Tips on Buying an Effective Alarm System

Choose The Right Type of Alarm System For Your Situation

• The False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) names six types of alarm systems, each suited for a specific purpose. For instance, a burglar alarm system uses motion sensors and annunciators to detect movement. At the same time, these sensors cannot differentiate between a burglar and a pet or wild animal, so this alarm system might not be the most effective for some people. Too many false alarms could desensitize the whole neighborhood and even the police, thus your alarm system could be rendered ineffective in a true burglary. Don't expect to change your life or your family's existing habits to suit a new alarm. Get the right one to begin with.

Choose a Good Company

• States may require licensing of any company that sells or installs alarms. If this is the case in your state, be sure that you work with a licensed company. It is also a good idea to ask if the company does background checks on its employees. After all, these people will know your system intimately. Ask if training is included in the price of the alarm system. It can hardly be effective if you don't know how to use it properly.

Personal Safety Vs. Property Safety

• The West Grey Police Service of Ontario advises on the importance of a perimeter alarm to help ensure personal safety. It emphasizes the fact that with only an interior alarm, your personal safety is already in jeopardy once it activates. An intruder must already have gained access to the inside of your property for this alarm to go off. Though an interior alarm helps to keep your possessions safe, a perimeter alarm helps to keep people safe by preventing entry to begin with. If you wish to protect your family as opposed to just your possessions, this is an important aspect to buying an effective alarm system.

Check The Power

• A hard-wired system is generally more effective than a wireless system, though also more costly and time-intensive to install. The benefit is that there is a constant source of power as long as you have electricity (though a back-up power source may also be an option), and there are no batteries to change.

Look Ahead

• Your life is likely to change at some point, and technology is always advancing. So an effective alarm system is one you can upgrade at a later time. You may also wish to sell your house at some point. If you think this is a possibility, then it behooves you to consider how your alarm system would work for someone else, too. An effective alarm system could increase the value of your home.