings.

Thankfully, Anna Faris and her family are okay following the incident. However, two of her family members visited the local emergency room. Doctors diagnosed them with CO poisoning, and they were perfectly fine after receiving some care. Firefighters from the North Tahoe FD immediately rushed to the cabin and saved Ms. Faris and her accompanying family shortly thereafter.

According to North Lake Tahoe Fire Official Erin Holland, the CO levels indicated inside the building would have caused a "fatality in a short period of time" had the rescue team not intervened. Faris made sure to send her sincere gratitude to the North Tahoe FD following the incident.

Honeywell 5800combo smoke heat and co detector

We have spoken about the dangers of carbon monoxide gas many times on the Alarm Grid blog. The odorless and tasteless gas kills hundreds of people every year in the United States. If it weren't for the quick work of local firefighters, a talented actress and her family may have fallen victim as well. They are lucky to be alive, and the rescue team deserves praise for the fact that any exposure was kept as minimal as possible.

As you know by now, it is crucial to have carbon monoxide sensors installed in your home. Ideally, you should have CO detectors enrolled with your security system. By pairing these devices with a system that has active monitoring service, you and/or a central station can receive alerts regarding any of your CO sensors that activate while you are away.

If your home has hardwired high-voltage CO sensors (as is required in most jurisdictions), you can indirectly integrate these devices with your alarm system using a wireless takeover listening module. We offer variants for 345 MHz, and 433 MHz wireless alarm systems. And if you don't have hardwired CO detectors in your home, then we sell plenty of standalone units that pair directly with alarm panels like any other sensor.

Encore firefighter ff345 circular smoke detector takeover module

When traveling, make sure that all on-site CO sensors and smoke detectors are working properly. If you have any doubts, ask the building operators to perform a test. This is a reasonable request that any property manager should be able to accommodate. Please note that we ARE NOT suggesting that you bring canned CO gas or canned smoke on an airplane for testing purposes. That could get you into a lot of trouble. Make arrangements for on-site testing, without bringing your own supplies.

It may also be a good idea to buy a cheap conventional battery-operated carbon monoxide sensor when you get to your vacation site. It may turn out that the place you visit does not have CO detectors. This was the case with Anna Faris and her family. We do not sell standalone battery-operated CO detectors on our website. But you can get most models between $10 and $20 from most department and hardware stores. Some models will even show you the detected parts per million for CO gas! If you are staying in a larger property, you may want to obtain multiple sensors.

Remember that our goal at Alarm Grid is to keep you and your loved ones safe. If you ever need help choosing a carbon monoxide sensor for your system, or if you would like to learn more about how we can monitor your home, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. You are also invited to call us at (888) 818-7728 during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Preventing false alarms is now even more important in Memphis, TN. The city council has recently approved new rules that mandate increased fines for violations. The new policy goes into effect January 1, 2020, and it is very important for anyone using a security system in Memphis.


Alarm permits are required in Memphis, TN. The cost to obtain an alarm permit for residential users is $30. For commercial use, the cost is $60. Each alarm permit must be renewed annually. The cost for renewal is $10 for residential users, and $25 for business users. The new policy states that end users must renew alarm permits themselves. Alarm monitoring companies are no longer permitted to renew permits on the behalf of end users.

According to the new policy, anyone with a proper alarm permit who causes a false alarm will receive a warning for the first offense. Every second and subsequent false alarm will result in a $140 fine. Anyone who causes a false alarm without a permit will be required to pay the $140 fine, in addition to alarm permit fees and a $20 processing fee. This means that homeowners without a permit can pay up to $190 for an offense, while business owners without a permit can face fines of up to $220.

It is important to note that most security system users are fully compliant in preventing false alarms. The reality is that false alarms are only caused by a small fraction of end users. According to the Memphis Metro Alarm Office, only about 15% of the city's alarm permit holders have been cited for a false alarm. Roughly 83,000 active alarm permits are on file, and fewer than 13,000 of these permit holders have ever been cited.

Alarm Grid covered Tennessee false alarm policies last May when it was announced that monitoring companies are no longer held responsible for permits, renewals, and false alarms. Instead, it is now the responsibility of end users to pay for alarm permits and to cover the costs of any false alarms. These policies went into effect June 19, 2019. Thanks to these changes, it has become easier for us to provide top-quality monitoring service to customers in Tennessee. But it is important for customers to realize that false alarm prevention is still a major concern in this industry.

