Show #19 - Home Alarm Systems

Norbtek.info Podcast Show #019 for Saturday July 1, 2006

Today's podcast has an interview with Mr. Mike Jagger of Provident Security and Event Management Corporation in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I speak with him about home security and specifically about home alarm systems. We talk about why you need one and what every home alarm system should have. Mike provides great insight as to what an alarm system should do and how to keep potential burglars out of your house. I also have some good tips on how to keep your house unappealing to a potential burglar.

Residential Burglaries - Typically between 11 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday
Burglar's favorit place to start looking for your stuff:
Master Bedroom
Sidetable Drawers
Closets

Commerical Burglaries - Typically between 1AM and 5 AM 7 days a week

Check your local law enforcement's website for crime statistics in your neighborhood.

Burglary Safes

Dead Bolts

Locking Gate Latches

What to do when looking for a professional alarm installer & monitoring company:

1. Ask your insurance agent, friends, family or neighbors for referrals and if they are satisfied with the quality of installation and service.
2. Call several companies.
3. Ask the companies if they have appropriate state and/or local licenses, if required.
4. Contact the Better Business Bureau and ask if there have been any complaints against the companies you are considering.
5. Contact your local law enforcement's Prevention Department to see about any requirements or fees associated with having a monitored alarm system and typical response times.
6. After you've narrowed the field to three or four alarm companies, ask for the name of the person who will call on you. Consider planning the appointment time when all members of your household are present.
7. When he/she visits, ask to see some company identification.
8. Ask each alarm company representative for an inspection, recommendation and a quote in writing. Use a checklist to compare different packages and price quotes.
9. Don't forget to factor in monthly monitoring charges and length of any monitoring contract.
10. Alarm systems should utilize at least these three types of detection; door/window sensors, motion detection, and glass break detectors. Along with that the systems should have a battery backup incase of power failure or tampering and a cell phone backup communications device to thwart the phone lines being tampered with.
11. Additional items that can possibly be monitored by alarm systems are: Heat Detectors, Smoke Detectors, Carbon Monoxide Detectors, as well as flood detectors.

A general rule of thumb for a basic install of a hole burglar alarm system is about $1.25/sq. ft. of your home.

Tips when going on vacation to secure your home:
* Get a trusted friend or relative to "house sit." Or, make sure your neighbors know your plans.
* Have a neighbor pick up your newspapers and your mail for you daily.
* Lock all doors and windows, and secure the garage door.
* Leave a car parked in the driveway, or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway.
* Leave a house key -- and a number where you can be reached -- with a trusted friend or neighbor.
* Use timers to turn lights on and off at certain times, altering lighting patterns, to create an occupied look.
* Leave drapes and shades open as normal. (Closed blinds during the day are a sure sign of an empty house, plus they allow a burglar to attend to his business unseen by neighbors.)
* Arrange to have your lawn mowed.
* Be sure your trees and hedges have been trimmed. This gives burglars fewer places to hide.
* Replace any burned-out lights in your yard. Consider upgrading outdoor light fixtures with devices that have built-in motion detectors, which turn on the lights whenever anyone walks past.
* Make sure that any ladders, yours or an neighbors, is not accessible to thieves to use for entering upper level windows, no matter how small.
* Secure all gates to your back or side yards with a lockable gate latch.