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As spring arrives in South Carolina, so does… pollen.
If you live in the Myrtle Beach area of the Grand Strand, you might have seen this picture shared by Ed Piotrowski.
It’s not an oil slick, it’s a pollon-slick in the ocean! 😂
All this pollen doesn’t clean itself! After the trees have done their thing, it’s time for the humans to de-pollen their homes, porches, cars, windows and driveways!
Can we say it?
Yes, soon it will be time for… Spring Cleaning.
Now we’re not saying these home security mistakes can’t be made during other months. We’re not saying that at all.
BUT… these mistakes are more likely to be made in spring when you are spending more time outside, more time opening windows and doors, and less time inside.
In no particular order, here are 7 common home security mistakes made in Spring!
We are not saying we’ve not made these mistakes ourselves. Sometimes just reading tips like these can help you create better security habits around your home. By avoiding these common springtime home security mistakes, you can keep your home and family safe and secure. Don’t forget, your security is our business. Give us a call.
In 2023, technology is more affordable than ever!
Smarthomes, smart technology… as more and more people jump in, especially with new home construction, these types of systems have become more affordable and thus more commonplace.
Last year Strand Security installed these window shades, these types of Smarthomes systems, and several smarthome home theater technology systems!
Alexas, Google homes… who doesn’t own a ‘Siri’ device, right?
Let’s look at the best new home security tech gadgets for 2023. We know you’ll want them!
We don’t do anything halfway.
We’ve collected a list of not one or two, but ten home security gadgets.
In no particular order, here they are!
We encourage you to vet your service provider carefully. We’ve been installing smarthomes for many years and work with the best brands. If you are looking for the best brands, the best service at the best pricing and like supporting locally owned and locally operated small businesses… we are it!
Give us a call today and let’s figure out how we can help you.
We hope that 2023 brings you all the joy, success, and prosperity that you deserve. Thank you for your business and we look forward to continuing to serve you in this new year.
There are many steps that families can take to keep their home safe and secure. Here are two ideas:
By taking these steps, you can help protect your family and your home, and create a sense of security and peace of mind.
Here are five general trends that have been consistently popular in the field of home security in recent years that may continue to be relevant in the future:
It is always a good idea to stay up to date on the latest developments in home security and to take steps to protect your home and family. This may include investing in a security system, using smart home devices, and following basic safety practices such as locking doors and windows when you are away.
At Strand Security, we understand the importance of protecting your family and your home. That’s why we offer a range of security solutions designed to help you feel safe and secure in 2023 and beyond. Our team of experts can help you assess your security needs and recommend the right products and services to suit your specific situation. From security systems and smart home devices to security lighting and emergency preparedness, we have everything you need to keep your family safe and secure. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help protect your family and your home in 2023 and beyond.
Everyone deserves to have a home and live the life they want. Those who are living with a disability often have fewer choices about where and how they live alone. Children with disabilities who work on gaining independence from their parents will experience confidence in themselves.
Technology can help facilitate these changes and that independence.
Technology used for good is allowing disabled persons to replace some of the tasks done for them with tasks they can do on their own with the help of this new technology.
This article will highlight just a few use-cases of smarthome technology for those living with a disability.
From first-hand experience we know how hard it is for someone who is slowly losing their vision to continue to live alone. Smarthome technology has helped a loved one we know in these ways:
They used Alexa to
They also used another product to dispense pills twice per day.
Smarthome technology for the visually impaired can make the difference between independence, and relying on the help of a home aide.
From this article we learn:
Voice assistants can be integrated into a smart home to
When we look as those persons with hearing loss, smarthome technology can help them in different ways.
That includes
There are so many reasons to embrace smarthome technology!
This article from the New York Times highlights how people with physical disability and limited motion can be helped with smarthome technology!
It’s amazing to read WHAT can be automated in your home (HINT: Just about anything that runs on electricity!)
Voice controlled automation is brilliant for those with limited mobility!
Last but not least, those with cognitive impairments can be helped with smarthome technology, too.
Elderly who live alone and might forget to take meds, can be reminded to take them at set times with a simple Alexa hack. Simple tasks that are easily forgotten (like eating lunch, or cleaning the dishes) can be set to become daily reminders.
Smarthome technology can be used to make their home safer when they cook or perform other simple tasks.
Smarthome technology might give a person with cognitive impairments a bit more independence, or a few extra months in their home if they are experiencing declining health.
If you have a child with a disability, smarthome technology can enrich the life of your child by offering them more independence. Come talk to us about your most pressing issue and we might be able to help you find a simple solution with smarthome technology. We’d love to help you and your family!
Hey South Carolina!
What’s up? We are getting a head start on home security trends for 2023.
We know you want to know what’s new, exciting and what’s coming down the pipeline, right? Here are some of the 2023 home security trends we see taking off in 2023.
AI, Artificial Intelligence is here. It’s being used in almost all industries and certainly has made its way to the home and commercial security industry.
