What to Look For In a Murrells Inlet SC Home Alarm System

What to Look For In a Murrells Inlet Home Alarm System

In a crisis, having the right home alarm system can minimize damage, loss and even save lives. Choosing the right system may not be as easy as it seems. There are many factors to consider when selecting the best Murrells Inlet home alarm system for your needs.

Installation of a home alarm system generally is a one-time investment. After installation, there is normally an ongoing monthly charge to cover 24 hour monitoring of the system and your home. Remember that optional features can increase both the installation and monthly fees. Be sure that the system you choose fits within your budget. When selecting a Murrells Inlet home alarm system company, compare prices and available features. Also remember that the business that installs the equipment may not be the one providing the ongoing service, so be sure to ask. Some companies offer money saving promotions with either free or inexpensive installation if you are willing to sign a contract for a set period of time.

Home insurance rates may be reduced by as much as 20% for an account with a monitored home alarm system. Contact your insurance company before selecting a home alarm system and ask what is required in order to qualify for reduced rates. These savings will generally not cover the monthly fees however, a reduction in your homeowners insurance will help to offset the cost of your alarm system.

It is also important to make sure that the Murrells Inlet home alarm system company is reputable before choosing to have the system installed. Not only does the equipment need to be well made, but the technician installing it needs to be well trained. Additionally, having a reliable home alarm system will do you no good if the company monitoring it is not reliable and should have an UL (Underwriters Laboratories) rating.

There are a few ways to find information about the companies selling the home alarm system and monitoring the signals. Check the Better Business Bureau for any complaints that have been filed. Also, online reviews can give you a good idea of what other customers’ experiences have been like. While some reviews might not be considered exactly accurate, overwhelmingly negative reviews may indicate potential problems.

A home alarm system typically has a control panel and a variety of sensors and motion detectors placed at various locations around your home. While wireless and wired systems have no functional differences, the layout of your home may make one style preferable to the other. For example, if you have a two story home, you may wish to install a wireless home alarm system. The sensors and motion detectors can communicate wirelessly with the control panel, eliminating the needs to string cables through your home.

Your choice of home alarm system may also be affected by the way the system communicates with the monitoring company. The equipment can generally contact the monitoring company through a standard wired telephone line. Most alarm companies recommend that customers use a land line rather than an Internet phone line (VOIP), because Internet service may not be as reliable. Land lines, though, are vulnerable to attack from a burglar with a set of wire snips. One solution that is growing in popularity is for the home alarm system to contact the monitoring station through the cell networks. If this is important to you, be sure to choose a company who is using a network with good cell service in your area.

Long gone are the days when the home alarm system simply rang a loud siren and attempted to scare off the would be burglar. There is now an extensive array of features that will add functionality to your home alarm system. Here are just a few.

● Two-way communication. Many systems include the ability to speak to the monitoring company through the control panel. This gives an extra layer of protection, because not many burglars will stick around once they hear someone asking them who they are.

● Fire Alarms. Many home alarm systems also include fire and carbon monoxide sensors that can be linked to the control panel.

● Remote Control. Nowadays, as constant access to everything is becoming ubiquitous, home alarm systems are no different. Many systems can be accessed and controlled via mobile phone or Internet. The system can be armed or disarmed remotely or receive alerts in case an alarm goes off.

● Special Codes. You can give individuals special codes and set the codes to work only at certain times of the day or for a certain period of time. The nanny can have a code, for example, if she needs to be at your home during the day when you’re not there. This also allows you to check who is coming in and out of your house at any given point in time.