• Wouldn't authorities charge me if they had to respond to a false alarm from my home or business?
• Isn't a loud siren enough?
• Why can't I rely on my neighbor?
• The police won't catch the bad guys anyway will they?
• I don't want to have to deal with the police and their dog if I cause a false alarm.
• What about home invasion?
• Is there anything else I should know about monitoring?

Should the contacts used on windows be visible or recessed in the frame?
We think they should be invisible.  Your home is your castle and perhaps your front door is a feature of its appearance.  Why mar it with a big switch?
In steel doors and steel door frames, the switches and magnets need to be isolated from the metal so they can work properly. These switches and magnets are usually inserted into a 3/4 inch or larger hole. The larger switches are usually used. However, plastic adapters can be used to hold a smaller switch in the hole.

What are EOL resistors and why should I have them?
An End-Of-Line resistor supervises the wiring between the alarm panel and the switch. Some panels have a limited number of detection zones and do not require EOL resistors. But if the panel can use EOL resistors to supervise the wiring, the resistors should be used. If more than one detection device is on a single detection circuit, the EOL should be at the last device. When feasible, every alarm detection device should have an EOL resistor at the device. If the EOL resistor is at the burglary contact on a door, the panel sees the wire open when the door is opened and sees the resistor when the door is closed. The thief who shorts wires together hides the EOL resistor from the panel, letting the panel know that something is going on. The thief who cuts the wire causes an open circuit, the same as if he had opened the door.
Hold-up alarms and Fire alarms use an "open circuit" detection scheme. The panel normally sees the EOL resistor at the end of the detection circuit. A short on the wire causes an alarm and a break in the wire causes a trouble report.
Since normally closed switches can weld due to high voltage like lightning, the normally closed switches used for burglary detection must be checked after severe weather to see that they still work properly. Since devices on a "open circuit" normally cannot weld open, lightning and power surges should not "weld" these switches into an inoperable state. Some security systems even use this high security mode for their burglary devices.

Where should EOL resistors be installed?
What makes EOL resistors so important is that they can supervise the wires only when they are at the end of the line. When properly placed in the circuit, EOL resistors prevent wire tampering on normal switches. EOL resistors in the control panel are usually ineffective. The usual net effect of putting the EOL resistors in the panel is that the panel acts as if it has no EOL resistors. Even open circuit devices like smoke detectors and hold-up buttons are not properly supervised when the EOL resistor is attached in the panel before the end of the line.
Many companies install the EOL resistors in the panel or use panels that do not supervise the wiring. Some alarm manufacturers show the EOL connected at the panel. One alarm company owner, in an attempt to impress us, asked if we knew the difference between End-Of-Line resistors and In-The-Panel resistors. He had been confused by drawings showing improper placement of the EOL resistors. The proper placement of an EOL resistor is at the End-Of-Line, the last switch on the detection circuit. EOL resistors do not belong at the panel.

I heard of a "smart switch," a popit switch, or a polling loop switch. What is it?
A smart switch does not just cause an open or short on the wire like a typical burglary detection switch. Normal switches can become welded into an inoperable state by high voltage like lightning striking nearby. The smart switch sends information to the panel constantly. If the switch is damaged by some high voltage event, it no longer checks in with the panel and the panel responds appropriately.
Usually the panel and smart switch are integrated. The panel "polls" the smart switch and the switch sends an "I am okay" message. The panel then polls the next switch. The cycle continues with the panel constantly asking for and receiving the status of every smart switch.
If the panel is armed and the smart switch sends an "I have detected intrusion" signal, the panel responds by setting off the bells or sirens. While the system is armed, if the smart switch does not report in for any reason, the panel responds with an alarm because a switch is "missing."
While the panel is disarmed, if the smart switch does not report in for any reason, the panel responds with a trouble report instead of an alarm. Extra smart contacts added to the detection loop without being programmed for the panel, should cause a trouble condition also.
Panels that use polling loop switches, popits or smart switches are generally more expandable. The polling loop can listen to many devices, each with a unique name, on the same pair of wires. Panels that use EOL resistors must have a set of terminals at the panel for every pair of wires. Every EOL resistor must have its own pair of wires. The simplification in wiring for smart switches can sometimes cut the costs of wiring for an alarm system significantly. However, the smart panels and smart switches generally are more expensive than standard panels.
Smart switches do cost more, but they offer better security than normal switches. Each smart switch has a unique name or address and checks in constantly with the panel. A smart switch damaged by lightning or other high voltage stops communicating to the panel. The alarm panel immediately responds to report the missing point of protection.

