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Home Security Systems Monitoring
A Monitored Security
System Is A Complete Surveillance Solution
Although millions of households have one of the many types of home security systems, monitoring is often an after-thought, or even dismissed as unnecessary.
While having a basic intruder alarm is the first step in protecting your family, it does not provide full assurance of safety. An monitoring service, however, ensures that you are always connected to emergency professionals so that you aren't left on your own when you most need help.
Home
security systems monitoring is just as important as the sensors, cameras, and
other components of the alarm itself. Without proper and reliable monitoring,
an alarm can be as useless as having no security system at all.
What Is Security Monitoring ?
A monitored alarm is one that is connected to a twenty-four hour answering service, for which you pay a monthly fee. When an alert is triggered, it sends a signa; to the company's monitoring station for human intervention.
Some security companies simply call programmed telephone numbers to phone you, or someone else you've chosen to receive the alert. Another type will cause a tone to sound on your laptop computer, at which time you can switch to a program that lets you see the activity being recorded by the web-cam you've set up. Some packages can include smoke or heat detectors, allowing you to add fire protection to your home monitoring system.
In other words, monitoring is really what separates the security systems from the security alarms.
When activated,
professionally monitored equipment contacts a monitoring service, where the agency
oversees and provides a response to the system trigger. The station operator determines
what type of alarm has sounded, and takes the appropriate action - telephoning
you and the police or fire department, and in some cases, sending a security agent
to the alarm location.
Some security service companies will waive the cost of the system components if you sign up for their service. At the end of the contract, they might uninstall the equipment, or simply abandon it.
How Does It Work ?
Your alarm system is designed to plug into a one of your telephone wall jacks (RJ31X). When activated, a relay "seizes" your phone line and gives the surveillance system priority use of this line, allowing the alarm to report its signals to the central monitoring station using a toll-free number.
Upon receiving a signal, the dispatchers will immediately call your home to verify whether you set your alarm off accidentally. Whoever answers the phone is required to give a secret password that is stored in the company's records. If they do not receive an answer or if an answering machine picks up, the service company immediately dispatches the local authorities and/or contacts your approved call list.
If a panic button is triggered or if a smoke detector signal is received, the alarm monitoring company will immediately dispatch police or fire authorities, and then call your home.
Home security systems monitoring is great for children who are home alone, seniors who don't want to lose their independence, pets at home while everyone is at work, and your family as they go about their daily lives. Round-the-clock fire, medical and burglar alarm monitoring is the safest way to ensure help arrives when you need it.
For more information:
Home Alarm Providers - Not an all-or-nothing proposition.
Choosing a Monitoring Service - Checklist for evaluating home security companies.
ADT Security Services - Quick summary of the ADT service options.
Brinks Security Services - The #2 home security provider is worth a look.
Protect America Home Security - A review of services and systems.