Choosing a Monitored Home Security System
Price is obviously a driving factore in most consumer security system choice. But a low price on a system that does not adequately meet your families security needs is worth less than nothing.
What questions should I ask about my home monitoring service?
The alarm monitoring costs are obviously a major question. Review our home security system costs page for more details on comparing leasing a system versus buying a system.
- What responses are offered? Will I be contacted? Will a local dispatch be contacted? Will the police be contacted?
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Do I need a contract? Or can I have the monitoring on a month by month basis?
- Not having a contract can result in large savings in case you ever move, or are unhappy with your provider
- What are the maintenance fees? How much is service if the system is at fault?
- Will I receive stickers for all of my doors and window entrances?
What questions should I ask about the security equipment installed in my home?
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Is the equiptment installed proprietary? i.e. Could I used the equipment with other alarm monitoring vendors?
- Proprietary equipment attaches you to that security company as long as you use it. Consider equipment that works accross multiple vendors
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How update to date is the equipment installed? Is it the most recent version?
- Each year equipment manufactures improve and upgrade products, including features like less false alarms, more efficient power usage, greater reliability
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Do you have pets? How large are they?
- Systems exist with tolerances based on the estimated weight of an moving object
- Is every entrance wired? (accessible windows and doors)
- Does the system log events? Can I review false alarms? Alarms and other events that occured in the security system?
- This can be of great value for maintenance. Service technicians can read the logs to determine any issues a system may be having.
What about False Alarms?
False alarms are nuisance for home owners, neighbours and potentially police and fire departments. Technological improves are pushing forward in reducing the number false alarms.
- "Just Set" features, these indicate to the alarm company that the system had just been armed, this is the most common source of false alarms
- If you have pets does the system allow weight threshholds for detecting intruders.
- A system could be set to overlook detecting signals from a 30 lb object or less. These weights can vary upon your needs.
- Does the system have Company contact delays?
- When an alarm is should provide a gap of 30-90 seconds to allow the homeowner to disable the alarm with contacting the alarm company. This is helpful when you accidentally trip your own alarm.
- Ignoring short momentary breaks in the detection system. Such as any detected breaks less that 0.5s.
- Multi detect systems, requiring multiple sensors to detect intrusion within a set time period.
- Called "Intellizoning" by Paragon
- Called "Cross Zoning" by DSC
Does alarm monitoring work with VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)?
Cost savings by eliminating land lines and using a VOIP through your computer for phone usage have driven a high uptake in VOIP users. This can be a major cost savings to consumers escaping large monthly phone bills.
But this does propose a dilemma as VOIP connections have a Qos (Quality of Service) issue that does not exist with normal telephone lines, and most security systems are design for phone line based monitoring.
- Does this security system provide VOIP based monitoring?
- Home Insurers provide deductions for home owners with alarm monitoring systems, ask them if VOIP based monitoring qualifies.
Compare Quotes from ADT, Broadview, FrontPoint, and APX Alarm.