What is CO Poisoning & How Do I Avoid It?

When you purchased those smoke detectors you so responsibly installed in your home, did you notice a similar-looking detector for carbon monoxide? If you have any products or equipment in or near your home that burn fuel, you might want to pick up a few carbon monoxide detectors too.

Unlike smoke or natural gas, carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, but it is just as poisonous. In the U.S., between 150 and 200 people die annually from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning produced by malfunctioning furnaces, ranges, water heaters, space heaters, fireplaces, charcoal- or gas-fired grills and engine-powered devices such as portable generators.

Even more lose their lives when CO accumulates after people leave their cars running in garages. And every year, thousands of people wind up in emergency rooms for treatment as a result of CO poisoning.

Prevention involves following these basic safety procedures.

  1. Install all appliances following the manufacturer’s instructions as well as local building codes – generally by qualified professionals.
  2. Unless you have the proper knowledge and skill as well as the appropriate tools, do not service fuel-burning appliances yourself.
  3. If your home has a fuel-burning heating system, have it serviced and inspected annually by professionals. Be sure to include chimneys and flues.
  4. Operating a portable generator or another gas-powered tool in or near an enclosed space can trap CO, leading to potentially lethal levels of the gas. Open doors and windows do not provide enough ventilation.
  5. Never use camping stoves designed for outdoor use only in an enclosed vehicle, tent or building. Some of these products may be designed to work in enclosed spaces, but they will specify that on the packaging and provide instructions for their safe use.
  6. Never burn charcoal in any kind of enclosed space such as a building, tent, or vehicle.
  7. Never leave a car running in a garage, even if you have the door open.
  8. Don’t use gas appliances such as ovens or clothes dryers as space heaters for your home.
  9. If you use a natural gas or propane oven, don’t cover the bottom with aluminum foil the way you can with an electric oven. You can block the oven’s combustion flow, producing CO.
  10. Re-check all gas appliance vents, heating vents or chimney flues after any home renovations. These can easily be blocked by forgotten tarps or debris.
  11. Install carbon monoxide alarms in hallways near every sleeping area and in living areas in the neighborhood of fuel-burning appliances. The recommendation is one alarm installed in the hallway outside every bedroom. Make sure the alarms aren’t blocked by furniture or window coverings. CO alarms should not be installed in kitchens or directly above any fuel-burning appliances. Test alarms regularly and replace following the schedule recommended by the manufacturer.

Signs and Symptoms of CO Poisoning

Initially, CO exposure has symptoms that resemble the flu without any fever. These include headaches, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Further exposure can lead to vomiting, mental confusion and loss of muscular coordination. The end result is loss of consciousness and finally, death. The exposure levels and duration can affect the severity of the symptoms.

If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms unexpectedly, don’t wait for the CO alarm to go off to confirm it. Leave your home immediately and call the fire department on your cell or at a neighbor’s home. If they find evidence of high levels of CO, be sure that you and any family members who were exposed see a doctor immediately, letting him or her know about the CO exposure.

The Best Way To Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Finally, have all of your appliances checked for problems before re-using them. If one or more CO alarms go off in your home, leave immediately with all family members and pets. Call 911 and do not re-enter your home until the emergency specialists have ensured you that it is safe. Even a few minutes can lead to loss of consciousness and death if the exposure is high enough. Do not use the problem equipment again until a qualified service technician checks and repairs it.

Contact Us Today.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is an easily avoidable risk, yet every year too many people succumb to it. Like wearing a seatbelt, you may never need a CO detector, but why take a chance? By following these few simple steps, AND installing a carbon monoxide detector by a qualified professional security company, you may become a lifesaver for the ones you care about most.

/by

Stay Safe This Halloween: 10 Essential Tips For The Big Night Out

Although children look forward to tricks, treats, and ghoulish garb, Halloween can be fraught with fright for parents, with candy given to their kids by strangers and a legion of masked and costumed trick-or-treaters at the door. However, following a few safety tips can ensure safe fun for kids and candy-givers alike.

The activities below focus on Halloween, which is celebrated in the last week of October. The efforts throughout the month generate enthusiasm for crime prevention so it can grow stronger and become more widespread.

To ensure that trick-or-treaters, you, and your house stay safe, remember the following tips.

  • Clear your yard and sidewalk of any obstacles or decorations that may be hard to see in the dark, lest someone go bump in the night.
  • Keep your house well lighted, both inside and out; you wouldn’t want to miss any particularly good costumes, would you?
  • Ask your Neighborhood Watch or local citizen’s group to haunt (patrol) your community.
  • Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your police or sheriff’s department.

