Is a central alarm system the best choice for protecting you?

Looking for added security by setting up an alarm system for your home or office? Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision.

What differentiates a central alarm system from a regular alarm is that if one of the sensors is set off in the secured location, a sound alarm will go off while a communication will be sent via telephone, mobile, radio, or computer to a monitoring central which will in turn contact the first respondent to inform them of a breach in security.

Everything will be connected to a keypad in which you’ll enter a code to activate or deactivate the alarm upon entry and exit of the location you wish to secure.

• The alarm cannot be activated if any of the sensors detect movement or if any doors and windows show an “open” state.
• In this way, the keypad will serve as a guide, helping you ensure all of the possible entry ways have been shut.

Sensors

In terms of sensors, the installation professional will suggest putting a sensor on every door and window to ensure that any openings or closings will be detected—to detect an intruder and to keep you from activating the system if anything is not closed.

Movement detectors

Movement detectors will also be suggested to ensure that any abnormal movement is detected once the system is activated. This is done to ensure that if an intruder breaks a window to enter, the alarm will go off even if the frame stays in the “shut” position.

Communication system

And finally, a communication system will be set up to send signals to the central monitoring office. Installing a cell antenna is the safest solution as it can be concealed within the location and won’t run the risk of being cut like a phone wire.

This type of system can work because in addition to making noise to scare off the intruder, you’ll be notified within minutes of the break-in and be able to get to the location and take action as soon as possible. You can also have a list of respondents in case the first person does not answer.

For your business

In addition, if you're using it for your business, you’ll be able to attribute different entry codes to each employee or contractor, allowing you to know who the first and last people in were or if there were any unusual comings and goings.

Add-ons

There are all sorts of additional monitoring possibilities you can have on top of the more basic set-up described above, from water level monitoring if you’re in an area likely to see flooding, to video cameras and even remote locking/unlocking possibilities.