Motion detectors Archives

Home Automation and Home Security Systems in Amarillo Texas

Modern home security systems offer a wide range of home automation features. Thanks to wireless technology, it’s possible to control virtually any home system via your home security system from a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access. From making sure that your kids have locked the door after themselves while you’re still at work to turning the lights off and on while you’re on vacation to deter potential burglars, you have the control you need to ensure your home stays safe at all times. Consider the following home automation features you’ll have with your new digital home alarm system from 1st Alarm in Amarillo TX.

Window and door sensors and controls

Window and door sensors let you know when a window or door is opened or left open via a text message or email alert. Whether your son took the dog for a walk and simply didn’t close the front door all the way behind him or a burglar has let himself in through the sliding glass kitchen door, you’ll know exactly what’s happening at all of the entrances to your home around the clock. You’ll also have the ability to lock and unlock your doors remotely, which may prove critical if one of your kids or a caretaker has misplaced their keys or locked themselves out of the house.

Alarm controls

When you’re dashing off for work in the morning or trying to get the whole family to the airport, it’s easy to forget about arming the home security system. With home automation, you can arm or disarm the system from any location whether you are in Amarillo, across the state or across the globe.

Climate controls

Adjusting the thermostat temperature remotely reduces your energy bills and keeps the home more comfortable. You may also equip your security system to alert you in the event of an unusual temperature change in the house. While the house may simply warm up more than usual on a hot summer day, a sudden temperature change may indicate a more serious issue, such as a fire. An alert can mean the difference between rapid emergency response and significant damage. Be sure to get the help you need from Amarillo’s first responders quickly and reliably.

Light controls

Turning the lights on and off periodically while you’re on vacation gives the appearance of activity, decreasing the risk of theft or vandalism. You can also make sure that your lights are turned off while everyone is at school or work to save money.

If you are considering adding a security system, a security camera or simply want to take advantage of the many home automation features for your home or business, contact the security experts at 1st Alarm Amarillo. We have the expertise and technology to help you secure your premises at an affordable price and give you the automated control features you desire. 1st Alarm Amarillo can help you with all of your security needs. Call (800) 276-5559 today. Request a Quote online or come by the office located at 3501 S. Georgia Street in Amarillo, Texas.

Making Sure Your Home Alarm System Is Working Properly

Securing your home in Lubbock, Texas is easy when you install a home alarm system. It is important make sure your security system is working properly after installation. Having an accurate home alarm system that works properly keeps both your property and your family safe.

There are many ways to ensure that your home alarm system is working properly, including making sure everyone knows how to use the system. You can also conduct regular testing to ensure the system is working properly and keep everyone in the home informed of security code changes. When installing a home security system, consider placement of panic buttons and the interactions between internal motion sensors and pets. You should also be careful about where you place outdoor and indoor motion detectors. Finally, let house guests know about your home alarm system to keep it working properly.

Make sure everyone knows how to use the home alarm system

Many false alarms happen because someone does not know how the home security system works. Everyone in the Lubbock household should know how to activate and deactivate the system. It is also important to know how to contact the monitoring service to report a false alarm before the authorities in Lubbock, Texas are notified. Understanding the basics of home security systems will help prevent someone from accidentally triggering the alarm.

Conduct regular tests to ensure the home alarm system is working properly

When an alarm system is first installed, the technician will test it out to ensure it is working properly. After installation, the Lubbock homeowner must do monthly checks to verify everything continues to function well. Routine testing will identify potential problems that might cause false alarms to occur. If a problem is found with the home alarm system, it should be repaired as soon as possible.

Keep everyone informed of home alarm system security code changes

Most alarm companies recommend that their customers change alarm codes regularly for maximum security. If it is time to change the code, make sure everyone who uses the system knows of the change. A parent can change the code in the morning and a teenager use the old code after school, if the change is not known.

Consider the placement of panic buttons for your home alarm system

If your Lubbock home security system includes panic buttons, make sure they cannot be hit by accident. The buttons should be placed in locations outside of the normal movement patterns of everyone in the household. For example, don’t place panic buttons near a light switch. Someone fumbling in the dark for a light may accidentally hit the panic button instead.

Consider the interactions between internal motion sensors and pets

The most notorious cause of false alarms is the combination of motion sensors and pets. Many alarm companies in Lubbock recommend keeping pets outside or confined to a single room, although this is not a viable option for many pet owners. Fortunately, technology has improved significantly. There are more advanced motion sensors available that can separate pet motions from human motions.

Be careful where you place outdoor and indoor home alarm system motion detectors

Flocks of birds or wind chimes are just two things that can accidentally trip an outdoor motion detector. Before you decide on where to place outdoor motion detectors, consider the movements going on around your Lubbock home. You don’t want a herd of deer triggering a false alarm next time you are out of town.

Wind blowing through an open window or door can trip motion detectors inside the home. While it is nice to have fresh air in the house, windows and doors should be closed if the alarm system is armed.

Motion sensors can malfunction if cobwebs or dust build up on the sensor itself. Be sure to place motion sensors in accessible areas so they can be cleaned regularly. A simple dusting once a month can keep your alarm system motion sensors working properly.

Let your house guests know about the home alarm system

Anyone who is going to be staying in your Lubbock home, or accessing it when you are gone, needs to be aware of your home security system. It is easy for a guest to go outside to get a forgotten item out of the car and accidentally trip the alarm.