To make sure even the scariest costumes are safe, keep the following in mind when buying or designing one.

  • Try makeup instead of masks; it’s more comfortable and doesn’t obstruct vision the way masks can.
  • Check to ensure that costumes are flame-retardant so that young ones are safe around jack-o’-lanterns, candles, and other flames.
  • Keep costumes short to ensure that the only trip taken is the one around the neighborhood.
  • Look for brightly colored costumes, attach reflector strips to costumes and bags, and remind trick-or-treaters to carry glow sticks and flashlights.
  • If a costume involves any sort of fake weapon, make sure that it is made of a flexible material such as cardboard or foam. Or, avoid the whole problem of weapons by challenging your child to design a costume that is scary without one.

Keep in mind the next few tips to make sure your trick-or-treater’s night in the neighborhood will be safe and fun.

  • Older kids should trick-or-treat in groups; kids walking around alone are never as safe as those in groups, and especially not at night. Younger kids should be accompanied by a parent or trusted neighbor.
  • Review the route for trick-or-treating beforehand and set a time set when kids should be home. Also, have a plan if your child gets separated from his or her friends or from you.
  • Remind your children not to enter strange houses or cars.

After a successful and safe night around the neighborhood, remember that the treats still need scrutiny before anyone eats them.

  • Remind your children not to eat treats until they’ve come home. To help ensure this, feed them a meal or a substantial snack before they go out.
  • Check all treats at home in a well-lighted place. Be especially wary of anything that is not wrapped by the factory or that is no longer sealed.
  • Remind kids not to eat everything at once, lest they be green even without the makeup.

About All Action Alarm

All Action Alarm has been a family-owned business since 1980. We are experienced and maintain a high standard of continual knowledge and education in all areas of residential and commercial electronic systems.

/by

Surprising Burglary Tactics You Need to Know

For the criminal, crime is a job—and they are masters of the profession. Those who commit crime are exceptionally creative and use a multitude of subtle tricks and tactics to achieve their goals. Most people are unfamiliar with all but the most common and commonly talked about tricks, and that is why they continue to be successful to the burglar.

Being aware of the tricks and tactics burglars use can help prevent you from becoming a victim, and make your community safer. Here is a rundown of some of the most surprising methods and tricks criminals use.

  • Google maps. With street view, a burglar can gain knowledge of your property, such as the location of doors and windows, as well as whether or not there is sufficient cover to break in.
    They can also use it to gauge neighbor perspective and proximity as well as plan their escape.
  • Calling police. A criminal might also call police from the neighborhood to test response time.
  • They leave flyers on your door. A criminal may leave a flyer on your door to get an idea of the hours the home is occupied based on when it is removed. They may do this several times, on different days, or the same day over several weeks to determine the regularity of your schedule.
  • They check your trash. There is a wealth of information to be found in the garbage, whether it is personal information from bills or clues to recent purchases.
  • They look for signs of pets. Having a pet means you probably make accommodations for them, such as leaving a window open so the cat can enjoy fresh air, or having a dog door. These accommodations usually mean making your home vulnerable.
  • They leave markings. Criminals may also leave markings when casing several homes. The markings may be chalk symbols or litter positioned a certain way to indicate information about the home and its occupants. For example, one symbol may mean the home does not have security, another means it is vacant during the day, or contains target items.
  • They may research you. If they have your name, they may search it to see your estimated earnings and gauge the valuables you own.
  • Once they find your information, they use it to probe. They may call to see if you are home or email to see if they get an automated response when they expect you to be away on vacation.
  • They may use a planned power outage as cover of darkness.

Smart Home Security is Your Best Defense

As a resident, your job is securing the home and having the right home security features shows you are a master of your profession. Smart security features such as motion sensors and alerts, video surveillance, video doorbells, smart locks, motion activated lighting, and video verified alarms, provide the best tools to spot and defend against the criminal’s best tactic. All make the criminal take notice and think twice.