One of our goals at Alarm Grid is to empower end users and make sure that they understand how their systems work. We want to prevent false alarms and cause as little inconvenience to end users and their local police departments as possible. As an end user, you need to do your part as well. Some good practices to prevent false alarms include setting proper Entry and Exit Delays, enabling Alarm Report Delay (if necessary), and using Arm-Confirm features. We also offer a selection of alarm panels that are compliant with standards presented by the Security Industry Association (SIA) for preventing false alarms.

If you have central station monitoring service from Alarm Grid, then we want to work with you to prevent false alarms. You are always welcome to email us at support@alarmgrid.com if you have any questions or concerns about false alarm prevention. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our regular business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We also invite you to call or email us if you are interested in starting new monitoring service with Alarm Grid. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Alarm Grid would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope that you spend the holiday in a happy environment with loved ones. Make sure to stay safe if you plan to travel. Remember to arm your security system, lock your doors, and have your security yard sign nice and visible!

Alarm grid inside security stickers

Of course, our team gets to celebrate the holiday too! That is why the Alarm Grid Headquarters will be closed Thursday November 28th, 2019. We will not be answering phones, processing orders, or checking emails during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Our technicians and shipping team will be back to work tomorrow, Friday November 29th, 2019. You can reach out to us then if you need anything. However, our content department (including myself) decided to take tomorrow off. With that in mind, don't expect a new blog post until next Monday December 2nd, 2019. We know, it's very difficult to go without an Alarm Grid blog post for the day. We're sorry!

To make up for it, please check out this Thanksgiving video, from us to you:


If you need to reach Alarm Grid for any reason while we're away on holiday, please send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We will do our very best to reply to your email as soon as possible on Friday once we return. And make sure to check this page on Monday for our next post!

Again, have a Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy the comfort of your family and friends, and we'll be back soon!

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One happy bulldog named Maggie has recently returned home to California after a four-year cross-country excursion, during which she helped lead to the arrest and capture of two alleged Florida burglars. Her owner is absolutely thrilled to have Maggie back, in what is truly a feel-good story.

Photo Credit - Sarasota Police Department

In October of 2015, Maggie the bulldog was stolen from her home by an alleged burglar. The suspected thief apparently decided to take Maggie across the country to Florida. With Maggie in tow, the individual and an accomplice allegedly committed a string of burglaries throughout the Lido Key area of Florida's Gulf Coast. Authorities have since connected these two individuals to eight different burglaries in the area.

Witnesses reported seeing a white bulldog with the alleged thieves around the time of the crimes. In one instance, the bulldog was even seen inside one of the burglarized homes. It's a good bet that security cameras caught footage of the alleged criminals who decided to bring their stolen furry friend along for these burglaries.

Someone later spotted one of the suspects walking a bulldog matching the description. The suspect and their accomplice were eventually found hiding inside a home's bathroom. They were both identified and arrested on multiple felony charges, including burglary and trespassing. Local authorities say that they believe one of these individuals stole Maggie from her California home back in 2015.

An electronic tracking chip helped Florida officials identify the small white bulldog as Maggie from California. They then started working with the owner to arrange for Maggie's safe return. Due to health concerns, Maggie was unable to make the trip by flight. But several local police officers all chipped in funds and arranged for Maggie to get a ground transport trip home. It wasn't long before Maggie the Bulldog was reunited with her rightful owners, who prefer to remain anonymous.

Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department in Florida said, "They were overjoyed and couldn't wait to have her home."

While this story has a happy ending, it's only because witnesses were able to identify Maggie as the "white bulldog" seen at the crimes. It's very important that you have a monitored security system in your home in case you are ever the victim of a burglary. An activated alarm system is the best way to scare-off an intruder and ensure that help arrives on the scene as quickly as possible.

If you want to learn more about the monitoring services offered from Alarm Grid, check out our monitoring page, or email us at support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that our support hours run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

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We have learned that Alarm.com is now offering a new solar power monitoring feature. This feature allows Alarm.com users to track their solar power usage and monitor their estimated savings. Users can conveniently track their solar power consumption through the Alarm.com Mobile App.


In order to use the solar monitoring feature, the Solar Monitoring Service Package Add-On must be applied to your Alarm.com account. Alarm Grid will apply this add-on at no additional cost for any customer with active Alarm.com service through Alarm Grid. Simply let us know that you would like to have the service added, and we will take care of the rest.