Don’t let the possibility of a false alarm prevent you from getting a home alarm system. With a few simple steps, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of false alarms and ensure your system is working properly. For more information about maintaining security systems, contact the security experts at 1st Alarm. You can call us at 1(800) 276-5559 or send us an email for more information about our products and services, or to get a quote. We provide services throughout West Texas and the Texas Panhandle, with locations in Midland, Odessa, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, El Paso, and San Angelo.

Professional Installation Ensures Home Alarm Systems Are More Effective

Professional installation of home alarm systems in Lubbock, Texas ensures that your system is effective. However, online videos and blogs make doing most things sound extremely easy for an enterprising Lubbock homeowner. Most things, like installing home alarm systems, are best left to the professionals. There are many benefits to professional installation of a home alarm system, including accuracy. Professionals can install home alarm system sensors and motion detectors in the best locations and give you hands on training. Professionals will test home alarm systems after installation and will save you time by doing all of the work. Professional home alarm system installation technicians can also help with other areas of security.

Professional installation of home alarm systems is accurate

There is no guesswork when you leave the installation of your home alarm system to Lubbock professionals. Home alarm systems usually involve a number of technological components that all need to work effectively. Installing sensors, motion detectors, keypads, and control panels can be straightforward. However, it can be difficult to get all of the components to work together properly. Professional installers have the expertise and equipment to get the entire security system up and running efficiently.

Professionals can install alarm sensors and motion detectors in the best locations

Many of today’s Lubbock home alarm system components are wireless, which lowers the cost of installation by removing the need to pull wire through the walls. Using wireless components brings the challenge of placing sensors at strategic locations that have a clear communication path to the control panel. If a sensor’s signal does not have that clear path, it may not be able to alert if someone tries to break in. Installation of home alarm system components is more effective when left to the professionals, because they know of the best locations for the components.

Professionals can give you hands on training about home alarm systems

If you do a do-it-yourself (DIY) installation of a home security system, you don’t get any hands-on training. You might see a few videos or a manual showing you the basics, but this is not effective for installation or maintenance of the system. With a professional installation, you get a trained expert who can walk you through every step of installation, maintenance, and functionality of the alarm system. The technician can train you and your family on how to arm and disarm the system and answer any questions you may have.

Professionals will thoroughly test home alarm systems after installation

Once all the sensors, keypads, and control panels are in place, the installation technician will test each one to verify that the system works. Then, the installer will hook the system up with the monitoring service and verify they are receiving clear signals from all of the sensors also. In a DIY installation, you may think that everything has been hooked up effectively. However, if something is not done correctly, a false alarm could alert the Lubbock police of a non-existent threat.

Professional installation of home alarm systems saves you time

If you don’t want to dedicate your weekend to installing a home security system, then leave it to the professionals. Installation technicians can do the job effectively in a matter of hours. With professional installation, there is no guesswork on your part, only a feeling of security once the job is done.

Professional home alarm system installers can help with other areas of security

Professional installation of a home security system is more effective than installing a system on your own. However, professionals can also help with other areas of security. As the security system installer walks around your Lubbock home, they are looking at how to best secure the premises. Installers often make recommendations on exterior lighting enhancements, landscaping changes, and other areas of security that can make your home safer.

These are just a few reasons why professional installation is the best and most effective choice for your home alarm system. If you would like more information about home security or home alarm systems, call 1st Alarm at 1(800) 276-5559. You can also email us to learn more about our products and services, or to get a quote. We provide services throughout West Texas and the Texas Panhandle, with locations in Midland, Odessa, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, El Paso, and San Angelo.

Pet Friendly Home Alarm Systems

In the past, pets created complications for home alarm systems. A dog or a cat would walk through a room or through the pet door, triggering the alarm. Often, the situation would cause homeowners to choose between confining their pets or getting rid of the home alarm system because it was not pet friendly. However, modern home alarm systems allow pets to move freely in the home, without triggering the system. It is important to understand how older systems and modern systems relate to being pet friendly. Understanding alarm technology can help you know what to do if you have pets and need an alarm system.

Why home alarm systems were not pet friendly

Motion detectors were often the cause of the false alarms due to pet motion. Motion detectors work by sensing the movement of warm objects through a space. The movement of a warm-blooded animal, like a cat or dog, could trip the detectors in the alarm systems.

False alarms triggered by pets end up being a problem for homeowners, the security company, and the police. The monitoring service will call the police any time an unexplained alarm goes off. Police do not like being called out multiple times for false alarms and the situation could cause the police to fine homeowners for false alarms. In many cases, monitoring services will cut off service if the cause of false alarms cannot be eliminated.

Why modern home alarm systems are pet friendly

The technology behind motion detectors has gotten more sophisticated in recent years. Instead of being triggered by the simple motion of a warm object, modern detectors look for both warm objects and the way they move. Motion detectors are now specifically designed to eliminate objects that are animal sized and that move like animals. This alarm system technology advancement has practically eliminated the possibility of false alarms triggered by household pets.

What should you do if you have pets and want a home alarm system?

Don’t be tempted to install a do-it-yourself alarm system, especially if you have pets. Most of the do-it-yourself kits include the lowest cost motion detectors on the market. These detectors are often older technology, which is not pet friendly. If you want an alarm system for your home, and you have pets, contact a professional home security company. Security companies have access to a wide assortment of detectors and alarms that are pet-friendly. The companies can configure your system to give you the protection you need, without the need to confine your pets.

If you would like more information about pet friendly home alarm systems, give the security experts at 1st Alarm a call. You can reach us at 1 (800) 276-5559 or send us an email with your questions and concerns, or to get a price quote. We provide services throughout West Texas and the Texas Panhandle, with locations in Midland, Odessa, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, El Paso, and San Angelo.