I had an interesting experience with a customer earlier today, that unfortunately, does happen from time to time. The customer called in complaining that the monitoring station operator would not cancel his alarm. He stated that he had forgot his password, but was trying to convey to the operator that he was indeed the owner of the property. He was quite insistent that she cancel the alarm dispatch, which she did not. Was she right to dispatch?
Yes, absolutely. Whenever an alarm signal comes into the monitoring station, their job is to call back to the site to ensure that the alarm is not a false alarm. But if you cannot provide the proper password, the operator has no way of knowing if it is really you. In this day of identity theft and online hackers, it is easy for the criminal minds in society to get all the personal information about you that they want. If the operator were to just "take your word for it" over the phone, what good would alarm monitoring be?
If you set up a password with the alarm company that only you know, then the bad guy cannot get that by swiping a personal file about you. Try not to use the same password that you use on your computer.
Make sure that your alarm password is something that everyone who has access can remember easily. Should you forget your password, most alarm companies will simply mail you a letter back to reveal your password.
Keep in mind though, that should you forget your password, and the operator dispatches the local authorities, that they are indeed doing their job properly.
One of the easiest things you can do to make your home more secure is to simply lock your back gate. Most homes in town or in a subdivided neighborhood, have privacy fences. These privacy fences can be a great asset or detriment when it comes to home security.
Most burglaries will occur from the back of the house. There is less chance of them getting caught if they are trying to break in the back, as opposed to trying to get in from the front of the house where the neighbors can see. And the privacy fence that provides privacy for you, also shields them from view of your neighbors.
However, if you lock the privacy fence gate from the inside, the thief will have to jump over the gate, which is much harder. It is absolutely best if you can put a keyed lock on it, but simply sliding the latch to a locking position, will make their job more difficult. Hopefully, this will get them to go bother someone else and leave you alone.
Thieves are looking for a easy target. Lock your privacy fence gate, and make your home more secure.
How to Tell if Your Home is Pre-wired for Security Many times a new homeowner is unaware that their home is pre-wired for security. In the video below, you will discover how to spot the alarm pre-wire.
As a reminder, what you are looking for in the bottom of your window frame is a small button looking contact, that is a little bit bigger than the end of your pinky. Sometimes, you may not see the contact, but will see a glob of silicone instead. If you see the silicone, you can be quite sure that the contact is below.
Hopefully this will help you determine if your home is pre-wired for security. If you are pre-wired, you should definitely install a hardwired system. A wireless unit will not make use of the existing contact points.
photo credit: Marc van der Chijs Every industry has its good people and bad people, and the security industry is no different. Although most in the security industry have nothing but the best of intentions, there are those who could care less about the industry, their own company, or the customers that they hurt. So it is very important to be careful when switching your Beaumont alarm monitoring company.
Many companies will have either outside sales people, or a telemarketing room, that targets existing homeowners for the purposes of getting them to switch their alarm monitoring company. These salespeople are VERY pushy. Some will promise a lower rate, new equipment, or some other enticement as the reason for making the switch.
If you agree to their offer, sometimes they will have an installation team at your home within the hour to change out the equipment. They will tell you that if you change your mind, you can go back to your old company.
Switching Alarm Companies Before Checking Your Contract Could Cost You Money
Problem is, the existing equipment is now in your closet, and the new company has theirs on the wall. So the homeowner feels as if they have no choice but to stay with the new company. Especially since the old company will probably want to be reimbursed for the cost to reinstall the system.
To further complicate things, you were probably under contract with your previous company to some degree or another. Every alarm company I know of, and I have been in the security industry for 14 years, has a clause that requires a 30 day notice before you cancel service.
At the very least, by switching without checking with your existing company, you just cost yourself the equivalent of 1 month's monitoring.
However, most Beaumont alarm companies have an initial term, and a renewal term within their agreement. The rollover term is almost always a 1 year period. This could leave the homeowner liable for even more than the 1 month previously discussed.
If you are looking to lower your monthly bills, then it is understandable that a homeowner would be interested in a lower alarm monitoring rate. However, the sales person who signs you up, knowing that you are currently being monitored by another company, without encouraging you to ensure that you are not under any current agreement with your present alarm company, is only interested in their commission plain and simple. If they had your best interests at heart, they would have never put you into that situation.
