Alarm System Basics: Before Buying

Are you thinking about buying an alarm system for your home or business? It can be one of the most important decisions you make, but choosing the wrong system or setup can end up costing you a lot of time, money, and your sanity! By taking the time to research and prepare for buying an alarm system, you can get the most out of it for many years to come.

Whether the building you are planning on installing the alarm system in is brand new or a century old, there are some things that you need to make sure it has before it is ready.

• Is the building under construction or being remodeled?
  
  • In order for a professional alarm system to be functional, the building has to have power going to it. While most alarm systems do have a back-up battery, it is not meant for long-term use, and therefore cannot be depended upon to protect the facility for an extended period.
  • If there is construction going on in the building still, power fluctuations can cause false alarms and even damage the alarm system if it is already installed and operating.
  • For a monitored alarm system, there needs to be a method of communication. In most cases, signals are sent to a monitoring center via a phone line, however it is possible in some instances to get a special unit that can relay signals with a cellular or radio signal instead.
  • If the building has VOIP phone service (Voice Over Internet Protocol) such as Vonage or Magic Jack, it may not function correctly with an alarm system. You can double-check if your service does work with alarms by calling the phone company or the alarm company.
• Assess your building
  
  • Figure out which areas of your building are most vulnerable or where the alarm system is needed most
    
    • Is there an area where a silent hold-up alarm is most useful?
      
    • Is there a certain door or window that has been broken into before?
    • Is there an area that is particularly susceptible to fire danger? Flood? Carbon monoxide?
      
  • Are the entry doors secure enough to hold an alarm sensor without causing false alarms? Windows?
    
  • Are there some areas that would require a motion detector to monitor? Where would be the best place to mount a motion detector?
    
    • Are there animals or other things that could cause false alarms from motion detectors?

Once you are confident that your building is able to support an alarm system and you have assessed what you need, it is time to research different systems to find one that meets your security needs and budget.

• Non-monitored Systems

  • There are many alarm systems that you can buy from electronic stores that are not monitored by a central station. The advantages of these types of systems are that they usually cost less to install and are fairly simple to maintain.

    • Advantages: No monthly monitoring fees and there is less of a chance for a false alarm being reported to authorities, since you are the one monitoring it.

    • Disadvantages: Alarm signal is not sent to a central station, and if you are not home or cannot call the authorities yourself, chances are that the alarm will not be reported to authorities. This can be very dangerous in the event of an actual break-in, fire, or medical emergency.

• Compact Systems

  • For those with tight budgets or even tighter living spaces, a compact alarm system may be best. These systems usually have wireless sensors and one central keypad that also houses the backup battery.

    • Advantages: Usually more cost effective than the bulkier alternatives and are easier to install. They do not usually require too much electrical work, and are therefore better for situations like apartment living.

    • Disadvantages: Smaller systems cannot usually monitor as many points and may leave vulnerable parts of the area unprotected. Wireless sensors need to be maintained for the system to be operational, including changing batteries or being replaced if they fall and get broken.

• Comprehensive Systems

  • These are some of the most common systems in the market. They can monitor many different points and process many different types of signals. Oftentimes, they can also be programmed in various ways to better suit the building it protects, including having multiple codes and opening and closing schedules for businesses

    • Advantages: Ability to monitor many points for specific coverage of point of protection (each door, window, motion detector, fire detector, etc.). They can also allow for several different functions, meaning that a single system can monitor all of the fire alarms, burglar alarms, hold-up alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and supervisory signals, such as flood alarms or pressure alerts.

    • Disadvantages: Users of the systems must be aware of how to operate them and how to interpret each alarm when it goes off. The programming must be kept up to date in order for it to be sufficient protection, especially in the case of deleting codes from an employee that no longer works at the facility, or keeping the schedule up to date.

• Several Systems

  • Some home and business owners choose to get two or more systems installed in order to better monitor what is going on. Different systems might include, fire systems, burglar alarm systems, CCTV monitoring, or medical alarms.

    • Advantages: Can limit access on an as-needed basis to the alarm systems. For example, a nurse that deals with medical alarms might not have access to the burglar alarm. Can also be used to monitor several different areas, such as having one burglar alarm system in the office, and a separate system in a warehouse. This method is usually utilized by very large facilities with different departments, offices, or suites.

    • Disadvantages: Having only some of the information regarding the system can lead to problems when making changes to the account or systems. For example, if there is construction going on in the building, and the owner would like all of the signals to be disregarded to prevent false alarms, he needs to have the information and authorization for each system. These also need to be maintained regularly to keep codes, schedules, and authorization up to date.

It is also helpful to know what kinds of devices are available to protect your home or office. Each device has its own strengths, and finding the right combination of devices can help to maximize your security.

• Door sensors are used to determine if a door has been opened without authorization. These usually consist of two pieces, one on the doorway and one on the door. When the pieces pull apart, the door is shown to be opened.
  

  • Advantages: Very simple devices that can tell when a door is opened and close depending on how long the sensors are apart
  • Disadvantages: May cause false alarms if the sensor is loose or the door is not secure.

