HOW DO I CHOOSE AN ALARM COMPANY

You want to be sure you are dealing with a professional company. They'll be coming onto your property, into your home or business, working unsupervised in many areas of your premises, and you're going to rely on them to protect you and your family and property. It's important that you select a company you can trust. Here are a few things you can do to help you decide:

• Check if your state, county, or city has licensing requirements for alarm installers. You'll find the telephone numbers in the blue pages of your phone book. (Here in New York State, for instance, licensing is handled by the Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.) Make sure that the company is properly licensed.



• Contact the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) to see if the company is a member. Generally, a company that considers itself a long-term participant in the industry will be.



• The NBFAA also offers training and certification programs - ask if your installers are Level-I or Level-IIA certified. If you're having a fire alarm system installed, ask if they are Level-IIB certified.



• Call the Better Business Bureau and the Dept of Consumer Affairs offices where the company is located - make sure there are no unresolved complaints against the company.



• Verify the company's insurance. If the installers accidentally damage your property, or if the alarm fails to notify police of a burglary, you want to know that you will be compensated. Companies should at least have coverage for liability and errors & omissions.



• Ask the company about their warranty and service policies. A one-year warranty is typical; sometimes the parts are covered by manufacturers’ warranties, and the installing dealer covers labour. Find out how much a service call would cost if you accidentally damage the system, yourself, or if something goes wrong after the warranty period.



• You might also want to know if they guarantee service within a certain amount of time. You may be able to buy a service contract to guarantee repairs within a certain amount of time, such as 4, 8, 12, or 24 hours.



• Ask for references - and call them. Sometimes, the company may even be able to take you to premises that have a system they installed so that you can see for yourself the quality of their work. Keep in mind that they’re only going to show you a happy customer or an installation they are proud of, but it may be worth it, so you’ll know what to expect in your installation.



• Find out which brand of equipment they carry. Be sure you're getting a quality system made by a reputable manufacturer. Honeywell and GE have bought up several of the larger and better-known companies over the past few years, but most products are still manufactured under the original brand names: Ademco, Fire Burglary Instruments (or FBI), FireLite, ITI, Acron, Arrowhead, Caddx. Other reputable brands include Napco, Silent Knight and Radionics. Unlike Radio Shack or Sears, these brands are generally only available through reputable alarm dealers; they are not sold at retail to the general public.