Posts

Home Security Needs Change as Your Life Changes

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

If you’ve had a recent life-changing event like getting married, having a new baby, buying a new home, or maybe starting a home-based business, your life and your priorities have changed – and so have your home security needs.

When it comes to security and electronically protecting your family from harm, crime is not the only thing you need to worry about.  Fire and even carbon monoxide poisoning are also concerns. If you have aging parents who may have moved into your home, they too, have special security needs. You need to think of home security as a continuum, and work with an alarm monitoring company that understands that your needs change as your life changes.

Many homeowners wait to think about buying an alarm system after they’ve been the victim of crime. Wouldn’t it be better to have that piece of mind before an incident occurs? That’s why security professionals agree that home security should be a proactive and not a reactive process.

Here are four very good reasons to consider installing a home security system, no matter what stage of life you’re in: Read more →

Home Security Bulletin: Break-Ins on the Rise In New England

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

home security alert New England Break Ins on the Rise According to crime statistics and law enforcement officials burglaries and break-ins are on the rise throughout New England. Thieves are targeting gold, platinum, silver and anything they can grab quickly and pawn easily for fast cash.

Read more →

Built-in Dialer Delays Have No Place at American Alarm

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

American Alarm Central StationIn a recent blog post, we alerted readers to a weakness in many “all-in-one” (fire/burglar) home alarm systems.

The problem is that many major distributors and alarm monitoring companies have built-in dialer delays that prevent signals from being sent to the central station for up to four minutes after the alarm is tripped in the home.

Why? Because their systems are prone to false alarms and their distant monitoring centers can’t handle the volume. They delay transmission of an alarm signal to give the homeowner a chance to respond and correct the false alarm. This is not true security.

If there is a fire or someone is breaking into your home, seconds count when it comes to both the safety of your family and the protection of your belongings.

After that blog post, we received some great feedback from people who were unsure if American Alarm incorporated a dialer delay into its burglar alarm systems.

The fact is, we do not and will not use equipment with built-in dialer delays. The reason we posted this information was to inform our customers as well as others reading our blog that there are some companies that do this.

Our commitment to our customers has always been to provide the fastest possible response to alarm signals. We have the lowest documented response to priority signals, which is currently at 24 seconds or less. This is key in the event of a fire or intrusion at your home or business.

Please keep the questions and comments coming!

Is a Dialer Delay in your Home Security System Putting You at Risk?

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

There is a weakness in many “all-in-one” (fire/burglar) home alarm systems. Some major distributors and alarm monitoring companies have built in dialer delays that prevent signals from being sent to the central station for up to four minutes after the alarm is tripped in the home. Four minutes may not sound like a lot of time, but in four minutes you can drive four miles, you can listen to a song, heat up your lunch, or dance the Four Minute Waltz. Read more →

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is a Serious Risk—Is Your Family Protected?

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

carbon monoxide poisoningAutumn in New England comes with many pleasant sights but this year it brings a snowy Nor’easter that knocked out power to more than 3 million homes and businesses across the Northeast on Saturday.  When the cold arrives each year and especially during power outages, there also comes a hidden danger. Often called the silent killer, as described in our recent news alert, carbon monoxide, or “CO” is a colorless, odorless gas that can be fatal in high concentrations. CO is produced by the burning of oil, natural gas, propane, wood, coal, kerosene and wood pellets—so as we enter the home heating season, it’s something we all need to be aware of. Read more →