Shopping for burglar alarms can be challenging and even frustrating if you don’t know what exactly what you are looking for and then try to filter through the hundreds of varieties that are currently available. After all, you want to purchase the most cost-effective system available and burglar alarms are a critical component where this is concerned. The following are 4 factors that you should take into consideration when you are shopping for burglar alarms.
Budget – obviously, where the cost of burglar alarms and a security system is concerned, part of the decision making process is going to be based on what your budget can handle. Just remember that you don’t need to spend your entire bankroll in order to get an effective system. One of the biggest myths in the home security industry is that cheaper systems do not provide you with the optimum amount of safety and security.
Customer service levels – in order to be effective, burglar alarms and security systems should be problem-free. So it is imperative that you select a company who offers 24/7/365 customer service so that you are never out of touch should a technical issue arise. The last thing you need when there is an emergency or some type of technical dilemma is not being able to discuss this with a real human being.
Equipment involved – there are certain pieces of equipment that even the most basic of burglar alarms and security systems should include such as:
o motion detectors
o remote controls
o siren or device that emits an alarming noise
These are some of the basic components, but you can get more sophisticated options, depending on what your budget will allow.
Manufacturer warranties – most manufacturers of burglar alarms and security systems do offer sometime of warranty on their products. If they don’t, just keep searching. You also want to make sure that the company is reputable because there are those that offer what I call bogus warranties on their products. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer you is to always do your homework.
Read product reviews whenever you can and if there is no information about the company that manufactures those burglar alarms, I would be reluctant to continue talking to them. After all, you are trying to find the most reputable company to deal with so your family, home, and possessions are protected 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Most people are under the impression that burglar alarms are costly and expensive to maintain. However, this is not the case. A lot of the expense can be avoided by doing some simple research before making you purchase. Here are my tips for what you should do in order to choose the best burglar alarm on the market.
Tip #1: Survey your property in order to determine your specific needs – figure out what “zones” within your home are the most critical. What doors and windows do you want to integrate into your home security system where burglar alarms are the issue? Take other aspects into consideration such as:
- distances between the control panel and where you are placing the different monitors and sensors
- location of the control panel and keypad
- do you want a monitored system or not?
- lifestyles of the different individuals living in the home
- are there pets that wander around the house at night?
Tip #2: Consult with several professional companies that are certified and skilled at installing burglar alarms – ask for credentials and compare all of the costs involved with installing a system.
Tip #3: Make sure that all zones in the home can be monitored by the control panel and keypad of the system – hard-wired systems will only handle up to 8 zones within the home whereas wireless burglar alarms can effectively handle up to 24 different zones.
Tip #4: Determine if the routing of a hard-wired system is too long to be effective – if it is, you should probably consider installing one of the different wireless burglar alarms that are currently available.
Tip #5: Find a system that includes numerous sensors – this includes sensors that monitor breaking glass, carbon monoxide, combustible-gas, fire-protection, and water detectors.
Tip #6: If the system isn’t user-friendly, keep searching for one that is – when it comes to protecting your family, home, and your possessions, the last thing you need to encounter is difficult operation in order to accomplish this. Make sure that these burglar alarms and security systems are user-friendly and that everyone in the family can operate them quickly and easily.
Tip #7: Test out the different control panels and keypads of these burglar alarms before making your purchase – you definitely want to ensure that the system is easily operable and this is the best way to determine that. Make sure you include everyone in the family when determining this.
I wanted to take the time to dispel a lot of the myths out there about burglar alarms so that you’re not skeptical about purchasing one when considering the installation of a security system to protect your family, home, and your possessions.
Myth #1: Burglar alarms are not affordable – this is definitely false. Surprisingly enough, there are numerous burglar alarms available that are extremely cost-effective and constructed using the same basic components that the more expensive ones are. These range from the ones that are quick and simple to install to the very sophisticated which get pretty costly.
Myth #2: You have to hire a professional installer for putting in burglar alarms – this is also untrue. If you’re an avid and skilled DIY’er, it will not be difficult to install most burglar alarms, especially where the wireless ones are concerned.
Myth #3: There are monthly payments and service agreements involved when you install burglar alarms – another falsehood. Although a number of the alarm companies out there require monthly maintenance fees, this doesn’t apply with the majority of the burglar alarms out there. In fact, I would be leery of any company that tells you there is a monthly maintenance contract involved.