How to Protect Yourself When Switching Your Beaumont Alarm Monitoring Company
If someone knocks on your door, and is real pushy about you switching your service, I would advise you to STOP, go to your phone, and call your current alarm company and find out what your current obligations are before signing with any other monitoring company. It would also be a good idea to check the BBB in the town where the company's corporate office is. Most of these companies have horrific ratings with the BBB.
Bottom line is this, don't be pressured to switch your Beaumont alarm monitoring company without getting all the facts first. Be an informed consumer.
What to Do if You Have You Been a Victim of Sleazy Sales Tactics?
If you have been a victim of such sleazy sales tactics, fight back. Why not file a complaint with the Texas Department of Public Safety/Private Security Bureau. The DPS regulates the security industry, and takes all consumer complaints seriously.
If you are researching the purchase of a Beaumont Home Security system, you may be wondering what exactly is a basic security package and what does it include. Different companies may adapt this list, but this is what is generally considered the "basic" package within the alarm industry.
1 alarm control panel - consists of the motherboard and can
3 door contacts - usually this is the contact for the front door, back door, and the garage entry door
1 motion detector - usually but not always placed in the living area as a back-up to the doors
1 keypad - the control unit on the wall to operate the alarm system
1 interior siren - to distract the trespasser
1 back-up battery - in case the power is cut, the alarm will still operate
1 yard sign & window decals
This basic package can vary in price. And be aware that if you need to have a wireless system installed (which is the case in non-pre-wired 2 story homes), there may be additional costs involved.
Many alarm companies will install the basic system for little or no cost with a 3-5 year monitoring agreement. Some companies will charge more at the time of installation, but they will have a either a short or no time commitment option.
If you are seeking security for your home, then there is probably a professional Beaumont home security provider that has a plan to meet your needs.
But you can also look for systems online. In almost all instances these are wireless systems for the do it yourself-er. There is one main problem with these systems however. Usually the companies selling these systems do not have UL listed monitoring, and may not qualify for all available homeowners insurance discounts. The old adage "if it sounds too good to be true...." applies here.
Congratulations on looking into a Beaumont home security system for your family. Come up with a budget both for the initial installation, and for the monthly monitoring, and call around and I am sure that you will find a security company that meets your needs.
VOIP or voice over internet protocol, is becoming a very popular type of phone service all across the country, including the Beaumont area. But do they work with security systems? Let's take a closer look.
Beaumont Home Security Companies Policies in Regards to VOIP
Home security alarm companies have varying policies in regards to VOIP phones. Some companies will connect to your VOIP phone service, but will make you sign a waiver just in case the phone service does not send a signal when necessary.
Many alarm companies will simply refuse to connect their service to a VOIP phone. This is because a VOIP phone service is not UL listed. Sometimes the signal will not get through when using a voice over internet phone. And this could have very bad consequences. The customer is expecting the alarm company to send for help, and the monitoring station never received a signal.
Some VOIP phone companies such as Vonage are very upfront about the possibility that their service is not compatible with a home security system. But others are not so straightforward in their dealings. They will have you switch to their VOIP phone service, and the first time you realize that anything is different is when your alarm goes off and no one at the monitoring station calls you back.
If You Change Your Phone Service, Be Sure to Contact Your Beaumont Home Security Company
It is very important that if you change your phone service, that you contact your alarm monitoring company and let them know. If you have changed types of phone service, more than likely you will need a service call out to re-tie the phone lines to the alarm system.
Fire Systems Cannot be Connected Via VOIP Phones
In addition, if you have a monitored fire system, it is against code to connect a fire system to VOIP phones. Current code is that a fire signal may be sent via a plain old telephone service (POTS) line, or via a Cell unit. VOIP phones are not UL and are not deemed reliable enough in the event of a life threatening emergency. A burglar alarm system is not regulated as such because it is primarily considered a property safety system.
Cell Units are a Good Solution to the VOIP Problem
So what is the solution if you do not have a standard phone line? For a little more money, you can set up your Beaumont home security system to work with a Cell Unit. A cell unit basically dials the monitoring station using cell or radio waves.
The cell unit was designed years ago to transmit the signal in case the phone line was cut years ago. But nowadays, they are becoming increasingly popular as a primary means of transmitting alarm signals.
Cell Units Can Save You Money Monthly
Many homeowners never really use their home phone. They operate primarily on their cell phones, and only use the home land line for the security system.