Artificial intelligence is used to operate smart devices via the voice control function of AI-enabled units such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, in addition to its use in home security systems. In addition, Voice commands can be used to manage advanced home security systems and commercial systems.
If you have heard of the “cloud” but aren’t sure what it does, here is your answer.
We’ve been installing and servicing smarthomes for years. In 2023 we see smarthome technology expand even more. Homeowners want their smarthome to do even more recurring tasks for them.
In 2022 we saw the first installations of smart window shades.
In 2023, we predict more and more home will add smarthomes technology to
That is a great question.
While technology changes quickly, we can often swap out or add components for you to keep the current system in place. Unless you have a brand new home that need it all, small changes i.e new cameras, new keypad, additional sensors, these are things that can be added without breaking the bank.
Smarthome technology is not just for nerds!
It’s great for
Smarthome technology allows you to keep an eye on your home when you are not present. It also allows you to DO things in your home while not present:
We are the experts in Horry County and Georgetown County in the Myrtle Beach area. We are locally owned and locally operated and live where we work.
Come talk to us!
If this is the first time you’ve come to our website or blog, welcome!
We are excited to share Strand Security Services with you. Strand Security is a locally owned and locally operated small business, serving both Horry County and Georgetown County.
What services do we offer? Keep reading!
Let’s look at the full list of services first. Strand Security of Murrells Inlet offers:
Home Security Systems and Commercial Security Systems is what we are best known for.
We work with C.O.P.S. monitoring to keep our customers save in case of emergency.
Home automation is another area where we’ve been expanding. We partnered with URC and have installed several large commercial automation systems in local Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach restaurants.
Whether you want
Strand Security Services offer an affordable way to upgrade your current home!
Strand Security in Myrtle Beach will professionally customizes a home theater solution that fits your lifestyle, room needs and desires.
We offer our 25 years of experience for you to bring your favorite movies and films to life in the comfort of your own home.
Select your choice audio, video, and projection equipment from our product catalog. We provide complete pre-wiring for new homes or a blueprint plan and wiring for your existing room. Then we custom install your sound and viewing equipment putting you in control of your state of the art home theater.
Learn more:
10 reasons to love a home theater
How to get the most for your ideal home theater price?
Will you need expert help with home theater setup?
How to choose the right home theater design
Who installs home theaters on the Grand Strand in South Carolina?
When you contact us at Strand Security, you will talk to a real human! Most likely you’ll get Chuck on the line and he’ll be able to set up a meeting, or answer any questions you may have.
If you visit the shop, you’ll most likely meet Heather.
We are a family owned business: we live and work right here in Murrells Inlet.
For a quote, or with a question, call us anytime!
Who doesn’t love home automation?
Smart home Automation means automating recurring tasks in your home.
That includes things like:
With the latest technology, you can pretty much automate any appliance or system in your home.
Automation doesn’t just happen, or is only possible from within the house!
We’ve entered hurricane season!
When the next hurricane hits the Myrtle Beach area and you need to evacuate, using smart home technology you will be able to watch-in-real-time and take care of your home while away, from a distance!
Security cameras and smart home technology will enable you to keep an eye on your assets during a mandatory evacuation while you are safe and secure away from the storm, during the next named storm.
Today, we are going to show you the latest (and super cool) automation!
Window shades!
What is Alexa?
Alexa is Amazon’s voice-based AI-powered digital assistant that powers an entire smart device ecosystem. Alexa can reply to simple queries and perform various tasks or commands that one gives.
Alexa is a lifesaver for people with disabilities.
For example, someone who is visually impaired can use Alexa and voice commands for tasks like
Check out this awesome smart home window shades demo by one of our Strand Security technicians.
At Strand Security, we have being installing Smart Home Technology, Smart Home Systems as well as Commercial Smart Technology in local, Grand Strand homes and businesses for many years!
Technology advances and brands change. We at Strand Security will always be on trend with the latest technology and the best brands to provide you with the best customer experience and the best smart home or commercial automation system available.
No matter what home security system you have right now, chances are you can keep (part of) your current system and add smart home technology to make all systems work together.
Here are some brands we work with:
Give us a call if you want to learn more about home automation, like these window shades!
South Carolina homeowner: are you ready to choose smart home security cameras for you home? What has made you decide to invest in home security cameras? If it is for safety reasons, you are in good company! Most homeowners looking for home security cameras are doing so to protect the people they love, and the assets they invested in.
There might have been a life changing event to trigger the need for home security cameras:
Whatever life event that has made you look for smart home security camera options, you’ve come to the right place!
A Smart Home Security Camera is a camera that connects to the internet using your home wifi. This means you can watch a live camera feed, receive alerts when you’re out and about, and, with the right type of camera, record footage.
There are many brands that offer this type of camera.
This type of camera is great for everyone!
They are affordable and easy to operate. Peace is mind is one of the most common benefits that users report! Strand Security can help you set up a complete Smart Home System, or Smart Home Security Cameras to integrate with an existing system.