Should I get a wired system or a wireless system?
Many factors affect this choice. The major factor is the construction and decoration of the premises. Can the location be wired and how much labor will be involved in wiring for the alarm? Will wireless devices be able to communicate to the alarm panel? Plaster walls with metal lathe in them can block the wireless signals. Large mirrors, foil wallpaper, metal lockers and other radio systems nearby might prevent a wireless system from working properly.
Many new systems integrate wired devices with wireless devices. The main thing to consider is whether the system meets your current needs and whether it can expand to meet your future needs.

Should I have a light outside to tell me when the system is armed?
Should I have a light outside to tell a thief when the system is disarmed?
A lot of older systems required the system to be disarmed from outside. The owner of the property needed to know whether the system was armed or disarmed before opening the door. Lights were used to indicate whether the system was on or off. A lot of effort was spent to find a way to let the owner get into a protected property without announcing to anyone outside whether the system was armed or disarmed. The solution to the outside keystation was to program an entry delay for certain detection devices that allowed the customer time to disarm an alarm system from inside the protected area. These newer systems require a code be entered in a keypad after entering the premises. If your system uses such a keypad, we suggest not installing an outdoor "armed" light.
Some systems use wireless keys or wireless keypads to disarm the alarm system. These devices may be the only wireless devices on a traditional wired alarm system, or they may be just part of a complete wireless alarm system.
If a wireless key is lost or stolen, service is required to change the "key" immediately. A wireless key disarms the system with one press of a button; the system does not care (or know) who actually pressed the button.
Wireless keypads do not require immediate service if they are lost or stolen. Though service would be required to replace or remove the lost wireless keypad, there is no need to race to the system. Knowing the proper code would still be required to disarm a system using a wireless keypad. Bi-directional wireless keypads let you know (after pressing the correct code) whether the system is armed or disarmed. This added security should be considered when deciding whether or not to use a wireless method of arming and disarming the alarm system.

I heard that 95 percent of all alarms that go off are false alarms. If this is true, why should I even bother to have an alarm?
A recent study showed that on an average day in a city of nearly a half million people, about 50 to 75 alarms go off and all but about one or two of them are false alarms. Many law enforcement officers report that in their entire career, they have never personally responded to an alarm that turned out to be a real burglary.
However, every day there are well over 100 real burglaries reported in that same city. That means burglars are not targeting locations that have an alarm. Therefore, having an alarm is obviously a great deterrent and virtually takes your property "off the market" of burglars. Since only about 20 percent of residences have alarms, burglars have plenty of other targets.

Do I need to put an alarm sensor on every exterior door and window?
That depends on whether or not you want to let the burglar inside before the alarm sounds.  It depends on what you are trying to protect.  Are you mainly concerned about protecting your property when you are gone? Or is personal and family safety while you are home a concern?
It may be possible to protect your property with interior motion sensors. You will still need a contact on the main entry/exit doors but if someone comes through the window, a properly positioned motion detector will set off your alarm instantly. One such motion detector can protect many windows and most companies include at least one with their most basic system.
On the other hand, the motion detectors must be turned off while you are home. So for personal safety, you probably want to alarm all of your windows accessible openings. Duress codes and wireless or wired panic buttons are also an option.

Wouldn't I also need an outside siren on my home?
Outside sirens can provide additional peace of mind, but there are also some drawbacks:
1. Outside sirens often cause complaints from the neighbors, sometimes resulting in a noise citation.
2. If your siren goes off and neighbours do respond, they could be hurt by an intruder. When the police arrive, they may confuse a neighbour for a burglar.
3. So many sirens go off these days, most people tend to ignore them. Also, sirens are supposed to be programmed to shut off after 5 minutes.
A great alternative would be a latching strobe, a red or blue light on the front of your house that will begin to flash if your alarm is tripped. It is less expensive than a siren and will continue to flash until you physically turn it off on the control panel. This way, when you come home, you can look at the light and know whether a burglary has happened or not. It also makes the house a little easier for the police to find at night if they are responding to an alarm.

