Residential Alarm Systems
Overview:
A residential burglary or fire has long term effects
among family members,
far beyond any monetary losses.
An alarm system is the best single appliance to reduce loss
and to provide a the peace of mind one is entitled to while at home or away.
An alarm system for your home should be easy to use, free of false alarms,
and fit your family's lifestyle.
What happens during a burglary?
Most residential burglaries occur during the day when the house is
empty.
The favorite way of entry is to ring the doorbell, make sure the house is empty
then either enter through an unlocked door or kick in a door.
No tools are required.
Inside a burglar moves quickly about the house and unlocks other exit doors.
The master bedroom is usually the first place visited
(people habitually store cash, jewelry, and handguns there).
If there is a car in the garage, the keys are often not far away.
This car then becomes the means to haul away larger items.
It is that simple.
Burglars usually are non-confrontational.
However, you run the personal risk of either being at home
or walking in on a burglary taking place.
What happens during a fire?
Fire department officials say
that useless they are at the scene of a residential fire within the first four minutes,
the home is usually a total loss.
Household fires grow slowly at first,
then when they reach the "flash" point the entire house erupts in flames.
It is early detection of a fire in the first few minutes
that means the difference between a small or total loss.
Smoke detectors are part of every building code.
They are designed reduce the loss of life to family members when they are home.
However, only a monitored fire alarm system can detect a fire
and automatically call the fire department when you are away.
What type of alarm is best for you?
Buying an alarm system is like any other purchase.
You must decide upon the level of risk you can tolerate,
what features are important to you, and what you want to spend.
If you are not familiar with alarms, reading "How Alarms
Work" might be helpful.
Below are three sample alarm packages and approximate costs
(see "Alarm Pricing" for details).
-The Basic Alarm System
Magnetic contacts/switches on all exterior
doors
A motion detector in high traffic area
An internal siren with automatic shut-off
A smoke detector
A standby power supply
A keypad for arming/disarming system
Control panel records time & date of events
One-way monitoring (optional, but wise choice)
Labor & Material: $695-1,000
Monitoring: $30.00/mo
-A
Comprehensive System
The Basic System plus:
Glass-break sensors in rooms with patio, atrium
or sliding glass doors
Magnetic contacts on accessible movable windows
A second keypad in master bedroom
Additional smoke detectors
A heat detector for fire in the garage
One-way monitoring service (two-way
optional)
Labor & Material: $900-2,500
Monitoring: $30.00/mo
-Upper Level/High Risk
Residence
The Average System plus:
Additional glass-break or motion detectors
Low temperature
Keypad on lower level
Two-way monitoring or cellular backup
Labor &
Material: $2,000-3,500
Monitoring:
$30.00-50.00/mo
What are common mistakes buyers make?
-Unknowingly signing a long term rental agreement
-Underestimating the risk and loss from fire or furnace failure
-Confusing salesmanship and brand names with quality
-Not recognizing the need for future system maintenance
Why choose National Home Security?
Since 1981 we have been locally owned and operated under the same management.
We know our customers, they know us.
It is this long term relationship and commitment with our customers,
that is the foundation of our success.