Monitored Home Security Cameras are part of a monitored security system which is actively monitored by a professional home security company. We use COPS Monitoring for all of our monitored clients in Horry County and Georgetown County. When the system detects an emergency: a break-in, fire, or other emergency, it notifies the security team at COPS who will contact emergency responders.
One of the ‘newest kids on the block’ is the floodlight home security camera!
This technology is great for busy two-income households and for those who live alone.
What is a ‘Doorbell Home Security Camera and how does it differ from all the other home security cameras?
Video doorbells like the RING Doorbell are doorbells that have a built-in camera to provide an initial home security video check and protect your property. Crimes like package theft, burglary or home invasions can be caught on camera in real time, or prevented. Doorbell Home Security Cameras can be either battery-powered (wireless) or hardwired into an existing doorbell.
These Doorbell cameras are connected to your Smart Phone or other mobile device, where you can receive instant activity alerts, and talk with visitors using two-way talk which is a great way to stop a criminal act in real-time, and live stream video.
We’d love to help you with your choice. Give us a call anytime.
If you are ready to take ‘the plunge’ and enter the world of smart home technology, believe us when we say we know it can be daunting. We know because we work with families, individuals and businesses like you to install smart home systems for their home and offices, too.
If you are looking for find a smart home installation company (and especially if you live in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area), you’ve come to the right spot. We’ll be happy to guide you!
Here are the five steps we recommend you take when you need to find a smart home installation company.
Know what you want and what’s available. Search for the latest technology from your favorite brands and don’t forget to ask your friends what they have installed in their homes.
Next, identify what your needs are. What do you want your smart home to be able to do, what tasks do you want to automate? Not sure, again, search online and ask friends to show you their smart home systems.
Know what you are willing (and not willinging) to spend on the smart home tech components, installation and recurring cost for the system to function. Always add a bit of extra wiggle room because you might find some amazing gadget or functionality you must have to add to your system last minute! 😉
Before deciding what you want, take stock of what you have and how that has worked for you. If you currently have a security camera, a security system, a home theater or some form of alarm system, installation might just have gotten a bit easier! Consult your smart home installation company to find out what will seamlessly integrate with a new system.
Last but not least we recommend you check online, using a Google search, for both positive and negative reviews. The absence of reviews don’t mean as much as the presence of negative ones. We invite you to check out our reviews right here.
URC Total Control Smart Home System
Smart Home Integration Options with URC
Honeywell Smart Home Security Systems
How To Convert an Old Home Into a Smart Home
Smart Home. Safe Home. Secure Home.
We are almost into the second quarter of 2022. Spring is here and we are looking ahead to what else is to come in 2022. Myrtle Beach, Horry County and Georgetown county are booming!
Houses can not be built quickly enough for the demand. Older homes are getting facelifts and updates while new homes and whole new developments are popping out of the ground like mushrooms.
While we love the Grand Strand – we live and work here just like you – we are well aware that crime rates go up when the number of residents keep increasing.
Home security along, with location, is a huge factor when looking at who might be a victim of crime and criminal activity. While you can’t always just up and move your home to a new, better, more secure neighborhood, you CAN update your home with the latest trends and technology.
Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand Residents: Here are the 2022 home security trends you don’t want to miss!
Homeowners are waking up to the fact that technology is here to stay and technology is our friend – and can make our lives so much easier.
While smart homes and smart home technology isn’t new, there are a few trends to look for in 2022.
They include
Back in 2017 we wrote about drones as part of looking ahead to future security concerns. We quote:
“New technology will enable drones to be part of your home security system – if not now, in the very near future!
In this article in Digital Trends we read about a new home security system that deploys a drone to patrol your property! Sounds like something out of a sci-fi book? Think again! The technology is here and soon most, if not all, security systems will have this capability. This article predicts
“The idea of a security camera that doesn’t fly will seem like the dark ages.”
That will be an amazing day…!“
Well – it’s here. It took only 5 years, but we now do have drones with security cameras that can be employed with smart home technology to scout your property! It’s a new trends for 2022 and an exciting one to boot!
We love love love automation – but there are so many options! Google, Apple, Ring…
What coming is more ways to link to any smart speaker and provide you with full control across multiple environments.
We predict you can expect the security of your home to be more streamlined and connected to all other smart home devices in the near future.
Mentioned above in #1, the newest trends is facial recognition with the assistance of AI, for home security. This will replace keyless entry with number pad or fingerprint and over into to facial recognition for optimal security!
This is a new service that will come into being: not just home security monitoring, but actual video monitoring services.
With regular home security monitoring, an alert goes out when an armed door or window is unlocked or opened, or when there is movement if sensors are activated.
Remote video monitoring would include constant monitoring in real time offered as a service to those who want peace of mind – think elderly parent living home alone, or a preteen home after school.
We stay on top of the latest trends, brands and technology so you don’t have to. Come talk to us.
Another offering that we might see more of from 2022 is remote video monitoring services. This ensures potential emergencies and criminal activity can be spotted and prevented before they become a bigger problem.