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Dogs Home Alone and Caught on Camera

Published June 8, 2015 | By Dorien

Do you know what your dog is doing while you are not home?

You might have already seen one or two of these YouTube videos we’re about to show you! Dogs do the darnest things! These lovely pets, or should we say sometimes ‘naughty’ pets were caught on video by their curious owners. We’re also going to show you how sad one of the dogs is when her owner leaves. You can, of course, set up a camera and let it run while you are away to find out once you’re home and have downloaded the footage what your dog was up to. Did you know there’s a better way? At Strand Security, we offer the latest in technology and that includes Honeywell Total Connect™ for customers who want to know what’s going on with their pet, in real time!

Have you seen these funny videos? We love them!

Here is the first video. It shows a Beagle home alone! Turns out, this is a super smart dog.

In the second video, you’ll find a dog taking a dip in the family pool by using the water slide!

Now here’s the sad dog!

Aren’t you just a bit curious about your own dog and what s/he is doing while you are at the beach, shopping, at work or running errands?

Honeywell Total Connect™ Remote Services

If you have a dog (or a teen – hey, why not?) and if you want instant access to live video of your home via your Smartphone or tablet, we highly recommend you come talk to us, Strand Security Systems in Myrtle Beach, about HoneyWell Total Connect™. We can give you a demonstration in our showroom, or you can watch this video demonstration right now which shows you numerous other ways Honeywell Total Connect™ can enhance your lifestyle!

From the Honeywell website:

“Live video; log on and look in” – View live video on up to six cameras at a time—a great way to keep an eye on your kids, elderly relatives, pets and property.

Your security IS our business. Talk to us and let us know how we can help you!

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner? Strand’s Recommendations on the Grand Strand

Published May 29, 2015 | By Dorien

In Myrtle Beach on Vacation or a Local Resident? Let’s Eat!

Whether you are in the Myrtle Beach area on vacation, or you are a local resident, may we assume you’ve got to eat? As a local B2B as well as B2C business, we see many businesses, inside and out, on a weekly basis. We visit current and new clients and work in their shops, restaurants, attractions and warehouses.

We see it all. New construction and remodels. Start ups and established businesses. We do new installations, updates and upgrades and while we are visiting, our senses are often inundated with the best views and smells!

Food for Thought

We’ve been highlighting our current customers on our Facebook Page and we are excited to add our clients to our new blog as well! We’ll be doing this monthly; we are so excited!

Today, we’ll be sharing three local treasures with you, all Strand Security customers and all locally owned and locally operated, just like our business is. So if you are looking for a (new) place to eat in the Myrtle beach area, let us recommend a place for

breakfast
lunch
dinner

for you and your loved ones!

Breakfast on the Grand Strand

Our Senior Sales Representative Corina, has been raving about this place forever. Bagel Cafe in Litchfield is her favorite place to go eat breakfast and we don’t blame her! Look at these yummy treats!

Debbie, owner of Bagel Cafe told us “We’ve had a few security issues and Chuck (Strand Security) was right there and very accommodating. They are excellent on service!”
Before you go, check out their menu online and ‘like’ them on Facebook! Then once you’ve eaten there, let us know how awesome your bagel (or other yummy treat) was.

Lunch on the Grand Strand

Up next, we’d like to share anther local gem to go check out for lunch (or dinner!). Pastaria 811 in Pawleys Island offers both authentic Italian lunch and dinner to their patrons and has been for over 18 years! We’ve been lucky enough to eat both meals there and everything is so good, we really can’t recommend one favorite dish.

According to David, owner of Pastaria 811 they have been a Strand Security Systems customer for four years and they like our company much better than the previous company! “Strand is very reliable” says David.

If interested in checking out Pastaria 811, find their menu here.

Dinner on the Grand Strand

So where will we send you to dinner? How about some pizza? In Surfside Beach, you’ll find this lovely family-owned pizza place! Lazer’s Pizza sits right on business 17 and customers rave about the italian subs, calzones and of course, the pizza.

We appreciate any and all feedback from our Strand Security customers; and we are especially pleased to hear that we’ve answered the phone each and every time they’ve called us! Customer service is paramount!

Your Security is our Business

We are happy to come to your place of business, or home, to give you an estimate on security as well. We take it seriously and we also strive to give the best customer service, always.

Keep an eye on this blog as we’ll be featuring other Myrtle Beach businesses in the months to come, including an oyster bar, a bowling alley and more!