By using the Alarm.com Solar Monitoring feature, you can track power consumption data for the past day, week, 30 days, and last 12 months. You can also view any estimated power savings that have occurred as a result of your solar power usage. Alarm.com says that they hope having access to this information will help users make smarter decisions regarding their household energy usage.


Please note that this feature is only compatible with SolarEdge and Enphase Solar Inverters. This covers roughly 90% of all solar panels currently used in the United States. If you are not sure which type of solar panels you have, check with your solar power company. They should have that information readily available for you.

Additionally, each Alarm.com account can only support one (1) solar inverter system. And each solar power system can only be associated to a single Alarm.com account. Keep this in mind when using the Alarm.com Solar Monitoring feature. Also remember that you will need a cellular alarm monitoring plan with access to Alarm.com to get started.

If you want to learn more about Alarm.com Solar Monitoring, or if you would like to have this feature added to your existing Alarm.com account, please reach out to us! The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that our support hours run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. And if you don't yet have access to Alarm.com, check our monitoring page for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Suffering from a serious house fire is an unfortunate reality that many people experience every single year. Understanding the most common causes of house fire can help you take preventive measures and stay prepared. With our helpful tips, you can prevent a serious fire in your home!

Honeywell 5806w3 wireless smoke detector

As a homeowner, it is your duty to make sure that your house is equipped to detect a fire and receive a prompt emergency response. This means installing an alarm system and programming enough smoke and heat detectors to cover the entirety of your house. You should have at least one smoke detector on every floor of your house. There should also be a smoke detector inside each bedroom, as well as inside each large central area, such as living rooms and dens. Hallways are also great locations for smoke detectors. Meanwhile, you can install standalone heat detectors inside areas not suitable for smoke detectors, such as kitchens, garages, attics and bathrooms.

However, a smoke and heat detector won't actually stop a fire from occurring. It will only alert you and/or a central monitoring station to a fire that is already in progress. That is why you need to take proper precautions to prevent fires in your home. If you know how most fires occur, then you can properly do you part to prevent them. With that out of the way, here are the top 10 causes for house fires and ways that you can prevent them.

10. Household Lighting

A light bulb housed inside a glass lighting fixture or light globe has the potential of starting a fire if it is not set up properly. This is especially true if it is very close to a lamp shade or something flammable. Also, knocking over a lamp onto the carpet can cause a fire if you are not careful.

Solution: Make sure to use light bulbs that comply with the recommended wattage specification of the lighting fixture. Also try not to leave lights left on overnight or while you are away. And remember to not place anything flammable around your lights and light bulbs!

9. Flammable Liquids

Many fires in the home occur to the careless use of flammable liquids. This usually concerns fuels such as gasoline or kerosene. However, some fires even occur due to rubbing alcohol or liquor that has been spilled and exposed to an open flame.

Solution: Always label your flammable liquids, and put them in a safe area away from heating sources and open flames. Make sure the other members of your household know not to use these liquids outside of their intended purposes.

8. Outdoor Barbecues

Barbecues are a lot of fun, but they can also turn into a fire hazard! A malfunctioning or greasy grill can cause a fire, as can general carelessness. A gas or propane leak can also result in a serious fire. If the fire manages to reach a tablecloth or household wall, disaster can strike.

Solution: Never use faulty or barbecue equipment, and make sure your grill is cleaned regularly. Always supervise your grill station while cooking to make sure a fire does not occur. You might also consider using natural gas and propane detectors. You might also consider the 2GIG STVGRL1-345 for compatible systems to make sure you do not leave your grill on.

7. Christmas Trees

Christmas trees are a must-have for the holiday season! But they can result in a house fire if you aren't careful. This is especially true if you have a dried-out tree that is surrounded by Christmas lights. Keep in mind that this can potentially happen with any holiday lights!

Solution: Keep your Christmas tree hydrated by watering it regularly and removing any dead wood from the trunk that would prevent it from soaking up water. Make sure you turn off your lights when you go to sleep. If you really want to be careful, just get an artificial fire-safe Christmas tree.

6. Candles

Candles smell great, and they really brighten up a room. But they are also an obvious fire hazard. Some carelessness can quickly result in a house fire and some expensive damage!

