According to the FBI, an average of 2 million burglaries occur every year. And someone is home 28% of the time. For this reason, some people choose to install security alarm systems in their homes. If you have a newly installed alarm system or are considering getting one from a company like Tele-Plus, here are 5 important questions to ask.

Does the Alarm Have a Silent Mode?

Security alarms can be startling, especially when they go off in the middle of the night and jolt you awake. It can almost be considered instinctual to turn off the blaring alarm as quickly as possible to stop the noise so you can think clearly. Because of this, it's important for your alarm system to have a silent mode that you can switch it to when the alarm is triggered. This will turn the noise off in and around your home but will not turn off the signal to the alarm monitoring service.

What Is the Delay Time Before the Alarm Registers?

When your alarm is triggered, there may or may not be a time delay before the security panel shows the location of the intrusion and/or alerts the monitoring service. This will depend on the settings of your devices, which can be changed based on your preferences. It's important that you know what, if any, the time delay is before the alarm registers. That way, you won't inadvertently turn the alarm off too quickly. Sometimes, alarms go off and homeowners cannot find where the system was breached, such as a kitchen window, because they didn't give it enough time to register on the control panel.

Where Is the Number to the Monitoring Service?

If your alarm goes off, your alarm monitoring service should call you. However, if they don't (perhaps your alarm was turned off before it registered with the service) you'll need to call them to either reset the alarm or to send the authorities. Of course, you want to be able to call the monitoring service from any phone in your home, not just from the phone on the security system's control panel since it's likely to be located near the main entrance of your home. Each phone in your home, as well as all cell phones that you and your family members carry, should have the number for the monitoring service.

What Happens When the Motion Detectors Have Low Batteries?

Motion detectors can be placed strategically in your home, and they operate with batteries. The reason for this is so they will continue to monitor your home in case the power goes out. Since batteries don't last forever, it's important for you to know what might happen when the motion detectors have low batteries. In some models, a low battery light is activated and the security alarm will be triggered to activate. The reason for this is because an inoperable motion detector presents a breach to the security system which needs to be remedied in order for the entire system to function properly.

Will Doors and Windows Rattling in a Storm Trigger the Alarm? 

For security systems to monitor windows and doors, monitors need to be secured to them. Windows and doors that rattle when it's windy might activate the alarm system. Because of this, if you have any windows and doors that are not sturdy, it may be a good time to repair or replace them so they don't activate the alarm system. Alternatively, you could adjust the sensitivity setting of the motion detectors in the rattly windows and doors. However, be careful to not adjust it too low or the monitor may not pick up suspicious activity, such as someone slowly opening the window or door.