No Anxieties with Alarm Monitoring

You can always review the things that happened around and within your home upon coming back at the end of the day, but there are several advantages to having a home security company monitor events captured by your security cameras in real time:

Since someone is in charge of overseeing what's going on in your property, you wouldn't have to worry that the burglars might not be identifiable enough on the captured video. Although security cameras are more reliable now than they were a few years ago, nothing beats having the burglaries foiled and the perpetrators busted immediately. The moment a suspicious person is spotted doing suspicious acts within your property, the police force, as well as the homeowner, will be contacted immediately.

Not all things worth monitoring are man-made, however; some problems arise due to extreme acts of Nature, like the floods that tend to follow very heavy rains. While some employees may be required to report to work regardless, they may still find it very hard to concentrate on their jobs because things back home could get worse in a matter of minutes. Knowing how one's house is faring, and that there is someone in charge of watching over his or her home (especially when kids are inside, no less), is very important for people living in disaster-prone areas. 

Home Security Techniques to Keep Burglars at Bay

As much as you may want to believe that there is no room in this world for people with impure souls, there are those who just can't resist stealing from their fellow men. In this day and age, carelessness can lead to the loss of things that you have worked hard for just to obtain. If you do not want your possessions to be at the mercy of ruthless burglars, you have to be aware of several techniques to keep their hands off your house and valuables.

Installing an alarm in your beloved abode will prove to be useful, especially when it comes to alerting authorities about thieves attempting to break inside your home. Alarm operators who are tasked to monitor their clients' vacant domiciles are trained to respond quickly to any untoward incident that may lead to the swiping of an appliance or furniture in the building.

Having locks that cannot easily be picked will also help secure the home. It is recommended to have at least one deadbolt lock for every door in the structure, which requires a key on either side. Such a feature will help reduce the occurrence of no-force entries and smooth looting operations.

Having a canine in the house can also scare thieves away. Aside from baring its fangs at the enemy, it can also bark loudly enough for cops to hear. In this regard, the dog becomes not just man's best friend but also a house's best ally.

Questions to Ask and Answer before Getting a Home Alarm System

A house security system has proven to be one effective means of keeping valuables, property, and lives safe. There are questions, though, that homeowners should ask themselves before jumping right in and purchasing a new alarm system. The first couple of questions being: how many windows and doors should be hooked up to the security device, and where should the control panels and keypads be?

The first couple of questions are important because they determine how comprehensive the security system will be and what rooms are in more need of protection. For example, many homeowners want the areas frequented by the home’s inhabitants (i.e. bedroom, family room, kitchen) to be switched into the system. The control panel and keypad, meantime, are recommended to be placed as strategically as possible, like in the bedroom and front door for accessibility.

The third question is: how far away is the control panel from the windows and doors where the alarms will be installed? The response to this query would help the property owner determine if wires need to be routed to properly function. If it is a wireless system, what will be identified will be the strength of the sensors’ signals and if they are being received by the high tech devices. 

Getting to Know the NFPA 72

The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, or NFPA72, is the main standard for all emergency-response units dealing with fire alarms. This is continually revised to meet changing demands in fire detection and signaling, as well as emergency communications. Every alarm monitoring provider should be intimately familiar with the Code's latest edition, which was enacted this year. One new section of the 2013 edition deals with documentation.

In installing a system that will help save lives, every step will have to be logged in black and white. At minimum, the Code requires that the provider submit several documents. These include drafting a detailed description of the system and its purpose, information on the products to be used, and calculations for battery flow, emergency power, and voltage drop. Testing and maintenance records are a must.

Certain systems may need shop drawings. Under the 2013 NFPA 72, the drawings must contain the client and property particulars, details on the contractor, issue and revision dates, plus locations of the alarm devices. The floor drawings must denote the locations of all alarms, have compass references and graphic scales for the property, and riser diagrams that show the number and type of conductors and circuits.

Familiarizing yourself with the NFPA 72 and implementing its provisions adds to the reputation of an alarm monitoring company. It will go a long way to saving life and property when the time comes.