Upgrade your home with an Alarm.com Smart Thermostat this fall, and you can save between 9 and 16 percent of the energy you’d normally use to heat your house this winter.

That’s according to the rigorous, independent tests required by the Environmental Protection Agency for its ENERGY STAR® certification, which the Alarm.com Smart Thermostat earned this month.

And, next summer, you can be even more energy-efficient, saving between 15 and 23 of the energy it normally takes to cool your house.

With the average home’s heating and cooling costing $900 per year, that’s a substantial opportunity to save energy and money without having to be uncomfortable.

How our Smart Thermostat makes savings easy

Connected to every device and activity sensor in your smart home security system, and powered by cloud intelligence, our smart thermostat proactively spots opportunities to save energy when you don’t need it. Here’s a quick video explainer.

How our Smart Thermostat keeps you more comfortable

With remote temperature sensors installed in different rooms, our smart thermostat can optimize your home’s temperature for any room of your choosing. You can easily correct a room that’s too hot, make sure that the nursery is just right at naptime, and create custom comfort schedules targeted to the rooms you use throughout the day.

Read more: Four Ways to Use an Alarm.com Smart Thermostat

How do I get an Alarm.com Smart Thermostat?

Getting an Alarm.com Smart Thermostat is easy. If you already have smart home security, just ask Brinton Security about upgrading your existing thermostat.

Home security systems offer you and your loved ones peace of mind. Today’s security system is not the same as it was five years ago. Modern systems are comprised of multiple components that work together to protect your entire house.

What Makes Up a Modern Home Security System?

These components are what protect your home from intruders, fires and even flooding. While some are add-ons, others come standard with a new home security system install.

  • Panel – This is the center for your alarm system. It communicates with all of the sensors installed in your home, allows you to arm and disarm the system and is used for maintenance.
  • Door and Window Sensors – These are the most basic pieces of a home security system. They are strategically placed on your doors and windows and when the alarm is active, will set off the security system if a sensor detects an opening.
  • Motion Sensors – Motion sensors recognize heat and movement within a 25-foot range and 90-degree arc. They can supplement where door and window sensors may not reach and can help complete the coverage your system provides.
  • Surveillance Cameras These are often an added feature. They can be placed inside and outside the home for added peace of mind and they let you check-in on your home no matter where you are.
  • Panic Buttons – These are designed to arm and disarm your alarm, but if you use the panic mode, they automatically alert the authorities without calling you first.
  • Automation Controls – From turning lights on and off to securing doors and even turning off the television, home automation controls can be integrated with your home security system for added convenience.

Brinton Security can help you find the right home security system and add-ons to suit your residence. We offer free in-home estimates and can discuss the components of our latest security panels and monitoring options.

Call Brinton Security today. We can help you customize the right home security system to fit your needs and budget. 

Some old school things need to live on in our culture—like those awesome vintage trailers, Coca Cola, and rock n’ roll. Other things…maybe not so much. Pimento loaves, Jell-O rings, and Yugos can have an honored place in our memory, but we’ve moved on. The same should be true for old school security practices. Though the practices our parents grew up with may have worked back in the day, they do not offer the kind of security needed today. Criminals have gotten increasingly sophisticated and emboldened and yesterday’s security practices are now not just ineffective, they can be downright dangerous.

The good news is, home security and automation technologies offer a better alternative.

Don’t Look Under the Doormat

Believe it or not, putting a key under the welcome mat is not uncommon, even today. It may be handy but it is also dangerous. The number one point of entry for burglars is the front door, and the chances are pretty good that they will check under the mat (and above the door jamb) for a key, just in case. For a criminal, the key under the doormat is as good as an unlocked door.

The better alternative is using home security smart locks and keyless entry. With this you never need to leave a key out for the kids, or visitors. You just assign a code or unlock the door remotely from your smart phone. This way you keep intruders out, and have an added advantage of getting alerts when the code is used so you know that loved ones made it home safely.

Those Plastic Rocks Never Look Real, Anyway

Today’s fake rocks look much more realistic than those from years ago, but still fairly easy to spot is you are a savvy burglar—or even if you are not. If you happen to lose your keys frequently or have a need to grant access to family, friends, or service professionals opt out of the fake rock. It is as good as gold to a criminal.

Instead, consider the options home automation offers. With home automation and geofencing, your doors can unlock automatically when you are within range, or you can open the doors for loved ones from a smartphone or tablet.

Leaving the Lights on is a Beacon

Walking into a lit home is smart. Leaving the lights on the entire time you are gone is not. Leaving the lights on as a security strategy just doesn’t work. Having the lights on and no other signs of life acts as a beacon for burglars.

A much better practice is using home automation to simulate your presence. Having lights, electronics, and appliances go off and on at unpredictable intervals makes it difficult to discern whether the home is occupied or not. For the criminal, the risk is too high.

Peep Hole or Video Doorbell, Who Wins?

The video doorbell wins hands down in this old school vs new school battle. The peephole has been around a long time and served us well, but the video doorbell is a formidable challenger. With the peephole, you need to get close to the door to see out, which not only gives away that someone is home, it can put in the way of danger. It only offers a vary warped and narrow view, and useless in the dark. You can answer the door from anywhere, whether you are home or not, using the video doorbell. A potential criminal never knows you are away, and you never have to get close to the door. HD video doorbells offer a wide view, work in low light, and act as an extra home security camera.

Keep the retro trailers, and all things cool, but ditch outdated security practices. Brinton Security Services is dedicated to serving the community with high-tech security solutions and help protect what matters.