The Informer - Spring 2014

The Informer, 1 B04418 | ACR–1750531 Spring 2014

A Commitment to ConserveThis spring, Ener-Tel is introducing two new programs that make it easier than ever to help conserve resources.

Ener–Tel Services, Inc.

4512 Adobe Drive | PO Box 5290San Angelo, Texas 76902325-658-8375www.Ener–Tel.com

Provided as a public service by The False Alarm Reduction Assoc. & Ener–Tel Services, Inc.

THE INFORMER

Spring 2014

Each quarter, Ener–Tel Services produces a false alarm reduction newlsetter as a service to you, our customer. We hope to provide valuable information that will protect you and your home while adding value to your current home security system.

In this issue, look for:

Entry Codes vs. Passcodes, p. 2

Be Water Smart, p. 3

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Leave comments, seek feedback, and learn about what we have been up to.

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The Informer, 1

Have you been a customer for more than three years? If you have, you qualify for free technology upgrades. Give us a call today for a free assessment of your system.

We appreciate your business.

Paperless Billing. Why enroll in paperless billing? Avoid late or missing payments, and reduce the need for checks, stamps, envelopes, etc. You can choose automatic monthly, quarterly or

yearly payments (posted to the account you specify on the first of the month.) We can either draft payments from your bank account or apply them to a credit or debit card.

To enroll in paperless billing, visit www.ener-tel.com/paperless.

1.

Email Newsletters. One of the perks of being an Ener-Tel customer is our quarterly newsletter. (You are holding one in your hand right now!) This newsletter offers safety and security tips, suggestions to

help make your security system work better, special offers and community news. It is the best way to keep up with what the folks at Ener-Tel are up to.

We are excited to start offering an email version of our newsletter. All the same great information, significantly less paper mail for you to sort through.

To subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, visit www.ener-tel.com/newsletter.

2.

Both of these options are quick and free!

They may seem like small steps, but each go a long way toward conserving

resources.

Thanks for checking both of these options out at the links above. We appreciate

your help!

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Entry Codes vs. PasscodesOne of the best ways to avoid false alarms is to know how your system operates. This includes how to arm and disarm, of course, but also what information to give to the monitoring center when they contact you. To help you with that, check out the differences between two very similar things -- the entry/exit code and the passcode.

Passcode When an alarm activation occurs and the alarm company calls, the alarm operator will ask, “What is your passcode?” Few customers will answer this question correctly on the first try. Your Identity Passcode is the word you gave your alarm company when you had the system installed, which identifies you to the alarm company as an authorized alarm user. It should be a word that is familiar to you and can easily be recalled. The Identity Passcode may be called a passcode, password, personal identification code (PIC) or personal identification number (PIN) by your alarm company. Your Identity Password is NOT your entry/exit code.

Entry/Exit Code When your alarm system was installed, the installer asked you to select a secret entry/exit code – the sequence of numbers (usually 4 digits) that you press into the keypad to arm or disarm your system. You probably selected a number that would be easy to remember for you and others who would be using your system. When the alarm company calls, this may be the first number that you recall because you use it so frequently, but it is not your Identity Passcode. Remember, it is a secret code that only you and other authorized users of your alarm system know. The entry/exit code cannot identify you as an authorized user to the alarm monitoring company, because it is not on file with them.

If you have forgotten either of these codes, your alarm is not doing you much good. Give us a call and we can easily recover both of these items for you. 325-658-8375.

Be Water Smart!If you have lived in the Concho Valley for any length of time you know we are in a drought. The city of San Angelo has issued (and enforces) restrictions on watering, and are making a push on social media outlets to encourage citizens to reduce consumption.

In keeping with our “Go Green This Spring” theme, here are several tips you can use in your yard to save water.

Xeriscape LandscapingUse porous material for walkways and patios to prevent wasteful runoff and keep water in your yard.

Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.

Choose the right Texas-friendly plants and watch them thrive in our dry environment.

Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region.

Plant species native to our region.

Plant in the spring and fall, when the watering requirements are lower.

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(Visit www.cosatx.us/departments-services/water-conservation for information about San Angelo’s watering restrictions. Also, visit www.wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve for more tips on how to conserve water.)

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When sprucing up your front or backyard, consider xeriscaping. This landscape method uses low-water-use plants to limit your water use.

Avoid planting grass in areas that are hard to water, such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.

Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.

Start a compost pile. Using compost in your garden or flower beds adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.

Use a layer of organic mulch on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water. Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money. Using 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.

Visit your local xeriscape garden to view plants that thrive in our dry environment.

Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low-water-use plant and save up to 550 gallons each year.

Call your local conservation office for more information about xeriscaping with water-thrifty trees, plants, and ground covers.

Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.

For automatic water savings, direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems to water-loving plants in your landscape.

Lawn CareHire a qualified pro to install your irrigation system and keep it working properly and efficiently. Additionally, hire a professional landscaper who has received landscape training specific to our region.

Adjust your lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass. Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture.

If installing a lawn, select a lawn mix or blend that matches our climate and site conditions.

Aerate your lawn periodically. Holes every six inches will allow water to reach the roots, rather than run off the surface.

If walking across the lawn leaves footprints (blades don’t spring back up), then it is time to water.

Let your lawn go dormant (brown) during the winter. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three to four weeks, less if it rains.

Avoid overseeding your lawn with winter grass. Ryegrass needs water every few days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water monthly.

Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.

While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.

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Presorted Standard

U.S. Postage

PAID

San Angelo, Texas

Permit No. 240

False AlarmsOne study found that 20 percent of alarm systems trigger 80 percent of false alarms. If you have any questions about how to operate your alarm, please do not hesitate to call us. One of our technicians would be glad to give you a free tutorial on the proper operation of your system. Once you are confident that you can operate your system, you will be more likely to use it. And that will make you safer!

We are here for you. Let us know if we can do anything to help you out.

ReferralsWe are glad you are a member of the Ener-Tel family. You join the thousands of other satisfied folks who trust Ener-Tel to protect their homes, families and businesses. Many of our customers found out about us from another satisfied customer. Recommendations like these have allowed us to grow our business significantly in the past few years.

So here is the deal. Refer a friend, get $75. Refer two friends, get $150. It is that easy. For more information, visit www.ener-tel.com/referrals.

Technology UpgradesIf you have been a customer for three years, you qualify for free technology upgrades. You may qualify for new devices, lower rates, or upgrades to your existing devices. Give us a call to see what you qualify for.

Call 325-658-8375 today.