Solution: Never leave candles unattended, and make sure you put them out before you leave or go to sleep. Also remember to keep them away from flammable objects like tissue boxes and books. And be sure to avoid knocking a candle over!

5. Electrical Appliances

Many electrical appliances like toasters and clothes dryers can cause fires. This is often the case when the appliance has access to something flammable nearby, such as paper towels or cotton.

Solution: Check your appliances regularly, and replace them if they are faulty. Make sure to supervise your electrical equipment when it is in use. It is also a good idea to keep up with proper maintenance, including cleaning the lint trap in your dryer.

4. Curious Children

If there are children in your household, then they might be curious to know what happens if an object catches fire. A silly mistake or genuine curiosity could result in the end of your home.

Solution: Teach your kids fire-safety at an early age, and make sure they understand the consequences of playing with fire. Supervise younger children, and make sure they are not putting your home at risk. You might even want to enroll your children in a fire-safety class at a school or with your local fire department. Make it a family activity, and consider it a good learning experience for yourself as well.

3. Smoking Indoors

It's your home! If you want to smoke indoors, then that is your right. But just be aware that it can lead to a fire if you aren't careful. Many fires occur in bedrooms while smoking. This is often the case when the person smoking is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Solution: To be extra cautious, you should restrict smoking to outdoor areas only. If you really want to smoke indoors, try to avoid doing it in bed or around flammable objects. Better yet, take up vaping, or quit the habit altogether.

2. Heating Equipment

We get it - you need your heater to get through those rough winter months! Maybe you even have a Japanese-style kotatsu that you absolutely love? But that comfort device can quickly result in a fire if you aren't careful.

Solution: Keep your space heating devices away from flammable items and objects like laundry and curtains. Avoid knocking these devices over, and don't use them while unattended. And if you have a furnace, have it inspected regularly!

1. Cooking

Most fires occur in the kitchen due to cooking accidents. It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. The kitchen is the number one source of fires in the home.

Solution: We would love to tell you to just eat out and avoid cooking altogether. But that isn't really feasible. Instead, we'll just have to give you the same old message as always. Follow safe cooking practices, and never leave your oven or stove unattended. Also make sure to install heat detectors in your kitchen. Maybe take a cooking class if you have a tendency to burn dinner!

If you have any questions about fire-safety, you can always reach out to us for help! The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. Just remember that we usually only respond to emails during our regular business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

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If you live in the United States, then there's a good chance you have seen marijuana dispensaries popping up on nearly every street. If you're getting involved in the budding industry, then you will definitely want to look into alarm monitoring service. And Alarm Grid is happy to help.

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Marijuana dispensaries and CBD sales can represent lucrative investment opportunities for many entrepreneurs. But these businesses are also at very high-risk for burglaries and armed robberies. You absolutely need to have a plan in place if you are getting involved in the cannabis industry. Additionally, many alarm monitoring companies are hesitant to support marijuana dispensaries for a variety of reasons. In fact, many major alarm companies have federal contracts that forbid them from engaging in any relationship with stores selling medical or recreational cannabis. It can be a real challenge to find a monitoring company for your recreational or medical marijuana dispensary.

Alarm Grid is an independent company that provides top-quality alarm monitoring services for a variety of businesses and companies across the United States and Canada. This includes several marijuana dispensaries located throughout the country. We have zero federal contracts that will prevent us from providing you with the protection you need for your business. We promise to offer you the same excellent security and support that we offer for any other business. The fact that you are involved in the cannabis industry is of absolutely no concern to us. You are running a business, and you deserve the same high-level of security just like anyone else who signs-up for our services.


Alarm Grid is a leading alarm monitoring company. However, we use a unique business model where any equipment you use will need to be installed by yourself or by a third-party installer. We do not roll any trucks, and all technical support is provided over the phone or online. However, you should find that your new security system is very easy to install. In fact, many panels and sensors can be installed using nothing more than a screwdriver, a desk stand, and some double-sided foam tape. And a more professional-looking mounted setup can be easily achieved with just a few holes and screws. You should also find that programming a new wireless alarm system is super simple. Our technicians are happy to help you throughout the process as well. You will have your new marijuana dispensary security system up and running in no time at all!

If you are the owner of a marijuana dispensary looking for alarm monitoring services, please reach out to us! We can tell you more about our services and help you find the best security system for your growing business. The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728. Just remember that our usual business hours run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

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