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: Acquired by Bell Canada — Full Timeline, True Costs & 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 […]
