Outdoor lighting is the cheapest, most effective crime deterrent you can install. Research from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found that visible security measures — especially lighting — are the #1 factor that causes burglars to abandon a target. In 2026, the best LED security lights range from $15 solar-powered motion sensors to […]
AlarmForce Review 2026: Bell Canada Acquisition, Legacy Systems, and Better Alternatives
AlarmForce no longer exists. Bell Canada acquired AlarmForce in 2019 and absorbed it into Bell Smart Home. If you’re searching for AlarmForce, you’re either a former customer or researching a brand that’s been dead for 7 years. Here’s the full story — what happened, what it means for existing customers, and why modern alternatives are […]
Smith Thompson Security Review 2026: Texas Budget Alarm — $16.95 Monitoring, No Contract (Honest Verdict)
Smith Thompson Security is a family-owned alarm company founded in 1978, headquartered in Plano, Texas. They’ve built a loyal following on one premise: the cheapest monitoring in the state at $16.95/month with no contracts. But cheap monitoring comes with trade-offs. Here’s the full picture — including when Smith Thompson makes sense and when modern DIY […]
12 Home Security Mistakes Exposed by 2026 FBI Burglary Data — #4 Is Why 60% of Break-Ins Take Under 90 Seconds
Most burglaries aren’t sophisticated operations — they’re crimes of opportunity. A UNC Charlotte study of 422 convicted burglars found that 83% checked for an alarm system before breaking in, and 60% said they’d skip a home entirely if one was present. The FBI reports the average burglary takes just 8–12 minutes, with 34% of intruders […]
EMC Security Review 2026: Georgia Electric Co-op Alarm Service — $35-$45/Month, 3-Year Contracts, and Why DIY Systems Save Co-op Members $800+
EMC Security is a Georgia-only home security provider owned by three electric cooperatives. With 100,000+ customers and no-contract monitoring from ~$17/month, it sounds appealing — but the co-op model comes with trade-offs that most consumers don’t discover until after installation. This 2026 review covers everything: plans, equipment, the real costs, and whether you’re better off […]
