The number-one reason anyone subscribes to an alarm monitoring service is simple: to protect your family. Alarm monitoring services provide you peace of mind, even when you’re not at home.. If your alarm goes off (even for a nuisance alarm!) you’ll know instantly. Fire, burglars, unauthorized entry — no matter what happens, you’ll be the first to know, and you can speak to a live operator that can assist you in figuring out what’s going on. You’ll feel safer knowing you’re prepared.
However, all of that peace of mind is thrown out the window if your monitored alarm system doesn’t work properly. Here are some tips to ensure your alarm system is functioning at full capacity.
Test Your Alarm System on a Monthly Basis
How do you know if your alarm is working properly if you never test it to find out? You should test your security system on a monthly basis. Call your monitoring station to inform them that you’ll be testing your alarm. Trip the alarm from each entry point in your house and let it sound for a full twenty seconds before disabling the alarm. Finally, call your alarm monitoring station and make sure all activation’s were received.
Choose a UL Listed Company with a 24-Hour Customer Service Department
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a not-for-profit safety standard and certification company. In order for a monitoring station to be listed by UL, they must undergo a rigorous safety inspection process. All UL listed companies are then re-inspected every six months. Companies must meet and maintain industry standards in areas such as staffing, training, power, and operations. Choosing a UL-approved company will ensure you’ve chosen a monitoring company with the highest standard of safety in the industry.
It’s also important to make sure your alarm monitoring company has a full-time customer service department that you can contact with any questions or concerns. Your monitoring company should be able to assist you in troubleshooting any problems you may encounter.
Protect Yourself and Minimize Nuisance (False) Alarms
Frequent nuisance alarms can be costly. Choose a monitoring company that assists you in reducing nuisance alarms.
More and more cities are passing zoning laws that restrict residents to a certain number of nuisance alarms per year; others charge residents per nuisance alarm if the authorities are dispatched. Choosing a UL Certified monitoring and UL Certified service company can help dramatically. If the alarm is a unintentional (mistake), then simply notify the Central Station that everything is ok and to cancel dispatch.
Provide for Backups
If your monitored alarm system communicates by phone line, it’s essential to make sure your alarm system has line seizure (or Line Override, to ensure your alarm transmits the emergency signal to the Central Station). It’s also safer to have cellular backup service; in case your phone lines get cut. If your phone is out of service, your alarm monitoring company will still receive the emergency signal.
Follow these tips to make sure your monitored alarm system is working efficiently — because, let’s face it, if your alarm system isn’t working properly, you’re not getting the peace of mind that you deserve.