About All Action Alarm

All Action Alarm is a family owned business that has been dedicated to protecting Long Island homes and businesses since 1980. Our 5 diamond central monitoring station keeps watch over your alarm system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Check out Boost Home Security and Get Started with All Action Alarm Today!  Check out also this articles:

/by

5 Tips For Kitchen Fire Safety

Every year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) devotes the third week in October to National Fire Prevention Week. The theme for this year is “Prevent Kitchen Fires,” with fire departments throughout the country holding local community events designed to educate the public on preventing fires in that busy area of the house. Here are some valuable tips they will be sharing:

  • Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking on the stovetop. If you are frying, grilling, broiling or boiling food, you must be in the room to make sure your food doesn’t burn. The safety concern is not only for burned food, but for smoke in the air and the pan catching fire.
  • Stay in the home when you’re cooking in the oven. If you are baking, roasting or braising food in the oven, you don’t necessarily need to be in the kitchen, but you do need to be in the home – and you definitely need to use a timer to prevent any fire risks.
  • Keep your smoke alarm on while cooking. Some people are tempted to remove their smoke alarm batteries when cooking certain dishes. But whether you are baking cookies or frying up bacon, your smoke alarm should stay on. Disabling it could put your family at risk of harmful smoke inhalation.
  • Keep your kids and pets safe while cooking. Young children have been known to burn themselves on front burner pots and pans. Teaching them not to touch is good, but putting things on the back burner to remove the risk is better. Pets should also be kept at least three feet from the stove.
  • Keep flammable items away from the stove. Avoid cooking with loose-fitting sleeves. Hanging sleeves can easily catch fire. As for necessary items like potholders and kitchen towels, they should be safely to the side on the counter – not the stove.

These are just some of the tips that fire departments want citizens to know when it comes to preventing kitchen fires. If there is a National Fire Prevention Week event going on in your community, we encourage you to attend. Search #NationalFirePreventionWeek on Twitter to find an event near you!

ABOUT ALL ACTION ALARM

To learn more about a remote access solution that leverages your lights to the fullest for the sake of security, contact All Action Alarm today. We will be glad to answer your questions about your lighting control and smart home security options.

/by

Privacy vs. Safety: Teens and Home Security

If you’re raising teenagers, you most likely have your hands full. As a provider of home security in Long Island, All Action Alarm wants to make your job easier by giving you some tips about talking to teens about home security. Even if they purport to “already know” about home security (after all, don’t teens know everything?), many of them aren’t sure how they would handle a dangerous home security threat – whether they admit it to you or not. That’s why it’s important to educate teens on using your home security system.

Learn The Duress Code

Of course, your alarm is designed to activate when somebody breaks down the door. Regardless, there may be times when that feature is irrelevant. For example, what if your teen lets someone in the house willingly, and that person turns out not to be trustworthy? If that happens, here’s what they need to do: Enter the duress code on the alarm panel. Your duress code is a four-digit code that you set when you first obtain your system. By entering that code, your teen can alert the monitoring center without ever having to pick up the phone, and without the perpetrator hearing any kind of audible alarm.

Home Video Surveillance

Then, there’s the question of your home security cameras, particularly if you have a system by Alarm.com (a system designed to help parents keep tabs on the home while they’re away). What if your teen complains that he or she feels like they’re “being watched” by you? Your answer is this: “You know where the cameras are. The only time I can see you is when you are in those parts of the house.”

Most parents opt to place a camera above the interior side of the front door, and may place others in areas of the home where the kids aren’t allowed (a gun cabinet, a liquor cabinet, etc.). Assure your teen that as long as he doesn’t go near those areas, he isn’t being watched. Then, remind him that the main purpose of the cameras is to have video of anyone who may try to break into the house, and the fact that you can see when he gets home is just an added bonus (wink).

Education Is An On-Going Process

Educating teens on home security is just part of raising them; because you are a devoted customer of All Action Alarm, you’ve already done most of the work by investing in a security system. Use this information to talk to teens about home security, and pat yourself on the back for doing a great job.

About All Action Alarm

All Action Alarm has been a family-owned business since 1980. We are experienced and maintain a high standard of continual knowledge and education in all areas of residential and commercial electronic systems.

Check out Video Monitoring and After School Care and Get Started with All Action Alarm Today! Check out also this articles:

/by

8 Practical Steps To Boost Your Home Security

Crime doesn’t just happen. Criminals look for their best opportunity to do or get what they want without getting caught, and surprisingly little things can cause them to rule out a potential target. Studies show that in many cases, the crimes could have been prevented had the resident taken measures to make their home less inviting to thieves by improving simple security features.

Make the Home Look Constantly Occupied

Make it difficult to know when the home is empty. Set televisions, radios, and lights on timers to rotate around the home so it looks occupied even while you are away at work.

Keep Curtains Closed

If a thief cannot see into a home, entering it becomes riskier because they cannot evaluate what there is to take or what problems they may encounter, such as dogs or people.

