Security systems are more than just burglar
alarms Security systems offer more than security.
They can be set to monitor doors and windows, but
they can also detect smoke, heat, carbon monoxide,
freezing temperatures, and rising water.
Security systems reduce crime in commercial
settings. Businesses without alarm systems are 4.5
times more likely to be burglarized than those that
have an alarm system. Source: Commercial
Security: Burglary Patterns and Security Measures,
Metrica, Inc.
Of all uncompleted burglaries, 74% can be credited
to an audible alarm.
Source: Securing Home and Business, Hakim and
Blackstone. A burglary or fire does not go unnoticed
when the business is unoccupied. A monitored system
provides automatic notification of authorities in
the event of intrusion or fire whether the premises
are occupied or not.
Security Alarm Systems
Why Should I Have a
Security Alarm System? It is
debated whether having an alarm system decreases the
chances of a burglary. In theory, if a burglar is
aware a house has a system, he or she might move on
to another home. Even if the alarm system does not
keep a burglar from breaking in, the burglar has a
tendency to stay a shorter amount of time. This may
decrease the number of items stolen and the extent
of damage done.
What Should a Security
Alarm System Include? Most systems
rely on a combination of contacts placed at doors
and windows and motion sensors. Motion sensors,
however, do not detect someone until they are
already in the house. Motion sensors should NOT be
used as the primary means of detection. It is best
that all exterior potential points of entry have
contacts that sense when they are open. Glass break
sensors are also available and recommended.
Eight different areas in the building can work
independently from each other. Each employee, when
given an individual code, will be logged into the
system when arming and disarming. You can view the
log right from the keypad and attach a printer in
your office. This feature enables you to have total
control regarding who enters and leaves your
building, as well as, the times this occurs
The basic elements of a standard home security
system include:
· Control Panel:
This is the location where the system
wiring terminates, the backup battery is
located, and where it is connected to
the phone lines if it is a monitored
system.
· Keypad:
This is where the system is armed
and disarmed. Additional keypads can be
installed. For example, a keypad can be
installed next to the homeowner's bed.
If the alarm sounds in the middle of the
night and the security system had the
capability, the keypad display could
indicate which door, window, or motion
detector caused the alarm.
· Siren:
A loud siren sounds when there's
been a break-in and it also lets an
intruder know they've been detected.
· Inside Motion Detector:
Passive infrared, microwave, or
photoelectric detectors sense changes in
a room caused by human presence. Special
motion detectors are available for
people who have pets.
· Door and Window Contacts:
Magnetic contacts form a circuit
between a door and doorframe or a window
and a sill; when the door or window is
opened (and the system is on), the
circuit is broken and sounds the alarm.
· A Central Monitoring Station
(Company):
If the system is monitored, in the
event of an alarm, the control panel
sends a message over a telephone line to
a central monitoring station, which is
manned 24 hours a day. After attempting
to contact the homeowner, the central
monitoring station will contact the
police, fire department, or medics.
There is a monthly fee for this service.
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Additional items that can be added to the
basic system are:
· Smoke Detectors are
required by many building codes. They
can be wired to the security panel. If
the smoke detectors go into alarm, the
security panel will notify the central
monitoring station if smoke is detected.
· Glass Break Detectors recognize
the sound of glass breaking and will
sound the alarm.
· Panic Buttons can be hand-held
and should be located in strategic
places such as next to beds and doors;
just punching the button will send a
message to the central monitoring
station for help. Homeowners may choose
to have the panic button send the alarm
as a silent alarm or sound the alarms
within the house.
· Pressure Mats can be placed
under rugs and react to pressure from
footsteps activating the alarm.
· Closed circuit TV is a private
TV system which allows monitoring and/or
recording inside or outside a home.
· Alarm Screens are special
screens for windows that have a special
wire woven in the mesh that will
activate an alarm when cut or removed.
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Costs
The average system, which includes either motion
detectors inside the house or sensors around windows
and doors, costs about $1,200 plus monthly
monitoring fee of $25. With a three year contract
Monitored System or
Unmonitored System?
Monitored Systems contact a monitoring company by
telephone. The typical sequence of events is as
follows:
· The security system senses
something.
· Depending on the sensing point there
may be a delay to enable the customer to
disarm the system.
· If not disarmed, the security system
goes into alarm and sends a message to
the monitoring company over telephone
lines.
· The monitoring company receives the
message, determines the nature of the
alarm and verifies the alarm, generally
by placing a phone call to the home. If
they do not receive the proper password
or do not receive an answer, they call
the police.
· The police receive the monitoring
company's call and respond. |
Caution: During an alarm situation, the
security system “seizes” the phone line to call the
monitoring company. If personal safety is at risk
when the alarm sounds, a homeowner will be unable to
call 911 or call for help by phone while the
security system is communicating through the phone
line with the monitoring company.
