To protect yourself, you don’t hesitate to install a home alarm, video surveillance, home security, and so on. When your home alarm goes off, it can be a frightening and sometimes confusing experience. Your first instinct might be to immediately turn off the alarm siren.
But, if you do that, how do you know you haven’t just deactivated an alarm for a burglar who may have just broken in? The fact is, most of us aren’t sure what we would do in that case. The key is to be prepared. Here are 5 things you should do if your home security alarm goes off:
1. Stay calm
It is natural for us to panic in emergencies. As a result, we tend to react rather than think. However, when your home alarm goes off, you should take a moment to calm your senses before doing anything rash; it’s easier to think through your options when you’re calm.
A home security system is designed with an extremely loud alarm siren to scare off any intruder, and depending on your system and neighborhood; it could also alert a neighbor. Keeping this in mind could help your anxiety level.
2. Check for a false alarm
The next thing to do is to check if the alarm is false; read any notifications or messages that appear on the keypad screen (if it’s nearby) and then investigate, but don’t put yourself in danger. If you suspect a real threat in the house, find a safe place to wait for the authorities.
3. Keep your phone nearby
This is essential for several reasons. First, your home security company is instantly notified when the alarm goes off and will contact you immediately to assess the situation; they will also notify the authorities. Second, you can call someone outside your home for help. Contact a friend or relative as soon as you can and let them know what is happening.
4. Know your password
When your home security company calls your home, they will ask for your password; if you know it is a false alarm and don’t want to notify the police, you need to have your password. If you don’t know your password, the authorities will be dispatched because the security company does not know if you are who you say you are or if you might be talking under duress.
5. Have a plan
An effective plan can help you stay calm and could potentially save lives. The best plan is to designate a safe area to wait for authorities to clear your home of danger. The safe zone (or room) should ideally be as far away from any potential break-in areas (such as windows and doors) as possible; it is also good to have a deadbolt installed on the door.
While security systems can help make your home and family safer and more secure, you should always practice vigilance and awareness in case of an emergency. Never put yourself or your family members in danger. The best option is to let your security system do what it is designed to do, which is to help you.
Are home security systems good for home protection?
This is a question that we all ask ourselves before we get a security system. Home protection and family safety are the primary goals of a home security system. While this includes detecting burglaries, a security system also detects a number of other threats, including smoke, fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and water damage.
Whether you self-monitor or pay for professional monitoring, you can know if there is danger in your home, no matter where you are. A professionally monitored security system will call emergency services for you if a smoke or flood alarm is activated, whether you are home, away, or asleep.
Note that you must purchase the security company’s equipment to get professional smoke and water sensor monitoring, which is not included in standard packages and comes at an additional cost. Many wireless home security systems work with a smartphone app, a convenient way to keep an eye on your family and pets.
For example, door sensors and motion sensors designed to alert you if someone is sneaking around your property can also alert you when your child comes home from school or tell you if your elderly mother got up that morning.
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