Intrusion Detection
Intrusion detection adds an additional layer of security to protect people and assets. A variety of sensors are connected to an alarm panel which is monitored by a central station. Once the system is armed and any of the sensors are activated an alarm signal is generated and sent to the monitoring center to follow out pre-defined protocols such as contacting the homeowner, business owner, or dispatching the police.
Often times insurance companies will provide discounts when a professionally monitored system is in place which can offset the cost of monitoring.
Alarm Monitoring
Monitoring the alarm signals can be performed by a professional central station or by an individual also known as self-monitoring. Self-monitoring is a popular choice among many consumers as the signals are sent directly to our smartphones and add in the fact you have complete control.
Self monitored alarms rely exclusively on the response of the person monitoring the system which means when a cell phone is powered off, on silent, out of cell range, or many other scenarios the alarm is not getting the attention it needs. That attention is the difference of a legitimate burglary or theft being caught by local law enforcement or allowing the criminals a free pass.
On the other hand a central station can monitor the alarm signals on our behalf and act on them based on the protocols setup. Generally, the central station will make attempts to call the designated personnel to validate the alarm or else dispatch the police. With connected video cameras the suspects can be monitored live while the central station is dispatching the police to further increase the possibility of capturing the criminals.
While self-monitoring may be the cheaper option it may not always be best option.
We have chosen to partner with Securitas to provide the best monitoring services. In addition, we also partner with Alarm.com to provide control of your home or business with the simplicity of a single app.
Why Use Alarm.com?
Alarm.com provides the best user experience to manage all aspects of your home or business. With a single app you can control practically every device within your home and business. The Android or Apple app is used to control your security system, lights, locks, thermostats, garage door, video doorbell, audio system, and cameras. Being able to manage and control everything from a single app not only makes life simpler, but makes troubleshooting a breeze.
Having the ability to receive alerts and alarms directly to your phone provides the peace of mind we all desire while out and about. How many times have we forgotten to arm the system when leaving or turning off lights? With Alarm.com a few simple steps can make that happen without the need to turn around.
Another great benefit with Alarm.com is the ability to manage access to your home and business. With smart locks users can be created within the app and assigned pin codes to grant access. Each time the code is used the alert will be sent to your phone letting you know when the code was entered.
If that isn’t enough how about saving money with managing energy use? With Alarm.com and a compatible thermostat a scene can be created to make the best use of the HVAC system. For example, a geofence can be created around the perimeter of the home. When leaving the house the HVAC temperature setting will automatically change since the home is unoccupied. Likewise, when arriving home the geofence will activate and set the temperature back to the desired setting. This also applies to lights and other electrical devices.
There are many other options with using Alarm.com to control your home and business. Please contact us to see how this solution can integrate with your lifestyle.