The only way to keep this from happening would be to
have more than one telephone line into the house or
have a cellular phone available.
Caution: A monitored alarm system that
uses the telephone line to communicate with the
central monitoring station may have a compatibility
problem with digital subscriber line (DSL)
high-speed Internet service. This compatibility
problem may prevent the security system from
operating properly. However, our technicians are
trained to asses this problem and alert the customer
to possible solutions.
The DSL Internet service, because it transmits over
the same telephone lines, may prevent the security
panel and monitoring service from properly
communicating with one another. This may cause
alarm notifications to fail and interfere with phone
line seizures by the security system
This compatibility problem can be remedied by using
a special filter on the telephone line to the
security panel or by using a DSL splitter system.
If you have a security system with a central
monitoring service and you intend to get or have DSL
Internet service, contact Grizzly Security Alarms
Inc. to find out if you have a problem and how to
remedy it.
Unmonitored systems typically have on-site
alarms and/or flashing lights that indicate the
security system has been breached. It relies on
neighbors as the eyes and ears to see or hear the
alarms and then to call police. Neighbors or
passersby should never investigate an alarm
themselves.
With an unmonitored system, it is best to have a
combination of strobe lights and alarms. They should
be located on the street side of the house and in an
as-inaccessible spot as possible. Because it can be
difficult to determine the location of a siren, it
is best to discuss this with your neighbors and to
place the siren and flashing light on the house
where it can be easily seen.
The advantage of this type of system is that a
burglar's primary goal is to gain entrance to the
house, remove property, and do so without being
noticed. Many burglars will leave once alarms and
strobes are activated. The disadvantage to an
unmonitored system is it relies on neighbors who may
not be at home or may not want to become involved.
This system is appropriate for a typical suburban
setting but might not work as well for a home out in
the country without close neighbors. An unmonitored
system could also delay the response of the police
or fire department.
How to Choose an Alarm Company
Choosing an alarm company can be confusing and the
technology complicated. Here are some suggestions:
· Check with friends or neighbors
for recommendations on reliable
companies.
· Find out how quickly the alarm company
will install your system after purchase.
See if the company sells systems faster
than they can install them.
· Determine how quickly they respond to
requests for service after installation.
Ask for references from some of their
customers who have required service and
call and talk to these people.
· Ask about warranties.
· Ask the alarm company what screening
they do when hiring their alarm
installers and salespeople. You want a
company that screens for criminal
backgrounds/records, etc.
· Call your local police department and
ask how long it takes them to respond to
a home security system alarm. Don't be
surprised if the estimated response time
is as long as an hour. Also ask if there
are any fines for false alarms.
· Lastly, when comparing prices remember
to compare detection coverage and
features. The least expensive system
could be all you need, or a waste of
money. Not all alarms are created equal.
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How Do False Alarms Affect Service?
False alarms with security alarm systems are a
significant concern. It is estimated between 95
percent and 99 percent of the alarms received are
false. Because of this, most police departments
require the system, if it alarms remotely by
telephone, to first go through a monitoring company.
To combat the false alarm problem, some police
departments are imposing fines for false alarms
after a specified number of false alarms.
Things to Remember About Security Alarm Systems
Burglars realize most security systems sound inside
the house and then the alarm is transferred to
remote locations through the telephone lines. Most
phone lines are typically exposed on the outside of
the house in an easily accessible location where the
phone line can be cut. If the telephone line is cut,
the security alarm system cannot notify the central
monitoring station of the break-in.
If the phone line is run underground until it is
inside the home (with the main telephone junction
box inside the home), the thief cannot tamper with
the telephone line until after he or she has broken
in. Having a protected phone line to your house
is a good idea whether you have a security alarm
system or not.
Burglars learn to adapt to security systems. In New
Jersey, some burglars developed a unique break-in
method. The burglars would rattle the windows
causing the alarm to sound and then hide in the
bushes, waiting for the police to arrive. Once the
police found nothing and left the location, the
burglars would proceed with the break-in.
The problem with security systems is that they don't
necessarily stop people from breaking in. The
security system is only activated when the burglar
has broken into the house. Also, by the time the
intruder is detected and someone responds to the
alarm, there could be enough time for the intruder
to remove items and leave. If the system does not
cause visible or audible alarms to flash or sound at
the site, or there is no one nearby to see or hear
these site alarms, the intruder can leave without
being seen.
Remember: Security systems do not prevent
thieves from breaking into homes.
A good security plan should include strong window,
door, and lock products; good security habits and
lifestyles (for example, always locking doors at
night or when the house is vacant); and natural
surveillance, such as having neighborhood watches.
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