Companies that monitor burglar alarms use computers, special telephone lines and a professionally trained staff in order to protect your home and give you peace of mind whenever you are away. Many of these alarms are referred to as silent alarms and the burglar doesn’t even know that they have been caught in the act when the monitoring company is alerted by your system that something is going on that shouldn’t be.
However, many individuals are reluctant to hire one of these companies to monitor their burglar alarms because they feel that it is too expensive to do this. Granted there is a monthly fee involved with a monitoring service, but when you consider the benefits that are involved, it is well worth the added expense. By the way, it is not that expensive so don’t rule that possibility out when it comes to protecting your family and home from a burglar who will happily victimize you if they feel they can get away with it.
If you have decided that you do want to hire a monthly service for monitoring your alarms, you may find that the selection process is a bit challenging. Here are some suggestions that will make the decision-making process a bit easier:
Contact your local area Chamber of Commerce and get a list of these monitoring companies that are in your immediate local area – make a list of maybe half a dozen to interview in order to see who provides the most services for the best monthly fee
Check the credentials of each company – find out how long they have been in business and how experienced they are
Ask for referrals – check with other family members, friends, neighbors, and even your homeowner insurance agent for their opinion of the company you should hire for monitoring your burglar alarms
Contact the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association – get their recommendations for the best monitoring service in your local area
Inquire about the status of the monitoring company that you are considering – it’s always a good idea to consult the Better Business Bureau to find out if there have been numerous complaints lodged against them compared to the others you are looking at
Narrow down your list and make your final decision – once you have narrowed your list to only 2 or 3 companies, compare them across the board and choose the company that provides the most burglar alarms monitoring services at the best value.
Photo via lulubryan
