Designing an alarm system
Since most consumers have never experienced buying an alarm system, here
are some tips you may find useful.
The Alarm Company
The most important and most difficult of all the decisions
is selecting the alarm company with which you want to do business. You are entering into a
long term relationship which includes service well after the original system was
installed. In today's world, alarm companies and their contracts are bought and sold like
mortgages. Even the biggest, most familiar names have changed owners repeatedly. Ruefully,
the new owners have little interest in you.
The System
The control panel should be capable of having at least 6-8 zones with a
memory buffer to record the time and date of alarm activity and be remotely programmable.
It should also be listed with U.L. (Underwriters Laboratory) and have a standby power
supply for operating the system for at least eight hours.
Detectors should be added depending on the extent of protection you want and
can afford:
Basic systems should include magnetic contacts on all perimeter doors, a motion detector,
and a smoke detector.
Better systems should expand perimeter devices
to include glass-breakage sensors for high risk glazed areas (patio doors, hidden lower
level windows), and contacts on high risk accessible movable windows. Additional smoke
detectors and a heat detector in the garage should also be included. Carbon monoxide, low
temperature, and wireless panic buttons are excellent additions.
The best systems have insure alarm transmission
by adding cellular backup and enhance the personal safety factor with two-way voice.
Wired Vs Wireless Systems
Wired systems are considered to be most reliable and require less
maintenance than wired systems. However, wireless systems have made great advancements and
are commonly used supplement wired systems or when portability and for temporary, short
term installations. The cost for wireless systems is generally greater than for comparable
wired systems.
Monitored Vs Non-Monitored (Local)
Systems
An alarm with only a siren may give you some peace of mind, but
in the event of an actual emergency where your property and life safety are at risk, only
a monitored system can assure you that the proper authorities come to your assistance.
Alarm Menu
How alarms work Common
alarm problems
Monitored systems Service/additions/upgrades
Pricing
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