Home Security Tip: Shut the Door on Security Alarm Scams

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Door-to-door salespeople aren’t as common as they used to be.

Before you breathe a sigh of relief, you should be aware of an apparent door-to-door scam that plagued New Yorkers recently. Security alarm customers got knocks on their doors followed by allegedly false sales pitches.

Here’s how it went down, according to the Gannet news service. A sales operative approaches the potential customer and says, “Your company’s going out of business why don’t you switch over to us?” or “Your company’s merging with us.”

According to the New York AG’s office, people who signed up wound up with two different accounts and no easy way to close either.

Eventually the company alleged to have committed these offenses did pay compensation to the victims. But all of them would have been better off if they’d looked into the claims before signing. You should be immediately suspicious of any unexpected visit from someone claiming to be with your alarm company or a related company. A respectable alarm company won’t engage in a deceptive door-to-door campaign.

You can always politely decline the encounter and contact your security provider to report the solicitation. If you don’t already have an alarm company, it’s probably still not a good idea to purchase from a door knocker. In all likelihood, they don’t even represent a local, full-service security firm.

Now, if you want to know more about the New York switch scam, click the video description. We’ve provided a link.

Keep Your Home and Family Safe this Summer – What You Should Insist Your Security Company Provide

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Fun in the sun. Carefree attitudes. Barbecues, beach days, pool parties. Sounds fantastic, right?

Of course. But sometimes while you’re reveling in all that carefree summer living, you might not pay as much attention to home security as you should.

For example, you’re more likely to leave all your doors and windows open in the summer – even when you go out. But remember most break-ins occur because of negligence, so securing your home is of the utmost importance.

The fact is you always want your family to be safe and one way to ensure their safety is by turning to a top-notch security company to install an alarm system in your home.

Here are some things to look for when you choose a home security company:

  • Speak to a Person, Not a Recording. When your home and family are in danger, every second counts. So be sure that whenever you need help – or just have a routine question – your security company has a real person answering your call. You don’t want to have to deal with navigating a complicated, automated voice system when you need help immediately.
  • No Alarm Delays. When an alarm sounds on your security system there must be no delay in transmission to the monitoring station. Your system should instantly send an alarm to the central station no matter if it’s an intrusion, smoke, carbon monoxide, or any trouble signal. Some companies delay transmitting their alarm signals by as much as four minutes because their systems are prone to false alarms.
  • Local Five-Diamond, U.L. Monitoring Center. Your home should be monitored 24-7 by a local Five-Diamond, U.L. Certified Central Station. That means your company’s central station has multiple back-up systems and can operate under any condition and the company’s team is among the best in the business. Your security company should be owned and operated by people who live in New England, not a third-party in some faraway state. And it should be staffed by experienced people who know your community, and can document how quickly they respond to alarm signals – 20 seconds or less is best-in-class.
  • Free Yearly Wellness Inspection. Your company should offer you peace of mind by letting you know that your security system will work when you need it most. Your company should clean smoke detectors, check back-up batteries, and inspect the system for signs of wear.
  • Experience and Advanced Technology. The top security companies employ veteran in-house experts who are able to install the most up-to-date devices and applications that best meet your needs.
  • Service in 24 Hours or Less. Your security company must ensure that your system is working every second of every day. But if you have an issue, your company should guarantee it will have a tech to your home as soon as possible but no longer than 24 hours after it receives your call.
  • Lifetime Warranty. Your security company should stand behind every security system it installs. If there’s a technical defect, the company should fix it at no cost to you as part of your monitoring service.

So get out in the sun and have fun. But don’t forget to take the steps necessary to protect your home and your family this summer season and throughout the year.

Mobile Security System Apps Offer Remote Peace of Mind

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

It’s become a common refrain among smartphone users: “There’s an app for that.”

Modern home and business security systems are at the forefront of mobile app accessibility, enabling individuals to monitor the statuses of those systems from a distance as well as interact with their alarm systems should the need arise. Thanks to mobile app technology such as the Z-Wave digital monitoring system offered by American Alarm, there are a long list of available features that let individuals stay in touch with their security systems as long as they have cell signals.

