Austin Home Security

To make sure that your house is secured, think about installing a home security system.  There are several types and degrees of protection of home security systems in the Austin area.  Provided here is a number of important features to take into account when installing a home security system; whether with or without help or by an expert security installation firm.

First, you have to ascertain the service covered by your price range.  The basic Austin home security alarm package normally consists of  1 control panel, 3 door contacts, 1 keypad, 1 passive infrared motion detector, 1 back-up battery, 1 siren and a yard sign.  Many monitoring agencies offer installation service totally free or at a lower rate when you accept their offer for a 36 month monitoring agreement. For almost all of the property owners, the cost of this standard system installation is reasonable.  But additional security coverage beyond the basic package for your home will have more costs involved.

Protect the Back of Your Residence – It is the Most Significant Area

The side and back of the home is the most vital location to cover.  Burglars will certainly look for an entry that provides them the most cover so that they’re not going to be caught.  If robbers are passing through the front, they will use the doorbell to determine if anyone is home.  If nobody answers, they will enter by kicking the door and closing it behind them.  From across the street, it will not be very visible that something is going on.  But the neighbors can quickly tell that something wrong is going on if they were to destroy a window on the front of the house.

Burglaries take place via the doors for majority of cases.  For most burglars, they pass through the side and back doors. They can use the windows to get in too.   If your primary purpose of an alarm is to know if someone is entering while you are at home, then you should consider contacting your windows in addition to your doors.  However, if your primary concern is property safety while you are away, then it may be more inexpensive to use passive infrared motion detectors and glass break detectors.

An Interior Trap Can Augment Your Perimeter Protection

An effective Austin home security system has some sort of an interior trap.  As a way of catching an intruder when he happens to get by the perimeter protection, a motion detector is frequently used in the living area.  Pet motions are available which can sense burglars but filter out the animals.

However, we do not suggest pet motions to house owners with cats. It is because when a cat jumps so rapidly, as it is known to do, it can trick the motion to assume that it is someone standing.  But in this circumstance, you may use an interior door contact on a closet or bedroom door that is constantly closed.  When the alarm is armed in the AWAY mode, it will set the alarm off when an intruder opens the door.  But, if you arm the security system in the STAY mode, the interior door contact is bypassed and you can go about your business and still have your alarm armed.

Glass Break Detectors Have Limits

Those who often inquire about glass break detectors are homeowners who have animals. But glass break detectors have limits and you must know them before spending your money on these detectors. A glass break detector is a line of sight product. The crashing sound and pulsation generated by the breaking of a glass within milliseconds of each other can be determined by glass break detectors.  It is a dual technology targeted at cutting down on false alarms.  But if the windows you are trying to safeguard have faux wood blinds, weighty curtains or blinds, chances are that the glass break detector will not be effective.  A good example of where a proper use of glass break detectors can be expected is in the area around the glass above the master bath tub and the back door glass.

Cellular Back-Up Provides the Ultimate in Protection

If you want to have your home security system monitored, you need to consider adding a cellular back up to the system.  An alarm signal will be provided by the cell back-up when the intruder decides that they are going to cut the phone line.  You might need factor in a little more for the budget because of the cost of the unit and the airtime, but the cell back-up is the ultimate as far as alarm communications are concerned.

In conclusion, at least all of the exterior doors must have contacts and an interior trap of some sort is set up when you are thinking about installing a Austin home security system. Do not be scared about using your system because producers today are producing user-friendly keypads.  After all, It will not do you any good sitting on the wall.

VOIP or voice over internet protocol, is becoming a very popular type of phone service all across the country, including the Austin area.  But do they work with security systems?  Let’s take a closer look.

Austin Home Security Companies Policies in Regards to VOIP

Home security alarm companies have varying policies in regards to VOIP phones.  Some companies will connect to your VOIP phone service, but will make you sign a waiver just in case the phone service does not send a signal when necessary.

Many alarm companies will simply refuse to connect their service to a VOIP phone.  This  is because a VOIP phone service is not UL listed.  Sometimes the signal will not get through when using a voice over internet phone.  And this could have very bad consequences.  The customer is expecting the alarm company to send for help, and the monitoring station never received a signal.

Some VOIP phone companies such as Vonage are very upfront about the possibility that their service is not compatible with a home security system.  But others are not so straightforward in their dealings.  They will have you switch to their VOIP phone service, and the first time you realize that anything is different is when your alarm goes off and no one at the monitoring station calls you back.

If You Change Your Phone Service, Be Sure to Contact Your Austin Home Security Company

It is very important that if you change your phone service, that you contact your alarm monitoring company and let them know.  If you have changed types of phone service, more than likely you will need a service call out to re-tie the phone lines to the alarm system.

Fire Systems Cannot be Connected Via VOIP Phones

In addition, if you have a monitored fire system, it is against code to connect a fire system to VOIP phones.  Current code is that a fire signal may be sent via a plain old telephone service (POTS) line, or via a Cell unit.  VOIP phones are not UL and are not deemed reliable enough in the event of a life threatening emergency.  A burglar alarm system is not regulated as such because it is primarily considered a property safety system.

Cell Units are a Good Solution to the VOIP Problem

So what is the solution if you do not have a standard phone line?  For a little more money, you can set up your Austin home security system to work with a Cell Unit.  A cell unit basically dials the monitoring station using cell or radio waves.

The cell unit was designed years ago to transmit the signal in case the phone line was cut years ago.  But nowadays, they are becoming increasingly popular as a primary means of transmitting alarm signals.

Cell Units Can Save You Money Monthly

Many homeowners never really use their home phone.  They operate primarily on their cell phones, and only use the home land line for the security system.

If you choose to monitor your system with a cell unit, even though you may be paying your alarm monitoring company more due to the airtime and cost of the unit, in most cases, it will be way less than you would be paying for a phone line.

If the only reason you would get a phone line is for the security system, then it is much cheaper to use a cell unit.

Before you choose your phone service, be sure to contact your Austin home security company and let them explain your options.  If you call your phone company, they will only be interested in selling you their phone service.  After all, if you are going to have an alarm monitoring system set up, wouldn’t you like it to work?