I’ve bought a house with alarm installed – what should I do next?
Firstly, ascertain who originally installed the system and check that they are PSA approved and registered. Once you know who installed it, ask them to reset the user codes immediately to a code of your choice. Very often codes can be “guessable” e.g. 2468 – change it to something unique that you will remember.
It’s a good idea to have different codes for different members of the family or maybe baby sitters or cleaners. That way you can always establish who actually armed the alarm and when.
• Have the alarm serviced and fully tested and get a certificate from the installer that your system satisfies Irish Installation Standards. This will be necessary to obtain house insurance.
• Have the alarm programmed to suit your requirements e.g. when you are in bed do you want upstairs inhibited, or have you a pet that has access to a particular area?
• Consider improving your alarm to include garden shed or area where valuables are stored.
• Concentrate on the rear of your house as Garda statistics show that 80% of intrusions occur from the rear. Conduct your own survey, if you can gain access, then a burglar will have no problem.
• Consider best Garda advice and have the alarm monitored by an approved Alarm Receiving Centre. Monitoring typically costs €0.50 per day. When your home is monitored, you are guaranteed a response to the alarm activating from a keyholder or ultimately the Gardaí.
• Ensure you clearly advertise that your house is alarmed by having the external siren visible on the front of the house. Remember the two minute rule: ‘if you can divert the burglar away from your home in the first two minutes, he will find an alternative home to invade.’
– John Delaney, Technology Director, GGL Security
To enquire about CCTV and alarm monitoring and other security services contact GGL Security 1890 929 900 (ROI only) or +353 61 319 077 or email info@gglsecurity.com
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