Read more →

Invest in Peace of Mind with Radio Back-up Monitoring

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Gone are the days when wireless communications were considered the weak links in emergency response systems.

Radio and cellular systems have become so robust that they’re now the backbones used by first responders and recovery teams when disaster strikes, especially when wired infrastructure has been obliterated by heavy winds, flooding, winter storms or an earthquake. Read more →

Break-ins Pile Up In Newton and Carlisle

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Two Massachusetts municipalities have suffered through a recent spike in break-ins and robberies – and thieves have made off with items ranging from laptops and iPods all the way up to professional business equipment. Even more worrisome are cases where break-ins are reported but no theft has occurred, causing residents to fear the true intentions of those involved.

The incidents, which have been piling up in Newton and Carlisle, should remind homeowners and business proprietors of the importance of protecting their properties – and families – from intrusions by installing high quality burglar alarm systems that can serve as deterrents to potential thieves. Read more →

Home Security Tips: How to Protect Yourself from Home Invasions

/2 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Everyone should feel safe in his own home. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. All you have to do is watch the news for proof that home invasions are on the rise in New England.

From Windham, New Hampshire to Newton, Massachusetts to Brockton, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island there isn’t a community that hasn’t been affected. Read more →

Fire Alarm Safety By The Numbers

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Just how important is it to have fire alarm system installed in your home or place of business?

Safety statistics paint a sobering picture when it comes to illustrating the role that fire systems play in saving lives. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes an extensive amount of data for the public concerning the effect that a properly working fire detection system can have on keeping residents and employees safe in the event of a fire.

One of the most shocking statistics provided by the NFPA is that more than 60% of all fire deaths in the United States occur in buildings where smoke detectors – the simplest, and least expensive of fire safety devices – aren’t installed or aren’t working properly. In fact, almost 40% of home fire deaths are directly attributable to the lack of smoke detectors.

If you have non monitored detectors, dead or missing batteries play a huge role in these preventable tragedies. It’s imperative that you don’t ignore the warning signals from your smoke detector that its battery is failing. As many as 20% of American homes are currently unprotected because of non-functioning smoke detectors. It’s well worth checking the status of your own unit(s) to make sure you don’t become a statistic.

Integrated smoke alarms, such as those that are included as part of a monitored home security system or business security system, will send a signal to your monitoring company to notify the fire department in case of a fire. It is important to have your system checked once a year to make sure it is working properly. Some companies offer this service free of charge to monitored customers.

It’s clear that a functional smoke alarm system is one of the most effective ways to protect your loved ones from the perils of a fire in the home. Installing a monitored home smoke and fire alarm system to complement your existing burglar alarm system is an even better solution for ensuring total safety and peace of mind.

Security System Credentials: Don’t Get Burned By Fly-By-Night Contractors

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

cheap home security systemsInstalling a security system isn’t like installing a satellite dish: you can’t just do a quick Craigslist search and have someone come to your house and do a bang-up installation job.

Unfortunately, there are a number of so-called professional home and business security companies out there that misrepresent their actual licensing and certifications, and whose employees pose as legitimate, authorized burglar alarm installation technicians when the reality is quite different. Read more →

Top 5 Tips to Burglar-Proof Your Home For Vacation

/2 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Spring vacation is a time-honored rite for families across the country. But before you pack up and head out to get away from it all, it’s important to be sure that your home is well protected from potential break-ins.

An empty house can be a tempting target for burglars, so we’ve put together a quick and concise checklist of the top five security tips that can help you keep your property safe in your absence. Read more →

How Important are Security Industry Certifications?

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

When you’re choosing a home security system or business security system provider it can be illuminating to investigate the industry certifications attained by each candidate.

In the alarm business there are a number of active, high-profile organizations that publish guidelines and best operating practices and reward companies that go above and beyond the minimum required to ensure the safety and protection of their customers.

The Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) is responsible for awarding the top security industry certification, the Five Diamond Certification. In order to be considered for Five Diamond status, a company must ensure that each of its central station operators passes one of two important CSAA training courses as well as demonstrate a complete understanding of national fire codes and security standards. Read more →