Things to remember when buying an alarm system

It costs money to have a good alarm technician, with a truck and tools to come to your house to install an alarm system. And the alarm company has to buy its parts from a supplier and make a profit when it sells the parts to you.

Here are some rules to remember when purchasing a security system:

• Always get at least three quotes. If you have a friend who has an alarm system, ask them about it. Would they recommend their company? Why or why not? A recommendation for a company says a lot.
• Compare your quotes. Look at the equipment and the number of devices to be installed. Have they offered you a true security system or just a basic system? Does it cover what you wanted or did the salesman say it was all you needed?
• Fire, Low Temperature, CO Detectors and Sump pumps are all extras that can be added to your alarm system. Do you need any of them? If so, how much will they cost and does the alarm company charge more to monitor them?
• Never be pressured into signing. Do not sign unless you feel comfortable with the price and terms you are offered.
• If you have pets, make sure the pets are not in an area where the motion sensor is, or get a pet type motion sensor.
• If you want to check the value of the equipment being installed, ask if they sell better quality equipment. If they do, how much more and what are the differences and why is not offered up front? Usually you cannot get the better equipment in a no-money-down package.
• Nothing in life is FREE and neither is a good quality security system.