Burglar Alarm Tips

A burglar alarm is an effective way to protect your home and property.  But false alarms are a tremendous problem that can waste the time of first responders and keep them from reacting quickly to real emergencies.  In fact, the Salt Lake City Police Department estimates that 99% of their burglar alarm calls are false.

The City of Oakland, California gets over 20,000 false alarms a year at a cost of more than $2 million.  To combat the problem, Oakland — and many other cities — have passed burglar alarm ordinances.  If your city has one, and you’re not in compliance, you could be fined.  And if you cause a false alarm, it could really be expensive.

Does your city have a burglar alarm ordinance?

Most burglar alarm ordinances require consumers to obtain a permit from the city before they install a burglar alarm or home security system.  Fees generated by the permits are used to offset the cost of responding to the alarms.  And information provided with the permit application enables the police department to contact the homeowner before dispatching a response team.

As a rule, fees are greater if the homeowner doesn’t have a valid permit, or if the permit has expired. For example, the City of Oakland charges valid permit holders $84 for a general false alarm and non-permit holders $154.   What’s more, Oakland charges those without valid permits $70 to respond to a genuine burglar alarm call.  Those with valid permits are not charged.

Because robbery calls require two officers to respond, they are even more expensive.

Many cities have an escalating scale in which each subsequent call is assessed a greater fine.  Some also offer false alarm prevention classes.  People who attend often receive a break on fines or fees.

In order to make sure that home security monitoring services also take responsibility for making sure their customers comply with the ordinance, they are also billed for unregistered alarm systems.

In Oakland, the permit fee is $25 for homes and $35 for businesses.  In other places, such as Salt Lake City, no fee is required for the permit.  There, private security guards are employed to respond to burglar alarm calls.  Police are only dispatched if the security guard finds that a crime has occurred.

Before you have a burglar alarm or home security system installed, find out what permits your city requires and what other steps you should take to help reduce the burden on your local police department.  The company you purchase your burglar alarm from should be able to provide you with applications and information.

Read more home security tips here.

Does your city have a burglar alarm ordinance Image Flickr: jondoeforty1

Although burglar alarm systems are more affordable than ever, they’re still an investment that you want to make wisely.  And it goes without saying that any system you buy needs to work flawlessly.

So how can you make sure that you get the home security system that best suits your needs and provides the best value for money?  Following these simple steps will help ensure that you make the best choice:

1)    Ask around.  If your friends and neighbors have burglar alarm systems, ask them who they use, if they’re satisfied, if they feel the price is fair, if the service is responsive, etc.  Your home-owners insurance agent is another good person to ask, because purchasing a home security system may reduce your insurance rates.

2)    Talk to more than one home security service.  Find out what kind of training their employees receive and what kind of pre-employment screening – like drug testing – they do.  Check their records with Consumer Protection Agencies and the Better Business Bureau.  And ask if they belong to the Installation Quality Certification Program and if they have all the pertinent state and local licenses.  The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association lists their approved providers on their web site.  It’s a great place to compile your short list.

3)    It’s okay to get an estimate over the phone, but before making a selection, you should have a company representative visit your home.  Otherwise, the price you get will not be accurate – and it will likely be lower than the actual cost.  When a representative does a walk-through of your home, you’ll know exactly what they will install, and where.  It’s best to get estimates from three companies.  That way you’ll know if one is over- or under-priced. As a rule, if all three are providing the exact same services, there shouldn’t be more than about a 10% difference in price.

4)    When the estimator comes to your home, ask to see his identification and then walk him through your home.  Show him where your safe is located and where any valuables are kept.   If you have anything that doesn’t look valuable, but is – a collection of coins or stamps, for instance – let him know.  Ask him what kind of equipment will be installed and if it is Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certified.

5)    Get the estimate in writing, and get a fixed estimate if you can.  If you can’t get a fixed estimate, ask the estimator to spell out what circumstances would involve an additional installation charge and how much it would be.  It’s best to avoid unpleasant surprises on installation day.

6)    Find out what kind of maintenance is covered in the cost and if an annual equipment check is included.  What is the length of the contract?  Is the equipment leased?  If so, whose responsibility are repairs?  How long is the warranty and what does it cover?

7)    Get specific information about the monitoring service.  Does it operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  And is customer service available 24/7 as well?  Find out what kind of backup monitoring system is employed if there’s a power outage or problem with the primary system.

8)    Trust your gut.  Were you comfortable having the estimator in your home?  Was he professional and nicely dressed?  Did he show up on time, and if not did he call?  The professionalism of your estimator reflects the values of the company.  If he or she makes you uncomfortable, if he seems like a fast talker, or doesn’t take the time to answer your questions to your satisfaction, keep looking.

Taking these easy steps will help you make an informed decision and get the best home security service for you and your family.

Read more about choose the right burglar alarm system here.

For many people, getting a burglar alarm system provides them with complete peace of mind.  Not only can an alarm chase away an intruder quickly, it can also convince a thief that breaking into your house is not worth the risk.

But even the best home security system can’t guarantee you’ll never have a problem.  After all, an alarm won’t do much good if it’s not turned on.  And there are lots of things you can do to make your home less appealing to burglars.  So why not use these simple techniques to protect your home even more.

1) Lock all windows and doors.  As simple as this sounds, most burglars come in through unlocked doors.  Make sure all exterior doors have deadbolts.  If you have sliding glass doors, buy braces to make them impossible to open.  Keep your garage doors and fence gates shut and locked.  And don’t hide keys in obvious places like under the doormat or in a planter.

2) Install motion-detection lighting on the exterior of your home.  Front and back.  Though most burglaries take place between 6AM and 6PM, good lighting can reduce your risk.

3) Keep your bushes trimmed, especially those near windows.  Don’t give burglars a place to hide until the coast is clear.   For added protection, plant rose bushes, cacti, or other thorny plants near doors and windows.

4) Display your home protection service sign prominently.  The presence of the sign alone is often enough to convince thieves to move on.

5) Get opaque curtains and keep them closed.  Don’t put your valuable possessions on display for all to see.

6) Participate in your neighborhood Block Watch program and get to know your neighbors and their habits.  If you look out for them, they’ll look out for you.

7) If you’re traveling, make it look like someone’s home.  Stop the newspaper.  Have a neighbor get your mail.  Put timers on lights and televisions in several rooms.

8) Hide valuables inside your home. If you don’t have a safe that is too heavy to move, hide your valuables someplace unexpected.   Avoid places that thieves look first like underwear drawers, under the mattress, or in the bedroom closet.  Be creative.  Put jewelry in a dark jar in the refrigerator.  And include your important papers — identity theft can be more damaging than anything else.

9) Get a dog.  Even a small dog can frustrate thieves and alert neighbors that something’s not right.

10) Personalize your possessions.  If your name is etched on your technology products, they’re easier for police to identify and harder to sell.  Many thieves won’t take the risk.

Taking these simple precautions will enhance the protection that your burglar alarm system provides.