Home security alarm systems

Even though there are many things that home security alarm systems can do to thwart potential burglars and intruders, there are significant facts to back up the claim that these systems become much more valuable when they are monitored.

The fact is that whereas there could be a significant cost incurred to have a security system installed in a home, this may not be the most significant cost associated with the project. If a homeowner chooses to have the system monitored, the costs are usually between $30 and $40 per month.

There are some who decide to have systems monitored while there are others who decide against it. A monitored system works in the following way:

• 24-hour surveillance – If a homeowner pays to have his system monitored, what this essentially means is that a company is paid to respond to alarms when they happen. The monitoring companies often liaise with security equipment companies to offer equipment at a lower price if the buyer also signs a two or three year deal with the monitoring company.

• When the alarm triggers – If the alarm in a home is triggered, it is the monitoring company’s responsibility to call the home and ask the homeowner if everything is okay. This is one of the biggest selling points for a monitoring company. Those companies that have a response time of 10 seconds, for example, differentiate themselves from a company that has a 45-second response time. Even though prices are usually similar, response time will not necessarily be the same.

• When the call comes – When the call comes from the monitoring company, the person on the line will ask the homeowner if everything is okay. If the homeowner says yes, the employee will then ask for the homeowner’s security code. This is the same code that the homeowner punches into the keypad to turn the system on and off. If the person in the home does not answer correctly or says that they forgot, the monitoring company will call the authorities and let them know of the potential problem. Also, if there is no answer in the home, the authorities are immediately dispatched.

• Potential hazards – While some find they receive more peace of mind from contracting with a monitoring company there are others who are skeptical about employing such a method because it is not fool-proof. One of the main concerns with paying a security company is that the system becomes invalid if an intruder cuts the phone lines. This is true. Because the system is connected to the monitoring company through the phone line, they will not be able to monitor if the line is cut.

Some people set up a cut phone line detector to combat this. This detector sends a signal to the alarm when the phone line is cut. Although no signal will be sent to the monitoring company, there will still be a loud alarm.

Those who consider all of the advantages as well as the potential problems associated with having a system like this tend to be able to make the best decisions when it comes to deciding if the costs associated with monitoring are worth it.

While the cost for monitoring often drops and goes to a month-by-month basis after the initial three-year agreement ends, it should be assumed that those who sign this agreement will pay around $1,250 in monitoring costs during the three-year term.

Of course, those who pay this money often were able to secure a $99 equipment deal with the security company worth somewhere around $500-$1,000. In the end, those who buy security systems with monitoring contracts are likely to come out even when all is said and done.

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