Home Security - Choosing A Home Security Company

With many home security systems you are not only buying equipment, but contracting with a company who will monitor it and respond when alarms are triggered. Choosing a home security system and company requires some research. You want a company that is a good combination of old-fashioned virtues and state-of-the-art facilities.

The ideal, as with many purchases, is to get a recommendation from someone you know with high standards. But even good word of mouth is no substitute for first hand interviews. Companies usually have salespeople that will tell you what you want to hear. Seek out the operations manager and try to find out, instead, what you want to know.

When you find that person, don't be shy about asking some probing questions.

Length of time in business is important as are good references from satisfied customers. In that respect, home security is an 'old-fashioned' business that still rests on reputation. In another way, home security is one of the latest innovations and the company should have a range of state-of-the-art systems to offer.

The contemporary aspect of home security is the adoption of the latest technology for your needs. The use of thermal imaging, motion detectors, wireless devices that can be easily added to an existing system and other aspects will give you clues about their forward-looking viewpoint, or lack of it.

The installation personnel should be more than just carpenters or car stereo installers between jobs. Special licensing applies to the implementation of a home security system. Inquire whether the installers have the training and certificates to prove it.

Arriving quickly when an alarm is triggered is important, but they should perform well once they're there. Sometimes there are false alarms. But companies have protocols to minimize those. When the real thing happens, the guards need to be prepared to act somewhat like police officers would.

At the same time, security companies need to have a good relationship with the local police. They're not authorized to carry out all the same functions and it's not in your self-interest to have them stepping on one another's toes or pointing fingers. You will invariably wind up in the middle of a bad situation that way.

But possibly the most important aspect is day-to-day monitoring, since that's what they'll be doing, well, day to day. When you call, you should get someone efficient and courteous on the phone. They should know who you are, where you live and be able to provide you with the status of your system at any time of the day or night.

Your home security company is providing a valuable function for which they get paid good money. Apply high standards that go well beyond selecting the lowest bidder. The alternative is not pretty.