How to Choose a Burglar Alarm Monitoring Company
Why Choose an ADT Home Security System
About 3% of all homes in the United States are burglarized every year – a burglary occurs in a US home every 15 seconds. To meet these growing security concerns, installing a security system in you home has become a sad necessity of modern life. Installing a quality home security burglar alarm product within your home can be an excellent solution to home security, but any burglar alarm system is only as good as the burglar alarm monitoring company that you subscribe to.
A burglar alarm monitoring company is automatically notified when the burglar alarm system in your home goes off, and this monitoring company then calls the appropriate authorities to respond to this break in emergency. Your burglar alarm system is connected to a burglar alarm monitoring company using special phone lines, and an alarm auto dialer device is normally installed, which automatically calls the monitoring company in the event of a break in. There are many companies to choose from when it comes to choosing a burglar alarm monitoring company, and these companies can vary considerably in the levels of service and competence that they provide.
Choosing a Burglar Alarm Monitoring Company
It’s important to do a bit of research before choosing a burglar alarm monitoring company. Contact the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, and ask for a list of the member companies within your area. Your insurance company should also be able to provide you with a list of recommended monitoring companies for your area. Your neighbors and friends living in the area may also be able to recommend some alarm monitoring companies.
The National Burglar and Fire Association trains and certifies employees of burglar alarm monitoring companies – check that the employees of the monitoring company you intend to select have been certified by the National Burglar and Fire Association. Also check that the monitoring company participates in the Installation Quality Certification Program. Ensure that the monitoring company is legitimate by asking whether they have the required state and/or local licenses, and by finding out how long the company has been in business.
Other important questions to ask before selecting a burglar alarm monitoring company include:
- Is the company’s monitoring center open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day?
- Does the company have a backup monitoring center in the event of main monitoring center having a power failure? Alternatively, does the monitoring center have a backup power supply, and backup telephone lines?
- Check whether the burglar alarm system equipment that the the company uses is Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certified. Also check that the company’s monitoring center is also UL certified.
The largest alarm monitoring companies nationally are ADT, Brink, and Protect America. ADT is by far the largest monitoring company nationally. In most cities you can find dealers authorized to sell ADT and Brinks burglar alarm systems. A representative of the alarm monitoring company should visit and inspect your home before you decide to use the monitoring company. This representative should make recommendations on the security equipment you home requires, and should also provide you with a written quote for this equipment.
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