When we work with new customers to beef up home security, we always recommend installing a monitored burglar alarm. These systems provide multiple layers of security. First, they create a blaring siren response upon an alarm activation. This alerts anyone onsite of the issue, and often scares intruders away. Additionally, a monitored alarm also communicates with our central station. This can lead to an emergency dispatch if necessary. Unfortunately, some security companies design alarms poorly, or fail to install an alarm that meets customers’ user experience expectations. This can make using an alarm frustrating, causing some to abandon using their alarm systems. Therefore, we work hard to design effective alarms that provide the security and user experience that will keep you using your alarm for years to come. In this post, we aim to help your efforts in getting the most out of your security system experience.
First, we’ll explain the process of designing an effective alarm. This includes providing proper coverage and also getting proactive about reducing the risk of false alarms. From there, we’ll discuss our most popular and powerful monitoring service. Utilizing interactive alarm monitoring greatly increases your overall user experience as well as your security. Then, we’ll shift our focus to some smart home products that integrate with your alarm. Adding this equipment creates both added security and overall convenience to your home’s security appliances. Finally, we’ll show you how our extended warranty program can save you money and ensure your security system works for you when you need it most. Now, let’s dive in with a look at effective security system design!
Making Your Security as Effective as Possible
When designing an alarm system, we take several things into account. First and foremost, we look at how to add the most security. Installing door and window contacts to secure every likely entry point should be a no-brainer. However, insufficient installation of security contacts remains one of the most common security system installation mistakes. Many alarm systems out there rely solely on door and window contacts, along with motion detectors, to secure a property. However, while often largely effective, this approach does have its shortcomings.
If installed incorrectly, a motion detector can create a false alarm when the sun shines through a window.
For example, window contacts only catch thieves who break in by opening a window. They unfortunately fail to catch those who break windows and climb through without opening them. While motion detectors can help in these scenarios if you are gone, you cannot arm these detectors while you are on site without creating false alarms walking around your home or business. For these reasons, we often install glass break sensors near casement windows, sliders, or large windows in general. These sensors, as well as equipment such as shock sensors and even security screens, can greatly improve the effectiveness of your alarm.
In addition to creating effective security, we also want to work to minimize false alarms. Since most false alarms stem from motion detectors, installing these sensors carefully can cut back on most, if not all, of your own false alarms. For example, we avoid installing these detectors in any rooms where pets may roam. If you buy pets after installing an alarm, consider calling us to find alternate sensors for specific rooms.
Additionally, installing motion detectors pointing at windows can also create issues. The heat of the sun shining through a window can cause a false alarm due to the shifting heat in a room. Finally, failing to clean your alarm sensors can create false alarms as dust, dirt, and even the presence of small insects and spiders living within these sensors build up over time. Next up, let’s turn our attention to making the most out of our alarm monitoring services!
Utilizing the Most Powerful Monitoring Service we Offer
Alarm monitoring has long remained one of the most powerful security services we offer. As we touched upon earlier, this service creates a central station response upon alarm activation at your home. Traditionally, we would create an alarm connection to our central station using your existing phone lines. However, this technology has evolved, allowing us to create more security and convenience than ever. Upgrading your security monitoring now involves installing our Alarm.com-powered cellular dialer. This device uses a cellular network, rather than a phone line, to monitor your home. Therefore, phone outages no longer affect your security system’s ability to call our central station for help. Of course, this feature alone greatly enhances your alarm’s security.
Furthermore, our cellular dialer allows for interactive cellular monitoring. This feature allows you to use the Alarm.com mobile app to control your security system. Now, you can turn your alarm on and off remotely with your cell phone. Moreover, you can set up text alerts based on alarm activity. Therefore, any alarm activation or system arming or disarming event can create an instant alert. These features make our cellular monitoring one of our very most popular security upgrade options. Now, let’s see how taking advantage of our Alarm.com cell dialer to add smart security products can aid you in getting the most out of your security system experience.
Integrating Your Alarm with Smart Security Products
In addition to communicating with our central station, our Alarm.com dialer also acts as a Z-Wave smart home hub. The term “Z-Wave” refers to a mesh network providing communication between our Alarm.com dialer and smart home devices that operate on this network. As one of the most popular smart home platforms, Z-Wave technology gives you many options to add smart security devices.
Our Z-Wave smart home offerings include several options for improving your security. For example, these devices include appliances such as Z-Wave light bulbs that you can control remotely to make your home look occupied while you are away. Additionally, Z-Wave keypad locks allow you to let contractors or house sitters into your home without providing a key. Z-Wave thermostats allow you to control your home’s temperature remotely and even create pre-set heating and cooling schedules. Installing smart cameras around your property can even provide you both live and recorded video footage that you can access on any internet-connected device at any time.
Smart keypad locks, such as this model by Schlage, let you grant access to anyone delivering a package to your door without providing them with a key or a code!
In addition to controlling these devices remotely, our Alarm.com customers can also receive alerts about their smart appliances. For example, Z-Wave locks will notify you when someone locks or unlocks the door, as well as the identity of the person involved. Additionally, they also let you lock and unlock your doors remotely. This allows you to let house sitters or contractors in without providing a code or a key. The convenience and security these products deliver make them invaluable in adding security for any home! Let’s now wrap up our discussion on getting the most out of your security system experience with a look at our extended warranty offerings.
Taking Advantage of Our Extended Warranty Programs
When we install an alarm, we also provide customers a means to keep equipment maintained and working with no unexpected expenses in the years to come. We offer security equipment warranty plans to help ensure your equipment works when you need it most. All of these warranty plans include free replacement of security equipment when it fails. Furthermore, some of our warranties even include annual testing and inspections of burglar-alarm related components! Signing up for one of these plans greatly enhances your security’s long-term effectiveness. Of course, doing so can also save you money in cases where you require us to replace any security-related items. Adding this security has long remained one of our top tips for getting the most out of you security system experience due to the short-term and long-term security and cost benefits.
Putting it All Together and Getting the Most Out of Your Security System Experience
We hope that this post helps you see how we can design and effective alarm that gives you the security, reliability, and user experience you desire. Additionally, we encourage you to contact us with any questions this post raises for you. We’ve spent the last 38 years helping customers like yourself design and implement complete security plans. In order to do so, we offer potential customer complimentary security audits and equipment quotes. We’d love to pay you a visit and help you address you own security concerns. Together, we can create a plan to keep your home, your most valued possessions, and your family as safe and secure as possible!