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 section 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?
• 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?

• 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
• 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
• 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.

• 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.

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.

Buyer Beware: Prevent Alarm System Scams

By researching alarm monitoring prices and following some simple alarm monitoring company choosing tips homeowners will be better prepared to make good judgement when selecing a home security system.

Unfortunately the dishonest will try to take advantage of consumers fears when it comes to selling home security systems. We've built a list of common scams known in the industy

Known Security System Scams

The "Free" Home Security System

In this scam a salesperson will arrive at your door and offer you a "Free" security system. Normally the justification is that you are in a high profile location and they would like to put their signs and stickers on your property in lieu of fees. All that is required is signing a monthly contract and this free system is yours.

Like many things in life that sound too good to be true, this is as well. The "Free" system is normally inadequate for most homes, and the contract is of term and rates that make this far more expensive than a purchased system. In this case you have paid well more than market rate for what was advertised as "free".

Emergency Services will "Not Respond" to your "Old" System

In this case, a salesmen will arrive at the door of a homeowner with an existing system. They tell the homeowner that the local fire or police system are currently, or soon will not be able to receive signals from your "older" system. They then offer their package which naturally comes with a contract. This is a lie. As always, check with the BBB before engaging the services of any alarm company, and extra caution should be directed to those who show up at your door unannounced.

Rush Tactics: Limited Time, You must Decide Now!

Take your time! If a prospective company tries to rush you into a deal, step back and get competitive security system quotes. Rarely are deals so great that they truely have a limited time offer, this is normally a pressure tactic to prevent you getting competive quotes, or checking the prospective companies background.

Not So State of the Art Equipment

What are you really buying with your security system? Often what is pitched as "Free" of $99.95 is an inadequate system, or out of date. Find out the following about what will be installed:

• What equipment will be installed?
• What rooms will it be installed in?
• What are the model numbers of the equipment installed?
• Research list prices of these products, find out what the true value is
• Find out if the specifications of these items matches the requirements of your household

A no false alarm guarantee

The term false alarm is actually a misnomer, and is regularly replaced by the term nuisance alarm or unwarranted alarm. When a sensor operates, it is hardly false, and it is usually a true indication of the present state of the sensor. By not dispatching on a signal from an intrusion alarm could be devastating, catastrophic with a fire alarm. Using delay tactics when it comes to response time in rural Vermont can prove well, like playing Russian roulette.

Talk to your alarm provider and become re-educated in the design and use of YOUR security system.

• Does your system identify the device that caused the alarm activation?
• Is equipment installed to make activation easy when needed, but safe from accidental trips?
• Is there a way to abort police/fire response on an accidental activation?
• Do you use internal verification procedures where, upon an alarm activation (including robbery, hold-up, duress or panic alarms), the monitoring operator contacts your location to obtain a code word confirming or discounting the alarm activation prior to requesting police dispatch?
• Are all employees/users fully trained in use of the equipment?
• Are the problems occurring during specific opening/disarming and/or closing/arming times?