Posted in Myrtle Beach Business Security, Myrtle Beach Restaurants | Tagged Great eats in Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach restaurants, Restaurants to discover in Myrtle Beach

Why You Need a Central Vacuum in Your Home

Published May 26, 2015 | By Dorien

Got a Spouse? Got Kids? Got Pets?

If you live in a home and you share it with a spouse, kids and/or pets, a central vacuum can make a huge difference in you lifestyle! What am I talking about? How often do you lug your vacuum around your house? Do you drag or carry it from the front of the house to the back, from the bottom floor to the bedrooms upstairs and from the house into the garage to clean out your car? And how often do you need to clean the filters, change the bag or empty our the canister? We live near the beach in Myrtle beach, so we are used to having sand in our cars…it’s a must for us to vacuum often!

Do you have questions about owning a central vacuum?

Of course you do! Anyone who is looking to improve their lifestyle and is ready to invest money into a device that can cut time and effort, will of course be doing some homework on the pros and cons.

BEAM Alliance Central Vacuum System Dealer

Before we share several links to articles about owning and installing a central vacuum in your home, we want you to know that we are a registered BEAM Central Vacuum distributor and installer in the Myrtle Beach, SC area! (the only one). We will be happy to give you a demonstration of the BEAM machine in our showroom. Just call us!
So, before you decide on purchasing and having someone install a central vacuum in your existing home, or in your soon-to-be-build home, read these articles chockfull of good information!

1. How a Central Vacuum Works

The first article we want to share is ‘How Central Vacuums Work‘.

“Cleaning the house may not be your idea of a fun activity. But while vacuuming may never be fun, there is a way to make the job a little easier.

Most of us vacuum with the standard moveable unit, but have you ever thought of installing a central vacuum system in your home? Central vacuum systems are becoming more common. According toCentralVacuum.com, a central vacuum system can cost less than a high-end moveable vacuum and can add around $2,000 to your home’s resale value.

In this article, you will learn what a central vacuum system is, about different types of systems and how each works, the benefits of central versus portable units, and how to choose the central vacuum system that is right for your cleaning needs.”

2. 8 Facts That Will Make you Seriously Consider a Central Vacuum

Central vacuum cleaners are becoming increasingly popular for many good reasons. They offer numerous advantages over traditional vacuum cleaners, i.e. portable vacuum cleaners. In this article about central vacuums, you will find a breakdown of eight of the top advantages.

They include

more power
convenience
cost benefits
health benefits
less noise
many attachments
increased value of your home
keep your mattress clean

If these 8 facts haven’t completely won you over, check out the last link and don’t forget to watch the quick video below!

3. How To Best Choose Any Vacuum and Choose The One That’s Best for Your Home

If you still aren’t quite sure on whether you need a central vacuum, or if another vacuum would do the trick, keep reading.

Buying a vacuum cleaner for the first time isn’t as simple as it used to be. If you wish to make your house cleaner with dust-free floors and unblemished carpets, it’s time to upgrade. There can be many reasons why you need a vacuum cleaner, but have you thought about the kind of cleaner you want for your home.

If you’re thinking of buying an affordable and valuable vacuum cleaner that you wouldn’t mind replacing once every couple of years, there are plenty of options to choose from. And if you want to invest in a high-end vacuum cleaner that’ll last for nearly a decade, that’s fine too!

Read more on how to best choose a vacuum cleaner in this helpful article!

4. BEAM Central Vacuums

Lastly, we want to share this link to the BEAM website. Here you will learn why choosing a BEAM Central Vacuum is just plain smart!

Whether this is the right time for you, or not, educating yourself about your options is always a good idea. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions, too!

Posted in Myrtle Beach Central Vacuum | Tagged BEAM Central Vacuum, central vacuum, Central Vacuum Myrtle Beach, how a central vacuum works, questions about central vacuums

7 Ways To Protect Your Home While You Are On Vacation

Published May 20, 2015 | By Dorien

Living It Up In Myrtle Beach

We operate our business in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (as well as Maryland) and we are often reminded how lucky we are as most people vacation where we live and work!

Myrtle Beach is an amazing place to live and a great place to raise a family. The Grand Strand is growing, expanding and that means more businesses are opening up and more people are moving here. We’ve been very busy helping many local home owners and new business owners with their security needs in the last few years installing cameras, panels, and more and there’s no end in sight! (Yes, we’re smiling!)

Getting Away from our Wonderful Tourist Destination

Sometimes, though, even we get tired of working hard all the time. Dare I say we get tired of the beach, the putt-putt and ‘gasp’, the tourists?! Eventually everyone needs a break, right? When we do get a break here at Strand Security, there’s ONE thing we do not worry about.