If you choose to monitor your system with a cell unit, even though you may be paying your alarm monitoring company more due to the airtime and cost of the unit, in most cases, it will be way less than you would be paying for a phone line.
If the only reason you would get a phone line is for the security system, then it is much cheaper to use a cell unit.
Before you choose your phone service, be sure to contact your Beaumont home security company and let them explain your options. If you call your phone company, they will only be interested in selling you their phone service. After all, if you are going to have an alarm monitoring system set up, wouldn't you like it to work?
The safe room, which is also known as a panic room, is a secure location within a home or building that is designed to provide safety for families during terrorist attacks, nature, burglaries, or other types of threats. A safe room is an ideal investment for any Beaumont home owner, although the more fortified rooms with heavy security are normally found in the homes of rich people. Those that have a lot of money really have no budget - therefore they can easily spend thousands on making their safe room the best place to go in the event of an emergency.
For most of us in the Beaumont area, a safe room is a location that family members can run to and hide, or call for help in an emergency situation. You don’t really need to go all out and put steel walls and a steel door in the room, although you do need a fortified door that opens outward with fortified walls. You can have a door constructed of wood or other material, although the key should be a material that is very hard to break through. No matter what type of door you choose, the doorjamb should be steel, to prevent the door from being kicked in.
It’s almost important that your safe room doesn’t contain any windows. Windows can provide entry for burglars, which is something you obviously don’t want. You should also make sure that you keep a phone in the room, along with water, first aid kits, food, and any type of defensive weapons that you can get. It’s also a good idea to keep medical supplies in the safe room as well, just in case you need them.
No matter how hard you may try, it’s impossible to predict how long you will be locked in your safe room when an emergency happens. Therefore, you should always think about ventilation, lighting, and even hygiene. Being locked in a room for several days or possibly even weeks can affect your hygiene, which is why you should keep proper hygiene supplies in your room at all times.
The reason why most people invest in a safe room is burglars, as they present a real threat. No matter where you live, or how nice the neighborhood may be, a burglary can happen at any given time. When a burglary happens, the last thing you want to try to do is to reason with the burglars, or attempt to cooperate with them.
When you have a safe room, you can take your family there. You should always make sure that everyone in your family knows where the safe room is located and how to use it. If you have children, you should teach them about the room and how important it is. The room should never be used for recreation purposes or for children to play in. Instead, it should only be used in case of an emergency or a place for you and your family to hide.
If you have a safe room or just interested in one, you should always make sure that you keep the proper supplies on hand, just in case. When you finally do use the safe room, you should always make sure that you keep the keys to open the room inside, so no one else can get in. While you are in the room you can call the local authorities, then wait inside your safe room until they get to your house and the problem is solved. Never, under any circumstances should you come out of your safe room before the police arrive. If a burglary is taking place, you will only make the situation worse.
To make sure that your house is secured, think about installing a home security system. There are several types and degrees of protection of home security systems in the Beaumont area. Provided here is a number of important features to take into account when installing a home security system; whether with or without help or by an expert security installation firm.
First, you have to ascertain the service covered by your price range. The basic Beaumont home security alarm package normally consists of 1 control panel, 3 door contacts, 1 keypad, 1 passive infrared motion detector, 1 back-up battery, 1 siren and a yard sign. Many monitoring agencies offer installation service totally free or at a lower rate when you accept their offer for a 36 month monitoring agreement. For almost all of the property owners, the cost of this standard system installation is reasonable. But additional security coverage beyond the basic package for your home will have more costs involved.
Protect the Back of Your Residence - It is the Most Significant Area
The side and back of the home is the most vital location to cover. Burglars will certainly look for an entry that provides them the most cover so that they're not going to be caught. If robbers are passing through the front, they will use the doorbell to determine if anyone is home. If nobody answers, they will enter by kicking the door and closing it behind them. From across the street, it will not be very visible that something is going on. But the neighbors can quickly tell that something wrong is going on if they were to destroy a window on the front of the house.
Burglaries take place via the doors for majority of cases. For most burglars, they pass through the side and back doors. They can use the windows to get in too. If your primary purpose of an alarm is to know if someone is entering while you are at home, then you should consider contacting your windows in addition to your doors. However, if your primary concern is property safety while you are away, then it may be more inexpensive to use passive infrared motion detectors and glass break detectors.
