Whether it's a long vacation or just a weekend away, now is a hot time for people to head out of town, but while they are heading out, burglars could be moving in.
For some tips on how to buy an alarm system, we consulted forensics alarm expert Jeff Zwirn.
“The most important thing is the awareness that you are very vulnerable, that to break into the average home takes less than a minute, so what you want to do if you don't have a security system is look at the things being offered and understand what the system does and what the system does not do,” says Zwirn.
These days a lot of alarm companies offer free or low cost installation packages, where you pay a monthly fee. Zwirn says just be aware that you may actually be leasing the equipment, so know what you are getting to before you sign a contract, including how long you are locked in, if fees can increase and what your outs are.
Zwirn also says stay away from the one size fits all sales approach, where, for example, they offer coverage for three doors from just one motion detector. He says the sales person should come to evaluate your home's specific needs and educates you on the system.
Jill Scott fills us in on how to protect our home when we are away!
In terms of protection he says the first line of defense is a perimeter system.
“Every door and window should have contacts, which are designed to detect the window or door opening from their normal position,” says Zwirn. “Number two; you want to make sure if they break the glass because they may break the glass and not open the window you have some type of sensor that detects the sound of breaking glass. And then as a backup to that, you can have motion detectors, which will only be used when you are out of the house.”
More than 90 percent of alarm systems are connected to the central station by phone lines and burglars know this. They also know they can cut phone lines from outside the house, so when you buy a system make sure it has a backup plan so you can connect via cellular technology, long range radio or a secured internet line.
And be sure to ask about the central station.
“Where is the central station? Is it in the state, out of the state, or is it out of the country? Again if the central station is smaller, if it’s local you might have a better response time, especially during high traffic periods when everyone falsely triggers their alarms,” says Zwirn.
Lastly, make sure to check the company's record with the state's licensing board.
For more information on how to secure your home, go to
www.alarmexpert.com