Top 8 Home Security Myths

Does your business have thousands of dollars worth of inventory or tools and equipment that sits behind doors that can be kicked in or broken? Does your business have computers that contain valuable customer information like service records or mailing lists? If you are really honest with yourself, you will probably realize that a burglary of inventory, tools and computers could severely cripple your normal flow of business for days or even weeks or months.

A burglar alarm system is an extra layer of protection and proactive step of PREVENTION that you can easily take to prevent your business from being disrupted. Alarm systems detect and deter unauthorized access to your business and transmit alarm signals immediately to a central monitoring center where alarm signals are monitored 24 hours every day. These centers dispatch local authorities for armed response to an alarm signal.

If you’ve ever considered an alarm system, or even if you haven’t, there are many common questions that surface. Is an alarm system for my business? Can I afford the costs? Are they difficult to use or install? Below are some myths and truths to review that answer most of the common questions.

Myth #1: “Alarm systems are too expensive”

Most small to medium sized businesses today can get an alarm system for as little as $99.00 and very often for less than a few hundred dollars for a completely custom designed system. Most companies sell the equipment for less than they actually pay for it and smaller, regional companies charge much less for monthly monitoring than the larger national companies.

Myth #2: “There is no value of a system to my bottom line”

You may never need it but the small total cost suddenly pales in comparison to the losses you could experience if your equipment, tools, merchandise or customer information suddenly disappeared due to a burglary.

Myth #3: “Systems are too hard to use”

Alarm systems have never been easier to use and manufacturers are making them easier to use every day. Disarming and arming a system used to require only that you memorize a four digit code. Now, with the advent of wireless keychain remotes, you don’t even have to memorize a code! You simply press one button to arm and another to disarm.

Myth #4: “I don’t have time to train all my employees”

It typically takes under an hour to explain and demonstrate how systems are operated and usually, your alarm company representative will provide the training for your employees free of charge.

Myth #5: “The system won’t work if my phone lines are cut or power is lost”

Most systems have back up batteries and back up cellular or Internet communications for central station signals can be added for redundancy. Cellular communicators automatically detect lack of dial tone and switch the system over immediately. Batteries can last up to 8 hours in the event of a power outage.

Myth #6: “False alarms will have us crying wolf”

Most central station operators will disregard an alarm that is reset by a user within 10-20 seconds, knowing that a valid code had to have been entered to cancel the alarm that quickly. Most systems can be programmed for a transmission delay, as well, so the alarm is not transmitted to the central station for, say, 30 seconds. Even if an alarm signal goes to the central station, most accounts are programmed to have the alarm “verified”. This means the operator will call the premises before dispatching police to verify if it is a false alarm or not. If a user answers the phone and can provide a pre-determined code word to the operator, the police dispatch will not be made. If there is no answer or the person who answers cannot provide the code word, police are dispatched. This greatly reduces the amount of false alarms.

Myth #7: “Alarm systems take too long to install”

A fully working system can be installed in a small business in just a couple of hours. A medium sized business, in less than a day, including training you and your staff.

Myth #8: “I have insurance”

Insurance exists to replace lost, stolen or damaged physical property. It cannot replace the losses your company experiences in downtime or the loss of information stemming from a break in. If you have vital information on computers at your business, chances are that information goes away with almost any break in. Computers are one of the most sought after items in a burglary.

A monitored burglar alarm system can give you great peace of mind knowing that you have taken steps to protect that which you’ve worked so hard for from being disrupted or permanently lost. Systems can also include other protection devices for your business and employees such as smoke detectors, flood sensors, carbon monoxide detectors, heat detectors and glass break sensors. These items can extend protection to your business from a variety of “other disasters” that could also potentially be a threat.