An Interior Trap Can Augment Your Perimeter Protection
An effective Beaumont home security system has some sort of an interior trap. As a way of catching an intruder when he happens to get by the perimeter protection, a motion detector is frequently used in the living area. Pet motions are available which can sense burglars but filter out the animals.
However, we do not suggest pet motions to house owners with cats. It is because when a cat jumps so rapidly, as it is known to do, it can trick the motion to assume that it is someone standing. But in this circumstance, you may use an interior door contact on a closet or bedroom door that is constantly closed. When the alarm is armed in the AWAY mode, it will set the alarm off when an intruder opens the door. But, if you arm the security system in the STAY mode, the interior door contact is bypassed and you can go about your business and still have your alarm armed.
Glass Break Detectors Have Limits
Those who often inquire about glass break detectors are homeowners who have animals. But glass break detectors have limits and you must know them before spending your money on these detectors. A glass break detector is a line of sight product. The crashing sound and pulsation generated by the breaking of a glass within milliseconds of each other can be determined by glass break detectors. It is a dual technology targeted at cutting down on false alarms. But if the windows you are trying to safeguard have faux wood blinds, weighty curtains or blinds, chances are that the glass break detector will not be effective. A good example of where a proper use of glass break detectors can be expected is in the area around the glass above the master bath tub and the back door glass.
Cellular Back-Up Provides the Ultimate in Protection
If you want to have your home security system monitored, you need to consider adding a cellular back up to the system. An alarm signal will be provided by the cell back-up when the intruder decides that they are going to cut the phone line. You might need factor in a little more for the budget because of the cost of the unit and the airtime, but the cell back-up is the ultimate as far as alarm communications are concerned.
In conclusion, at least all of the exterior doors must have contacts and an interior trap of some sort is set up when you are thinking about installing a Beaumont home security system. Do not be scared about using your system because producers today are producing user-friendly keypads. After all, It will not do you any good sitting on the wall.
These days, home burglary in Beaumont is one the rise. Over 70% of all crime these days relates to property crimes, normally involving the home. Although police and local authorities are doing everything they can to put a stop to crime, burglary is something that cannot be stopped. Even though there are ways to protect yourself, burglars will always be lurking out there - waiting for their next victim.
Even though there are ways to prevent unwanted entry to your home, a determined burglar will always find a way to get in. Breaking and entering is his job, and most burglars are extremely good at it. Statistics show that burglaries occur every 15 seconds. What that means, is that every 15 seconds there is someone out there getting robbed.
Over the years, home burglaries have received a lot of attention, some of which have even been on the news. Although some burglars eventually get caught and arrested, most seem to disappear without a trace. To protect yourself and your home, there are tactics such as security alarms, burglar alarms, and even security cameras that you can use.
Property marking is a great way to protect yourself as well. Property marking involves marking everything that you own with a signature or mark that you can easily identify once the property has been recovered. You can use micro dots, UV pens, or even laser pens. The idea here is to mark your property so it won’t be easy to sell on the black market. Even though it may sound weird, most burglars do study their targets quite a bit before they decide to rob them.
One of the most effective forms of Beaumont home security is the home security system. If a burglar tries to rob your home and notices that you have a security system set up, he will normally start to get second thoughts and eventually change his plans. On the other hand, if the burglar decides to go ahead and rob a home with a surveillance system anyway, the system will normally catch him on video, making it easy for the police to identify who he is. Home surveillance and security cameras are great to have, and can either be wireless or wired, dummy or real, outdoor or indoor, or even a combination of several.
Alarms are also a great way to prevent burglary. The police will tell you that home burglar alarms prevent over 50% of attempted burglaries in the home. There are several types of burglar alarms, from those that aren’t expensive to those that are monitored around the clock. Alarms will let burglars know that robbing your home isn’t going to be easy, and that they should really give it a second thought. Tried and true over the years, alarms have be proven to be very effective and above all else - they work.
No matter what direction you decide to take, there are indeed ways that you can protect your home from burglary. In the United States, home security systems have really become a big business. Millions of home owners throughout the U.S. are investing in security and surveillance systems, knowing that the day will come when they will come in very handy. Even though you may never be robbed, there is always a chance. Burglaries can happen at any time, which is why you should always be protected. If you think ahead and invest in a Beaumont home security system, you’ll be prepared for anything that happens. You have to think in terms of self defense - and ensure that your home is protected for anyone who decides to make you a target.
