Frequently Asked Questions

• I've heard that over 90 percent of all alarms that go off are false alarms. If that is true, why should I even bother to have an alarm?
• Wouldn't the authorities charge me if they had to respond to a false alarm at my home?
• Do I need to put an alarm sensor on every exterior door and window?
• Wouldn't I also need an outside bell on my home?
• So how much can I expect to pay for a good alarm system?
• What question have I missed that I should ask?

I've heard that over 90 percent of all alarms that go off are false alarms. If that is true, why should I even bother to have an alarm?
On an average day in Hillsborough County, about 50 to 75 alarms go off, all but about three or four of them are false alarms. However, every day there are well over 100 real reported burglaries (estimates put the number of actual burglaries quite higher). What that means is that burglars are not targeting locations that have monitored security systems. Having a monitored security system is obviously a great deterrent, and virtually takes your property "off the market" for the burglars. Since only about 15 percent of Tampa residences have alarms, the burglars have plenty of other targets.
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Wouldn't the authorities charge me if they had to respond to a false alarm at my home? There are penalties for false alarms which vary according to the jurisdiction and location. Usually there is no penalty for the first offense. What is most important, however, is that false alarms can be easily avoided. Most false alarms occur at the key pad due to pressing the wrong buttons. Make sure your alarm is easy to use and that you know how to cancel a false alarm immediately by calling your alarm monitoring station. There are usually no penalties or charges if you call right away.
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Do I need to put an alarm sensor on every exterior door and window?
It depends on what you are trying to protect. Are you mainly concerned about protecting your property when you are gone? Or is personal safety while you are home your main concern? Protecting your property can be accomplished with interior motion sensors. You will still need a contact on the main entry/exit doors but if someone comes through the window, a properly positioned motion detector will set off your alarm instantly. One such motion detector can protect many windows and EPS includes one in every system. Additional sensors may be added, depending on your individual needs. On the other hand, the motion detector(s) must be turned off while you are home to allow you to freely move about. For your personal safety, you probably will want to alarm some or all of your windows on the ground floor. A wireless panic button is also a good solution.
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Wouldn't I also need an outside bell on my home?
Outside bells can provide additional peace of mind, but there are also some drawbacks: 1. Outside bells often cause complaints from the neighbors, and may result in a noise citation if the bell isn't programmed to shut of after a specified period of time, usually 5 to 15 minutes. 2. If your bell goes off and neighbors do respond, they could be hurt by an intruder. When the police arrive, they may confuse a neighbor for a burglar. 3. So many bells go off these days, most people tend to ignore them. A great alternative would be a latching strobe, a red or blue light on the front of your house, that will begin to flash if your alarm is activated. It is less expensive than a bell, and will continue to flash until you physically turn it off on the control panel. This way, when you come home, you can look at the light and know whether a burglary has happened or not. It also makes the house a little easier for the police to find at night when responding to an alarm.
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So how much can I expect to pay for a good alarm system?
If you're just trying to protect the property, the installation costs are free with EPS. It includes the control panel, key pad, an interior sounder, backup battery, 2 door detectors (for the front and back doors, as three out of four burglars gain entry that way), RJ31X Phone Jack, and at least one interior motion sensor. Monthly monitoring fees range from $29.95 and up.
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What question have I missed that I should ask?
One final security issue that is often overlooked is fire safety. Most homes have smoke detectors installed, but what happens if no one is home when they go off? More importantly, what if you don't wake up because carbon monoxide puts you into a deeper sleep? A simple but priceless solution is to have at least one monitored smoke/heat detector to supplement the others in the house. This way, the fire department will come whether you are able to call them or not. The average response time in Hillsborough County is two to two and one-half minutes. Your lives and property can be saved, if the fire department is notified in time.
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