We at Strand Security do not worry about leaving our home or our business while we are on vacation.

Why? Be cause we know the signs thieves and burglars are looking for so we take measures to make it look like we are around and we have the best security systems installed, of course (did you expect us to not mention that?)

Here are 7 ways to protect your home while you go on vacation or ‘7 ways to deter a burglar from breaking into your home while you are on vacation!’

If you have a security system, set it. Display the security company signage in your yard and/or display a sticker on your door/windows.
Purchase a few timers and set up several lights on those timers; set them to go on at dusk and turn off at night, or at dawn.
Stop your mail and newspaper delivery, or have a trustworthy neighbor empty your mailbox and pick up your newspaper every day. Nothing says ‘I am not home’ like a stack of unread newspapers on your lawn!
If you’ve left on trash pickup day, arrange for a neighbor to return your empty can back into your side yard or garage. An empty driveway and a can left at the curb signals you are out of town!
If you have kids, leave a few toys strewn around in the back yard… If you have dogs, leave a few dog bones strewn around, too!
If you have a dog, leave out a dog bowl and chain/leash by the back door. Put up a sign that says ‘Beware of Dog’. Even if you don’t have an actual dog, this will deter a burglar.
Install outdoor motion-detecting security lights.

Doing all or some of these things will not 100% guarantee that your house will not be broken into. They will, however, make the chances of that happening much lower.

Smart burglars – and yes, there are some smart and sophisticated burglars and thieves out there – will avoid confrontation. They do not want to come to your home while you are home. They do not want to break down a door, they’d rather find one unlocked. They do not want an alarm set off. They’d much rather burglarize a home without a system.

Don’t make it so easy for someone to enter your home while you are away! Deter everyone and secure your home.

The last thing I want to mention is that with an active alarm system and monitoring company, you’d know INSTANTLY if something is going on in your home, whereas you wouldn’t know for days or even weeks if your home was vandalized without such a system.

Let us know if we can help you make your vacation just a little bit better with added peace of mind!

Posted in Myrtle Beach Home Security | Tagged how to protect your home, Myrtle beach home protection, protect your home, protect your home while on vacation | Leave a comment

How Do I Find the Best Security Company for my Home or Business?

Published May 19, 2015 | By Dorien

Your Family and Employees Deserve the Best!

If you are anything like us, you want the best! You want and expect the best for your family, the best for your business and the best for your employees. We get it; we own and operate a business too, right here in the Myrtle Beach area – with additional services in Maryland!

So when it comes to security, why not get the best?

You might think you know how to select the best security company, but if you are reading this article, you might not be 100% sure of it. We’d like to give you a few pointers as to what to look for in a respectable security company to secure your residence and your commercial properties.

Here are sure signs of business success.

The security company has a website.
The security company has knowledgeable staff that answers the phone and answers your questions.
The security company staff takes the time to meet with you explains their plans to you and gives you the time of day!
They work with reputable monitoring company and offer you brand name equipment.
Your friends, colleagues or neighbors are recommending this company to you.
You see signs around your neighborhood with the company logo on it.
This company has invested money into marketing – they have a recognizable logo.
Their trucks look professional, their staff wears branded shirts and they have beautiful brochures.
This company has been in business several years – they have a proven track record.
Staff retention rates.
Online testimonials and reviews (check Facebook and Google).
They have an active social media presence.
You feel satisfied after a consultation with this company.

Here are some signs of possible business distress.

Blatant self-promotion without solid facts.
Sales pitches that smell and sound of desperation.
Constant staff turnover.
Bad online reviews.
Minimal online presence.
Unanswered phone calls
Unmarked vehicles.
This company gives you the run around (about service and/or rates).

It goes without saying that all of these pointers also apply to any other service company you are thinking of hiring. As always; if it sounds too good to be true, if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or if they are just too pushy… it’s probably not the right company to work with! You should feel great about this relationship and you need to trust the person who will do work in your home and/or your place of business!

When it comes to protecting those you love, those you are responsible for, don’t you want the best?

Why settle?

We highly recommend you do your homework before deciding on hiring a security company. If you are in the market for either a residential or a commercial security alarm system in the Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand area, consider checking out Strand Security. We’d love your business as ‘your security is our business’!

Posted in Myrtle Beach Business Security, Myrtle Beach Home Security | Tagged Choosing the right security company, Home security, Protecting your business, Protecting your home | Leave a comment