Burglar Alarm System
Burglar Alarm Systems
A met office police study has shown that a good, well maintained burglar alarm system will make you less likely to become a burglary victim. Choosing the correct one for you can be difficult though with the amount of options that you have.
Underneath we will talk about the different options available to you.
Types of burglar alarm systems
Your personal preferences, budget, where you live, what your home is like and what level of protection you need will determine the best type of intruder alarm.
When thinking about the type of alarm you will need, a key consideration is what you would like the alarm to do once it is activated. A bells only alarm will make a noise, but will not contact anyone such as the police or security service. Speech diallers, a device built inside an alarm, automatically contacts you or other nominated friends and family when the alarm is triggered. Alternatively, you could get a monitoring contract, whereby you would pay a company monthly or annually to take action or call the police if the alarm goes off.
Wired or Wireless Burglar Alarm
Alarms can be either wired or wireless. Wireless alarms look nicer, are generally easier to install and can be removed easier if you move house. Wireless systems battery-powered sensors that communicate with a control panel using radio signals.
These wireless Burglar alarms can be more of an expensive alarm, but can be cheaper to be fitted professionally, or even by yourself. Wired systems usually need to be installed by a professional, as the wires will need to be hidden, so labour costs are higher.
Bells Only Burglar Alarm
When a bells-only or audible alarm is triggered, it makes a loud noise, which will hopefully alert someone in the area to the situation and/or scare off an intruder. However, unlike a monitored alarm or one with a speech dialler, it won’t automatically contact a named person or the police, so there is no guarantee that anything will be done.
It’s worth thinking about the kind of area you live in before deciding to get a bells-only alarm. Is there an active neighbourhood watch giving you confidence that someone will call the police? Or perhaps you have friends and relatives who live very close by who you could count on to take action?
You can install these alarms yourself, or you can pay a one-off fee to have it installed by a professional.
Maintaining your burglar alarm
Regular maintenance should highlight and reduce defects, give you peace of mind and give you more redress if something goes wrong.
If you get a burglar alarm maintenance contract, your alarm will be checked once a year (twice a year if you want a police-monitoring contract) either by an installer coming to your home, or remotely by the company contracted to do so.
Contact ABM Security if you would like to discuss a maintenance contract.
Having your alarm system professionally maintained can help tackle any problems with false alarms. It is also a requirement of some insurance companies, and a requirement if you want a monitoring contract in addition.
ABM is an industry leader in installing and monitoring security systems, and carries over 40 years of experience. Take a look at our Burglar and Intruder alarm page and contact us for more details.