may we suggest... SECURITY SYSTEMS Security System Monitoring is the connection of your security system to a remote Central Station. When your system trips, the signal is sent via the phone lines to the Central Station where the operator will verify the alarm and call the appropriate authorities. This is a must if you have a fire system installed, or want Panic or Medical monitoring. When you have a monitored system, you can specify what action the monitoring company should take when they get a signal. In addition to calling the police or fire departments, they will also notify people on your call list. (neighbor or family). The monitoring company will also establish a "pass-code or code word" with you that will enable them to verify that the person they are speaking with is the authorized person. Any other code word than the one authorized, will tell the Central Station that you are under "duress" and the police will be notified of the situation. For home use, the most common approach is to use your phone line to transmit the signal. If you decide to use this, make sure that the Security Company installs a phone line monitor. If a phone line is cut, this will cause the keypad to buzz, or set off a siren. To ensure that your system is working properly, have your security company enable the test signal. This is a special signal that your control can send to the Central System weekly, confirming that your system is still working. Remember to test your system at least once a week. The best systems today use cellular backup. In the event your phone line is down, the system uses the cellular network to transmit alarm signals. Most false alarms are caused by improper operation or improper maintenance of the system. Many local Police departments are starting to fine homeowners for false alarms. Things to Consider when Selecting a company: · Reduced Insurance Premiums · Quality of the monitoring (Central Station should be UL certified*) · How many years the company has been in business · 24 hour availability. *UL listing assures back-up power in the event of any power outage. UL Central Stations are also required to maintain the strictest security measures. Before purchasing a home security system, there are a few key points you should consider. If you currently have a system in place, it is good to know that ANY alarm company can monitor your existing system. It does not have to be the same company who installed it. There are different types of security systems you can use. There are systems you can install yourself, in which case, you will need to find a company to monitor it. Whether the system is standalone or monitored, the hardware for residential alarms comes in two basic configurations: wired and wireless. · Wired systems require the installer to run low-voltage electrical wires from a master control panel to the sensors on all entry doors, windows, and motion detectors and to all of the system's keypads and sirens. The wires are concealed inside walls and crawl spaces to make the system as inconspicuous as possible, but these are tricky installation tasks often best left to a professional. · Wireless systems use miniature radio transmitters instead of wires to send signals between the main control panel and the system's sensors, keypads, and sirens. This eliminates drilling holes and fishing wires behind walls, making the installation of a wireless system within reach of most do-it-yourselfers (professional security companies install them, too). Wireless systems also are portable: You can take the components with you when you move. If you install a system yourself, just be certain to understand and comply with all national, state, and local electrical codes that pertain to home-security systems. Even then, it's best to have a professional come in to install the wiring associated with round-the-clock monitoring. Check out the companies with your state's licensing agencies, consumer-protection agencies, the Better Business Bureau, to verify that they're properly licensed and have no histories of consumer complaints. Don't overlook the importance of monitored smoke detectors. Battery operated smoke detectors frequently don't work. A monitored smoke detector in the basement will trip the siren in the main part of the house. Other helpful sensors include: · Low Temperature Sensors · Burner Monitors · Water Detectors · Wireless key fobs for arming/disarming/panic buttons All electronic alarm systems include the master control panel, at least one keypad for arming and disarming the system, a selection of sensors (entry sensors at perimeter doors and windows plus motion detectors for areas inside the home), and a warning signal such as a siren and/or strobe lights. · The master control panel is home to the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the brains of the system. Based on information it receives from the keypad and alarm sensors, it decides when to sound the sirens or report to the central monitoring station. · The keypad is the system's command center. It's where you arm and disarm the system and also where you silence a sounding alarm (usually by entering your system's code number on a keypad). · Sensors are essentially magnetic switches that trigger the alarm whenever a door or window is opened. One part of the switch is installed on the door or window frame; the matching part attaches to the door or the window sashes. When the unit is opened, separating the parts, the interruption in current triggers the alarm. · Door sensors · Window sensors · Passive infrared motion sensors (PIRs) are electronic devices that are able to detect motion