What about fire safety?
This is a security issue that is too often overlooked. Most homes have smoke detectors installed, but what happens if no one is home when they go off? More importantly, what if you don't wake up because carbon monoxide puts you into a deeper sleep?
Smoke detectors are required in all new homes.  However, 110-volt ionization detectors are usually used, and may not operate in an electrical fire.  They will not work if there is an electrical power outage.
A simple but priceless solution is to have at least one monitored smoke/heat detector to supplement the others in the house. This way, the fire department will come whether you are able to call them or not.
The average response time in most metropolitan areas is two to two and on-half minutes. Property and life can be saved if the fire department is notified in time.

Isn't a loud siren enough?
Most local alarms rely on outside sirens.  What if the system fails and the outside siren comes on and does not shut off?  What if you cannot get it shut off at 2 AM?  The siren for a monitored alarm is installed inside.  In the event of alarm, the police are dispatched and we don't have to rely on an outside siren to summon help.  With an inside siren, you don't have to worry about the possibility of waking up the neighbors in the middle of the night.

Why can't I rely on my neighbor?
Is he always home?  If he is home with his doors and windows closed and his TV or stereo on, will he hear it?  If he hears it, will he know for sure whose house is alarming?  If the system suddenly stops sounding, will he automatically assume it is a false alarm?  Will he go and investigate it by himself?  Are you willing to put your neighbor in a potentially dangerous situation?  Will he have a key to your home, and an access code to your alarm?  The fact is that if a neighbor hears a siren, most will assume it is a false alarm and ignore it.

The police won't catch the bad guys anyway will they?
In most cases the bad guys are scared off right away, and quite frankly with monitored alarms, that is precisely what we are counting on.  We are not trying to make an arrest.  Our goal is to protect you and your property.  The intruder will flee because he assumes the authorities are on the way.  If the alarm is monitored, he has assumed correctly.  However, there have been cases where the bad guys have hung around the area to see if there is any response.  If the system is not monitored, he will quickly discover this and the siren will not scare him away.  The alarm will be useless as a "Beware of Dog" sign.

I don't want to have to deal with the police and their dog if I cause a false alarm.
Thanks to "Automatic Alarm Cancel Codes" and "Insecure Closing Verification", you will not have to worry about the police being dispatched to your home in the event of accidental alarm activation.

What about home invasion?
Only a monitored security system can effectively protect you in a home invasion.  In the event of a home invasion or a duress situation, you can enter a special "duress" code into the keypad to arm/disarm the system.  Our central station will receive a "home invasion alert" and the police will be dispatched.

Is there anything else I should know about monitoring?
Alarm monitoring will not only report intrusions but will also report diagnostic signals.  These are invaluable tools to assist us to ensure that any system faults are quickly identified and dealt with.  The system conducts an automatic communication test almost daily.
Because we monitor your alarm locally, by reviewing the signals we receive we can reconstruct a scenario for what happened.  In the case of an accidental activation, perhaps there was something that you were doing wrong, and we can get this sorted out.  Without this kind of follow-up, your confidence in the security system may be shaken.  We don't want you to stop using the system.
With a monitored system, we can make programming changes for you right over the phone at no charge.  Such changes might include adding/deleting access codes, and property references.
If you haven't had a break-in yet, and you give us the go-ahead, chances are you will not have a break-in.  You will maintain your 10% no claims discount as well as the monitored alarm discount.
If you delay, suffer a break-in and experience the sense of violation, you will effectively lose out twice.  When you go to renew, you will no longer be eligible for the "no claims discount".  The deductible of most insurance policies is $500.00.  You can avoid adding the cost of your deductible, and the loss of your "no claims discount" to the cost of a security alarm system if you act now.

What is the cost to replace the batteries
Alkaline batteries can be purchased at any hardware store for a few dollars. Lithium batteries are more expensive and probably must be purchased through the security company, although they are becoming more common.

Does a maintenance plan include replacing the batteries?
Depending on the cost of the plan, this can be an excellent option or it can be an expensive option. Be sure any contract for a maintenance policy has what it covers in writing. If batteries are not written into the maintenance contract, they are not covered.

Are the transmitters supervised?
Do they check in so that the panel knows they are working and whether they need a new battery?
Portable devices like pendant panic buttons should not be supervised because you often will leave the premises with them for several hours. Since they don't check in, you will have to test them manually every month or so. Smoke detectors and burglary devices should "check in" at least every hour, since these devices never leave the premises.