Is Your Home Really Safe? Why You Need An Alarm System

If you want to protect your home from break-ins but don’t need all the bells and whistles of remote access, home automation and video surveillance systems, a simple and straightforward home alarm system may be the right option for you.

There are different elements to include. As a tip it’s a good idea to have some level of monitoring – this means if an alarm goes off, an alert is sent to a monitoring center, rather than just ringing out and waking up all your neighbors. It goes without saying that the company monitoring center should be open and operating 24 hours a day.

Burglar alarms

A system can include motion sensors, perimeter sensors (for doors and windows), glass breakage sensors and the ability to send alerts to you by email or text message.

Be aware that some companies deliberately delay alarm response times to avoid false alarms reporting into their monitoring center. Be sure to ask about response times and the alert process before you buy. Transmission response to the alarm should be instant, and response time from the monitoring center less than 20 seconds.

Fire alarms

A good alarm should have carbon monoxide, heat and smoke detectors.

How to choose the right alarm company

First of all, consider if you want to install the system yourself or pay to get a professional in. Most companies will require a monthly fee in payment - find out if you will be renting or buying the equipment.

If you plan to move house, check if you can transfer the policy to your new property. You should also receive an annual ‘health check’ to make sure your system is working properly. Again make sure this is in the agreement.