Alarm systems in the UK are getting increasingly complex, driven by advancements in technology - especially smartphone technology. Because of this, we've put together this guide to burglar alarms so you get a better idea of what questions you should be asking when selecting an alarm system.
How to choose a burglar alarm
The following are the top 10 things to look out for when buying a burglar alarm:
- 1) Alarm system design
- 2) Wired vs wireless alarm
- 3) Monitoring types
- 4) Personal attack alarm
- 5) Fire detection
- 6) Burglar alarm reliability
- 7) Ease-of-use
- 8) Smart alarm functionality
- 9) Deterrence
- 10) Installation & ongoing costs
1) Alarm system design
The fundamentals of an alarm system is that it must provide you with ‘security’. This may sound like a stupid thing to say, but it's super important to consider this when buying an alarm.
The reason for saying this is that some alarm systems sold (especially smart alarm systems) are more gadgets than security systems; they may look good and come with whizzy apps, but often they're sold as ‘out of the box’ solutions - meaning they don't have the versatility to actually provide you with real security.
AMCO recommend making sure you get an alarm system properly designed - to ensure all potential vulnerabilities are covered.
2) Wired vs wireless alarm
There's no such thing as one being better than the other - the choice between wired or wireless comes down to a number of factors, and the best option depends on your circumstances.
- Wiring potential - if your property is easily wired (e.g. you're doing your property up or have a commercial property with wiring ducts) then a wired system is best, as overall wired systems are more reliable and lower-cost in the long run. If you have a newly done-up house or a flat with no easy way to wire, a wireless option is the only choice.
- Reliability - wireless systems have improved their reliability x100 in the last few years, however wired sensors are still x10 more reliable than wireless. Wireless weaknesses mean sensors can ‘fall off’ the system or batteries can fail over time.
- Running costs - installation costs for wired and wireless systems are about the same; however ongoing support costs for wireless are a lot higher, because of the reliability issues above.
- Hybrid option - beyond wired or wireless, there's a third way - hybrid, combining both. Our Premier range is a great example of a hybrid alarm, giving you the best of both worlds.
AMCO recommend a hybrid system if you want the reliability of wired sensors where it's practical to wire, and the flexibility of wireless everywhere else.
3) Monitoring types (and response types)
There are 3 types of alarm monitoring: immediate audio-response, call-back and auto-dialler. Immediate audio-response provides the best security, as when an alarm is activated someone is immediately (after c.20 seconds) listening in and talking to the property via a speaker microphone.
Call-back and auto-dialler are similar and are the most standard types of monitoring on the market; both essentially call the owner or key holders alerting them of an activation, however unlike ‘immediate audio-response’ there's no way of verifying if the activation is a real activation (i.e. a real burglar).
AMCO recommend installing ‘immediate audio-response’ monitoring, which is at the core of AMCO's LiveTalk system.
4) Personal attack alarm
Beyond your alarm providing ‘intruder detection’ you should also consider making sure your alarm includes some kind of ‘personal attack’ functionality like a PAB (panic attack button). PABs can be either fixed, or mobile - in the form of a fob. Mobile fobs are especially useful for the elderly or for people with medical issues.
AMCO recommend including PABs in your alarm system, for added personal security.
5) Intruder alarm with fire detection
Linking smoke detectors into your security system means that your alarm doubles up not only as an intruder alarm but also as a fire alarm too.
AMCO recommend linking smoke detectors into our LiveTalk monitoring system; with LiveTalk's speaker microphone unit, our monitoring staff can remotely verify whether you've burnt your toast or there's a more serious issue.
6) Burglar alarm reliability
The reality is that burglaries are infrequent; that said, if (when) that moment comes you need to make sure your alarm system is reliable, and will work when it's really needed.
AMCO recommend a wired alarm for the best reliability; hybrid alarm systems are a good middle ground.
7) Ease-of-use
In 99% of cases the most important thing you need to do with your burglar alarm is turn it on and off. This means you need an alarm that's easy to use, so you're not fiddling around with unnecessary buttons or configurations all the time.
8) Smart alarm functionality
Adding smartphone functionality to your security system is viewed by some as an ‘unnecessary complexity’ or by others as a ‘necessary modern-day feature’.
The benefit of smart alarm functionality is that you can easily access your alarm remotely - for example, checking whether you've set it or not (and set/unset remotely). With more sophisticated smart alarm systems, you can create ‘recipes’ (rules) that let you do things like automatically set your alarm when you leave the house, or turn on lights when you enter it.
The negatives of smart alarms are that the app can be unreliable (due to connectivity issues) and can add an unnecessary level of complexity to your alarm system.
AMCO recommend installing sophisticated smart alarm functionality if you're tech savvy and know how to get the most of the technology.
9) Deterrence
The best alarm systems deter burglars from trying to break in in the first place. The best way of doing this is to install a ‘bell box’ in a visible location - meaning a burglar will think twice before trying to break into your house.
AMCO recommend adding window stickers too, for a further, low-cost level of deterrence.
10) Alarm buying costs (installation & ongoing maintenance costs)
There are 2 main costs associated with a home alarm system:
- Installation costs - the cost to install all the equipment included in a home alarm system.
- Monitoring & maintenance costs - the cost of the 24/7 remote monitoring of your alarm system, and the ongoing technical maintenance of your system.
AMCO recommend checking you're getting a fair deal on your monitoring fee - anything around £20 a month is fair. Also, avoid a lengthy contract, as some of the bigger companies lock you in for years and then give you terrible service (often putting up prices).