Keep Landscaping Trimmed

Yard work is not fun, but keeping the trees and shrubs trimmed removes the cover criminals love and is a cost effective crime deterrent.

Keep Doors and Windows Locked

This may seem simple, but many people do not lock their doors, especially if they are home. Always lock your doors and windows.

Create a Physical Perimeter of Defense

Create layers of difficulty for intruders. Fence your property and secure it with a locking gate. Use creative landscaping to create obstacles, such as placing thorny bushes under windows and surrounding the home with landscaping rock that is noisy to walk across.

Use Strategic Lighting

Light can be a criminal’s worst enemy. Consider using motion sensor lighting to cover every part of the property, not just the front of the home.

Install a Security System

Home security systems are always your best defense against crime. Home security systems are proven effective and come in a wide range of features to address any home security need.

About All Action Alarm

Crime can be devastating, but preventing it can be as easy as implementing these simple steps. If you have any questions about how you can improve your home security, call All Action Alarm today.

/by

Video Monitoring and After School Care

States differ on the age at which a child can be left home alone, and though it is not a parent’s first choice, circumstances may make it necessary for a young person to spend brief periods of time home alone. When this is the case, a home security system can be a very valuable tool in assuring the child’s safety and in keeping things under control. More than just a way to protect against intruders, a home security system can be a parent’s tool in monitoring the child’s arrival home and even provide a way to see that they are doing well.

Here are some valuable ways parents can use home security technologies in monitoring their children while home alone:

Use Alerts

Do you want to know when your child gets home from school of if they leave the home? Many systems allow you to set up different user codes and send alerts to your phone when the code is used, so you can know who made it home and when.

Use Window and Door Sensors

Window and door sensors are also very helpful in keeping track of what goes on when you are away. While door and window sensors keep your family safe by keeping intruders out, they can also be helpful in making sure kids stay home or alert you to unusual activity.

Install Cupboard or Door Alarms

Keep kids out of rooms or cupboards that pose a safety hazard by making those areas off limits with door alarms.

Use Video Surveillance

A video surveillance system can help you keep an eye on the kids even if you are not home. Cameras placed for the most coverage can help you know that the child got home safely, is doing homework, or needs your assistance. If the kids need a bit more supervision, cameras covering the interior of the home can be a real asset.

About All Action Alarm

A home security system can be a very helpful tool in keeping your family safe. If you have any questions or want to know more about how you can get the most use out home security systems and their functions, call All Action Alarm today.

/by

The Many Faces of Video Doorbell Owners

If you are like most of us, you can’t even remember what life was like before your video doorbell. It seems like such a simple solution but oh, how it has changed things. And that gets you to thinking– how do other people use their video doorbell?

Doorbells Made for the Way We Live

When video doorbells were first available, early adopters were thinking, “Finally, a doorbell made for the way real people live!” Video doorbells are smart doorbells equipped with 2-way communication capacity, video camera, and motion sensor. Both nearby motion and someone ringing the bell can trigger an alert sent to a smart device. From the device, you can open the app and communicate with the person at the door, whether you are in the home or elsewhere. The genius device solves a lot of problems.

No More Shhh-ers or Hiders

Now when a salesperson comes to the door, there is no need to run and hide and pretend like you are not home. Simply answer the door from the phone with a polite “No, thank you” and move on.

Never Pause Movie Night

There is only one reason to put the pause on movie night and that is for pizza delivery! Now you can know for sure that the one at the door is the bearer of cheesy goodness before you open the door.

Online Shopper’s Delight

If you are constantly on the lookout for that next package or worried that what you got with Amazon Prime will not arrive at a prime time– like when you are home, then you know how great it is to be able to see it safe and sound on your doorstep.

Why Tell Anyone You Aren’t Home?

When you have a video doorbell, you never have to give away the fact that you are not home. Now any dishonest person trying to figure out if the home is empty or not will not have a clue and move on to another target.

Don’t Disrupt the Chill

You just sat down to relax and now there is someone at the door. With a video doorbell, you can answer from the comfort of your easy chair with a ”Sorry, I am seriously deep into a project and can’t come to the door right now.”

Mute Mode

Traditional doorbells can be a real problem if you sleep during the daylight hours. Just when you finally drift off… there it is, and you never quite get to sleep soundly again. Thank goodness video doorbells have a mute mode so you can block out the rest of the world.

About Us

Today, home security and home automation are made for the way real people live, and All Action Alarm has been helping Long Island residents customize solutions since 1980.

