Questions to Ask When Buying a Home Alarm System
With the existence of so many different home alarm companies, types of home alarm monitoring, methods of home alarm installation and alarm costs one has a lot to think about when pursuing alarm installation and service. Where do you start? Alarm System Report is here to help you navigate the world of home alarm systems and provide you with several questions to ask each alarm company as you choose your provider.
What kind of alarm equipment does the company provide?
The first thing to think about when beginning your research for a home alarm system is whether or not you want a hard wired alarm system or a wireless alarm system. Wireless alarm systems have benefits over hard wired alarm systems and vice versa – which brings us to our next question.
What is the difference between wireless alarm systems and hard wired alarm systems?
Besides the obvious (hard wired has wiring, wireless has no wires) there a several factors to consider when deciding between a hard wired alarm and a wireless alarm. Let’s examine some of the pros and cons of each:
Wireless Home Alarm Systems: Pros & Cons
- Wireless alarm systems take less time to install and require no drilling or wiring
- Wireless alarm systems make it easy to upgrade features and equipment later
- Less frequent maintenance and typically lower install costs for wireless alarm systems
- Replaceable batteries, longer life spans & easily replaceable sensors
- Wireless alarms can be moved with you to a new home
- Simpler and less intrusive installation, easy to remove if needed
- No alarm wires that can be cut or become corroded
- Ideal for most home and business alarm applications
- Wireless alarms are typically less expensive than hard wired alarms as the latter requires alarm technician labor
- Allows for simple, easy to install wireless home automation components like thermostats, locks and lighting controls.
- Wireless alarm systems have distance limitations. Not ideal for extremely large homes or properties with multiple buildings. Most wireless alarm systems have a 500ft open air range.
- Some wireless alarm systems have sensor limitations. Large homes with the need for 40-50+ sensors may need a hybrid system or strictly hard wired alarm.
Hard Wired Home Alarm Systems: Pros & Cons
- Hard wired alarm systems can incorporate a lot more sensors than a wireless alarm system. Although most home don’t need any more than 15-20 sensors.
- Hard wired alarm systems have been around forever, they are tried and true.
- A hard wired alarm system is always installed by a technician. Depending on your view, this could be a pro or a con.
- Hard wired alarms allow for further integration with the home such as Audio/Visual equipment and other home automation devices that wireless does not yet offer.
- More companies offer hard wired alarms than do wireless alarm systems
- Installation is normally more expensive, but monthly cost is usually lower depending on certain factors
- Hard Wired alarm systems have a much more intensive installation. Requires drilling.
- Many hard wired alarms are obsolete and outdated.
- Installation costs can be much higher than a wireless alarm system
Overall, wireless alarm systems take the cake as far as overall benefits and features compared to hard wired alarm systems. Read our blog on Wireless vs. Hard Wired Alarm Systems to learn more on the subject.
What types of alarm monitoring does the company offer?
There are three main types of alarm monitoring:
- phone line alarm monitoring
- broadband/internet alarm monitoring
- cellular alarm monitoring.
Phone line monitoring has been around the longest and was the only real method of monitoring for decades. Alarm customers would hook up their phone line to their home alarm system and it would be used to send the alarm signal to the monitoring center in the event of an alarm. The problem? Intruders soon found out that many people have their phone lines exposed outside of their home which allows the intruder to “cut” the phone line before entry – not allowing the system to send an alarm signal. Many newer homes have underground phone lines, yet a phone line can still be unreliable and is not the preferred method of monitoring for Alarm System Report.
Broadband alarm monitoring hooks in to your alarm system using your high speed home internet connection. This method, while progressive, is even less reliable. How many times have you tried to log on to the internet to check your Facebook page or send an email and have little or no connection? While it happens less and less these days the volatility of such a method is unsettling. Most internet connections go out when you lose power to your home as well. Broadband, in ASR’s opinion is the least reliable type of monitoring.
The cream of the crop when it comes to alarm monitoring is cellular monitoring. While this technology is new to the alarm industry (within the last 5-7 years) many alarm companies are learning that it is the most reliable method of monitoring available. There are several companies offering cellular monitoring exclusively such as FrontPoint Security, LifeShield and SimpliSafe. With cellular monitoring you do not have to worry about your phone line being cut, your internet going down or your power going out – it’s by far the safest method and recommended by ASR. Like we said before some companies offer cellular monitoring exclusively, while some other major alarm companies offer cellular as a backup or an option along with phone line or broadband.
So what’s the best type of alarm monitoring, you ask? If you didn’t figure it out already cellular alarm systems are certainly tops. Cellular monitoring is generally more expensive than phone line monitoring or broadband, however, you get what you pay for. The difference in cost is typically negligible and paying the few extra dollars for the best alarm system monitoring is definitely worth it.
Do you offer any online/remote access to the alarm system?
One of the biggest, and best, changes to come in the alarm industry is the incorporation of web & smartphone access to one’s alarm system. Much like cellular monitoring remote alarm access has only been around for a decade or less. Many alarm companies offer free smartphone applications for the iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android phones as well as complete access to the alarm system by logging in via computer, iPad, or any other web enabled device.
Using the free apps or logging in online some of the features include arming/disarming, checking event history, changing settings, viewing cameras and configuring home automation. One company at the forefront of this technology is Alarm.com. While Alarm.com does not sell alarm equipment or provide monitoring, they license their “cellular module” and online access portal to alarm companies across the nation. Alarm.com’s smartphone applications and online access generally have more robust features depending on the company you get them from. Alarm.com has hundreds of dealers across the country including a few companies on our list like FrontPoint, Vivint and Protect America. While Alarm.com is not the only company providing these services for alarm companies to add to their alarm repertoire – they are certainly the best. Most alarm companies are offering web/remote access in some capacity.
Web/remote access to your alarm system is certainly a game changer. Now the customer can check in on their home no matter where they are. As long as you have access to an internet connection you can configure your systems settings, let someone in, disarm your system, trigger the panic alert and many other amazing features. Even if this feature is not as important to you it is still worth looking in to as many companies offer great selections for monitoring with either full featured or partially featured online access.
What is the cost of the alarm system?
Of course! “What does it cost?” is certainly a question everyone will ask – whether we told you to or not! Costs for an alarm system vary based on several factors. Some of the factors that can affect cost are the type of alarm equipment (hard wired vs wireless), type of alarm monitoring (phone line/broadband/cellular) and whether it is a Do It Yourself or technician installation. By contacting the alarm company and speaking with a representative you can find out, and often negotiate, pricing on your new alarm system. See our list of top alarm companies and read their reviews to find out company contact information.
