Easy-Install Mounts Before Innovate, DIY security installations were known to be complicated and time consuming. Things have changed! With Innovates patented magnetic mounting system, installing one of our security and smart automation systems is simple for all.  Innovate’s magnetic mounts, coupled with our complete system build process, solve the complex time consuming nature of DIY installations. If you can peel the backing off a strong adhesive and firmly press our mounts against the desired wall location for 20 seconds, then you have all it takes to install one of our systems.  ..read more

We can all agree that Smart Automation is cool! Yet, in years past, Do-It-Yourself Smart Automation has often been problematic for home and business owners alike. Innovate understands this complexity and has spent the time and done the research necessary to simplify and streamline adding automation components to our comprehensive DIY systems. One example of this is solving compatibility issues between automation equipment. All the parts listed below and on the Innovate site are compatible with the main panels we carry. When you purchase a system and automation part on our website, you know th ..read more

We posted a shorter version of this on Facebook and a few of our local media platforms recently. We thought it might be useful to share with a broader audience. We also decided to expand on our list of tips to include information for managing security systems by both the home and the security provider.   Unfortunately, the past year has been a year of conflict and violence ending with the chaos in Washington DC. There is also an overall trickle-down effect from this climate, and increased crime is one of them. We see this increase locally in Central Oregon, in Portland, and throughout th ..read more

Security Camera Purchase Considerations Beyond the Confusing Acronyms and Tech Speak.  Let’s put an end to all the consumer confusion on security camera purchase decisions. I have wanted to write this article for far too long. My goal is to help customers considering the purchase of security video cameras navigate the landscape of a complicated and rapidly changing sub-sector of the security industry. I live in Bend, Oregon, and have helped customers with camera systems for more than two decades, consistently finding confusion in the marketplace and the need for clarity on making purchas ..read more

DIY Apartment Security and Smart Home Automation Millennials are smart. In fact, I would argue not only are they smart but they are also pioneering. I am not a millennial so don’t think that this article is some self-aggrandizing way to celebrate my own demographic. As a fifty-year-old engaged in creating products that appeal to Millenials, I have spent countless hours in meetings all centered around how millennials think differently on many levels than other demographic groups. The topics range from purchasing behaviors to how to manage millennials as employees. What has become clear is how ..read more

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article titled “Are Security Systems Worth the Money?” Given my career path, needless to say, I had no problem filling the pages with good reasons for why the purchase of a security system is worth the dollars spent. But a better question keeps spinning in my head, beckoning to be answered. Of course, I think security systems are worth the money, but what truly makes a security system worth its value? Is it the rapid technological advances that have allowed for better products or the feeling of safety when you close up the house at night and tuck the kids into bed ..read more

Growth in cities brings with it unfortunate baggage – Crime I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and not once did I ever feel like I was in a dangerous city or had to be worried about an intrusion in our home. We had an alarm system but rarely used it. There was an underlying feeling of safety, and Portland was still a small city relative to our neighbors in San Francisco and Seattle. I still live in Oregon and am inspired by the natural beauty of our amazing state. I visit Portland often, and there is no question that my hometown has grown up, changed, and brought with it the larger city issues of ..read more

2Gig’s FireFighter, Innovation in an Industry Often Plagued with Business as Usual    I am not looking to throw stones at the industry that has given me a long and successful career but I do think the security industry could use a bit of fresh thinking and creativity when it comes to products offered to our client base. I would like to spotlight a product that embodies this concept of fresh thinking and innovation. Meet 2Gig’s FireFighter sensor. What makes this product special in my mind is that it has helped to fill a gap in the life-safety category of the industry through innovati ..read more

Are Security Systems Worth the Money?   I can’t make the case that I am unbiased, given that I have been in the security industry for more than twenty years, now CEO for my second security industry company innovatesfl.com. I can at least lay out a good case for the benefits of purchasing a security system based on my experience. To begin my efforts in persuading you to purchase a security system, I am going to list my top ten reasons why security systems are worth the money, and are an investment in your home or business worth making.    Top 10 Reasons Security Systems are Worth ..read more

Is DIY Home Security System Encryption a Big Deal? https://innovatesfl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SMB-Encryption.mp4 Let me see if I can illustrate this well using an analogy that seems relevant. Imagine you are building your dream home. You’ve planned every detail down to what slightly improved shade of white selected for the ceiling paint. Your highly skilled and detail-oriented project manager brings you the list of needed decisions for the week, and one of those is the front door hardware.  After scouring the catalogs and web sites for just the right handle and lock combination, y ..read more