• Window sensors work very much like door sensors in most cases, with one part on the window and one part on the window-frame. There are different types of sensors as well, such as ones that monitor if the screen on the window is being tampered with.

  • Advantages: Can easily tell if the window has been opened.

  • Disadvantages: If the window is not secure in the frame, it may cause false alarms. Also, sensors that only monitor of the window is being opened may not detect if a window has been broken, since the sensors are not separated.

• Glass break detectors either detect the pitch of breaking glass, rapid pressure change from the window, or both.

  • Advantages: Unlike window sensors, these listen specifically for a window to be broken. They are better for large display windows or picture windows typically.

  • Disadvantages: They cannot tell if the window has been opened, as there has been no broken glass. They may also trigger false alarms at very loud noises, such as a plate dropping or thunder.

• Motion detectors monitor an area and sense movement. There are different kinds of motion detectors. The most common type detects temperature changes in the environment. Others include microwave, ultrasonic, and infrared.

  • Advantages: Can monitor a larger area than an entry-way sensor, and can be used to detect burglars that might have gotten through without setting off an entry alarm.

  • Disadvantages: Have a specific range of vision and anything outside this range is not visible to the motion detector. They may also have many causes for false alarms, from cool drafts, to balloons, to things falling off of shelves.

• Smoke and heat detectors are used to monitor for fire in the area. They are typically put in a part of the home where people might be sleeping and not notice a fire, or in a part of the building where there is a specific risk of fire.

  • Advantages: Can detect small changes that might signal a fire, even if there is not anything visible to the people around.

  • Disadvantages: If not placed in the right spot, may not detect the fire immediately or may not be heard by those in danger. Also, if placed in the wrong spot, can cause false alarms due to anything from steam to cobwebs.

• Carbon monoxide detectors are usually used in homes that have gas appliances or other sources which might increase the amount of carbon monoxide in the air. Since carbon monoxide is very deadly and virtually impossible to see or smell, these devices are considered as important as smoke detectors in many homes.

  • Advantages: Monitor the air at all times and can detect levels or carbon monoxide before it can negatively impact those in the building.

  • Disadvantages: Most carbon monoxide detectors need to be replaced regularly, typically every few years. If they are not replaced, they will lose their ability to read dangerous levels of CO in the air.

• Hold up buttons are usually used in businesses and are easily accessible to workers that may need to notify the authorities that they are in danger. These alarms are usually silent, so as not to alert a robber that police are on their way.

  • Advantages: Can allow someone being held-up to call for help without the knowledge of the robber. Can also be placed somewhere inconspicuous so that it is available unlike a keypad panic button.

  • Disadvantages: Because they are silent, if an alarm is received from one of these devices, the people in the building might not be aware of it until the police show up. Also, these devices typically need to be reset after they are triggered (by accident, on purpose, or in a test) or they will not work properly.

• Key-chain remotes are sometimes available to make for easy and convenient operation of the system. They typically have a button to arm and disarm the system, and a panic button that you can press in case you are in danger and cannot get to the keypad.

  • Advantages: With key-chain remotes, turning your alarm system on and off is literally at your fingertips. The panic button is also useful if you are in danger outside of your home, such as in your car or doorway. As long as you are in range of the remote, the alarm should go off if you press the panic button.

  • Disadvantages: The remotes are usually pretty small, and are therefore easy to get knocked around in a purse or pocket. This can lead to false alarms from the panic button, or from arming and disarming the system when it usually is not. They are also very easy to lose or get stolen, which has the potential to lead to very costly reprogramming of the system and replacement of the remote. Lastly, something that occurs with some users of the remotes is that they forget the code to their alarm, since they are not using it regularly. This can be a problem if the battery for the remote runs out, or the owner does not have the remote with them.

• Medical alarms are sometimes used in houses where an elderly, sick, or disabled person may need medical attention, but might not be able to get to a phone to call for it themselves. There are different kinds of buttons, including necklaces, remotes, and keypad medical alarms.

  • Advantages: Portable medical alarm can give someone access to help if they cannot get to a phone, in case of falling or other circumstance. If the button is pressed, but no one answers the monitoring company, the operator will typically send help. This can also be advantageous because instructions can be given to the alarm company to pass on to emergency services, such as gate codes, hidden keys, or medical alerts.

  • Disadvantages: If no one is around to press the button, help might not be available right away. Also, if the button is not nearby the person in need, it might be just as difficult to get to the button than it is to get to the phone to call 911.

• Other devices that might be useful to research are flood detectors, pressure detectors, sprinkler systems and detectors, CCTV devices, and card-swipe monitoring.

When buying an alarm system, it is easy to get swept up by special deals and discounts, but it is very important to actually find an alarm system that will work best for your home or business. A package deal that is going to every person on your block is not necessarily the best setup for you. Take your time, ask questions, and research potential companies and systems. It has taken a long time to get your home or business to where it is today, protecting it with an alarm system that only takes a few minutes to choose does not make sense!