/by

Serenity Now! 4 Reasons To Own A Home Alarm System

A perfect home is not only a place where one feels the warmest; it should also be essentially a place where one feels the safest. While most of us take the personal protective measures like, keeping the outside light on when not in the house for neighbors to notice intruders, locking all doors and other outlets, keeping a watch dog etc, but what we all must realize that being humans there are always chances of a slip, and that is why a home alarm system is so very important.

A home alarm system comes in various forms and in various combinations. While a home alarm system comes with the primary objective of a burglar alarm , there are added mechanisms for smoke alarm, flood alarm , freeze alarm , to name a few, as per the requirement of the resident. But, before we venture into the possible types of burglar alarm, let us first have a look into the advantages behind its installation.

1. A feeling of complete safety.

2. The possibility of an entirely stress free vacation, with the understanding that we will find our home safe on our return.

3. Getting a peaceful sleep.

4. Going to work without having to worry about the safety of our children.

ABOVE ALL, a feeling of peace and serentity  – 24×7!

There is definitely another monetary advantage of installing an alarm system at home! Many homeowners insurance companies provide a discount of as high as 20%, when the house is under an approved home alarm system! So , a home alarm system is not only about safety it is also about savings!

Burglar alarms are primarily electronic devices that are fitted to sensors. While the basic forms of home alarms stop at notifying the owner of an intrusion through a noise (as in a siren); the more sophisticated ones come with a lot of add-ons. First of all they are very condition specific that is there are different forms of alarm systems for different emergencies. A smoke and fire alert will differ from a burglar alert! More importantly, they have

More importantly, they have sensor to identify the zone, type and the time of an emergency. In certain sophisticated alarm systems, there is an automatic phone alert system, whereby the Local Police Department, or the Fire Department, as the need be, will be alerted. A phone call alert can also be set to notify the owner.
A burglar alarm comes with the following upgrades:

1. A fire and smoke sensor.
2. A carbon monoxide sensor.
3. A child safety device, informing the owner when there child returns home or when they leave by text message to their cell phone.
4. A freeze and water sensor.

It is always advisable while buying a new house to check on the Alarm system devices installed by the previous owner and whether it had been monitored.

As an owner of a home alarm system, one needs to have the following things in mind:

1. A regular check on the control panel: a service provided by the company itself.
2. A check on the back up battery system.
3. A regular siren check.
4. Most importantly there has to be a check on the effectiveness of the home alarm system.

A well monitored home alarm system thereby becomes the most desired device for a peaceful and happy life! Serenity Now – brought to you by your friends at All Action Alarm. Contact us today for a free home security quote.

/by

The 5 Benefits of a Home Fire Alarm system

If you are considering a home fire alarm system, there are several good reasons to own one. I will explain the benefits of a home fire alarm system, and how it can help you.

The earlier a fire is detected, the faster it will be that firefighters will respond. This can mean you may avoid major damage or even worse, the complete destruction of the home.

Avoid Smoke Inhalation

The most important reason is perhaps the only one you really need. This can save the life of anyone in the house at the time. This is particularly crucial at night time. Anyone who is sleeping may not be awakened in time if a fire starts. Many times people die of smoke inhalation while trying to escape. Having a system in place can give you peace of mind and security.

Early Detection

The earlier a fire is detected, the faster it will be that firefighters will respond. This can mean you may avoid major damage or even worse, the complete destruction of the home.

Insurance Discounts

This can save you money on your house insurance. Homeowner policies often give discounts to customers who have these systems. That is because it can be possible to save a home rather than lose it entirely. In addition, it demonstrates to the insurer that the homeowner is taking responsibility and is prepared in case an unfortunate incident should occur.

24/7 Monitoring

A home fire alarm system gives the homeowner protection 24 hours a day, every day of the week. You home will be monitored when you are away, and at night when you are sleeping. You and your family can feel secure knowing this monitoring never stops.

Easy & Affordable

Having a system is very reasonably priced. Even if you have insurance that can replace any lost items, many of them are irreplaceable. This would include photo albums, gifts from family members or items passed down from one generation to the next. You also would be severely inconvenienced by having to live elsewhere for at least some time. Finally, there is the emotional trauma of losing your home and possessions.

These are benefits of a home fire alarm system and fire sprinkler systems. Having the security if offers you can be one of the wisest decisions you can make. All Action Alarm has been serving the greater Long Island community with home fire protection since 1980. Contact us today with questions or to schedule a free home fire alarm system consultation.
/by