Myth #4: Your neighbors will think that burglar alarms are an annoyance or a nuisance – I often wonder why myths like this exist because this is totally false. Most neighbors appreciate the fact that you would install one of these burglar alarms because it tells them that you are conscientious and care about the neighborhood you live in. as well as your own property. After all, this is a protective factor for them as well and they will survey their property as well as yours when the alarm sounds.
Myth #5: It is too costly to have burglar alarms and home security systems monitored – yet another untruth. Although this is partially correct, if you have a system that employs an auto dialer, it will automatically contact you via your land line or cell phone so that you can monitor things yourself without incurring any further expense.
Myth #6: I don’t need any burglar alarms to protect my home because I live in one of the best neighborhoods in my city – oh and if you believe this, I have a great deal on some ocean beachfront property in Phoenix, AZ. This one is really laughable, especially since burglars are not that stupid and venture out of there impoverished communities to prey on more affluent areas.
When you are shopping for burglar alarms, there are usually 2 questions that you want to consider before you ever start your search:
- What types of burglar alarms are currently available?
- What do I look for when I am shopping for the best one to purchase?
In answer to the first question, there are basically two categories – the DIY type or the ones that you have professionally installed. If you’re an avid DIY’er, this is the more cost-effective option for the obvious reason, namely that you do the installation yourself and don’t have to pay a professional installer to do it
There are burglar alarms that can be mounted on doors and walls so that your neighbors are alerted to any illegal intrusion and can alert law enforcement authorities should you not be in the home when this happens. There are alarms that operate by virtue of an infrared sensor which is activated once the sensor beam is broken. You can get motion or sound detectors but if you have pets it will require additional consideration where your purchasing decision is concerned.
Pets oftentimes will inadvertently set these sensors of and trigger burglar alarms. But, you can set the sensitivity levels of these sensors and avoid this from happening. The best advice I can give you is to discuss this with a professional if you are unsure about it so you avoid any future expense and inconvenience.
Now to answer the second question:
First and foremost, do your research and make sure that the company you are going to deal with has the proper credentials and is reputable before making your purchase – check out the credentials of the person or company representative that you are dealing with. They should have some type of certification where installing burglar alarms and security systems is concerned.
Secondly, check with your insurance company and find out if these burglar alarms are approved by the carrier – most insurance companies will accept only those alarms and systems that are NACOSS (National Approval Council of Security Systems) approved. Make sure that your local law enforcement agency accepts one of these burglar alarms as well.
Finally, be sure to get a quote from several companies that sell and install burglar alarms – compare the benefits, the costs, and all the features involved as well as determining if that company requires you to perform regular maintenance.
One thing most of us know about burglar alarms is that they alert us to the occurrence of a potentially dangerous or harmful situation. However that is about all most people know because many individuals do not know is how they work. Although there is a wide array of burglar alarms available on the market today, there are basically 3 categories of them as follows:
- basic motion detectors
- detectors that are more advanced
- circuit alarms
The following will give you an idea of how each type of these burglar alarms works so that you gain more knowledge about them. This should come in handy if you are currently shopping around for a home security system that contains an alarm feature.
Basic motion detectors – you need to rely on these types of motion detectors in order to effectively monitor the interior of your home or office. Encountering motion detectors in a person’s everyday life is not an uncommon occurrence. For instance, anytime you enter a business through automatically opening doors, a motion detector is what triggers the opening of those doors.
Usually there is a control box mounted above the door that sends out microwave or ultrasonic waves and then the waves are transmitted back in an irregular pattern when a person interrupts those waves. Just as the interruption of those waves triggers the door opening, an interruption of those waves will trigger a burglar alarm.
Detectors that are more advanced – in addition to those motion sensors that are radar based, the more advanced ones operated by virtue of a photo sensor. Burglar alarms that operate in this fashion use beams of light aimed at a light sensor mounted across passageways in your home. When the light beam is broken by someone (or something) the alarm is triggered by the sensor.
PIR (passive infrared) motion sensors are sensitive to body heat and are triggered when there is a rapid increase in energy or heat. So a person’s normal body temperature of 98.6° F will set off burglar alarms that are heat sensitive because the normal room temperature is disrupted by the higher temperature of the human body.
Circuit alarms – this is the basic line of defense involved in burglar alarms and home security. These types of alarms are categorized two ways namely closed or open circuit. Once either of these circuits is broken by virtue of an animal, human being, or some other object, the alarm is triggered.
