For the tightest security measures at your home, you should have a burglar alarm installed. This will better prepare you for any security incidents that may occur and will give you and your family peace of mind for the protection of your house and your belongings. There are several types of burglar alarm that are most suitable for households, but will depend on your housing arrangement and location.

Audible-only burglar alarm

This is the most common and basic type of burglar alarm. When triggered, the alarm will sound both internally and externally, and a strobe light will flash externally. This wards off intruders at your home, and warns you and your neighbours of a possible burglar. To qualify for police attendance however, your burglar alarm will need to confirm the presence of an intruder to an alarm receiving centre. If your audible-only alarm activates, you will have to rely on your neighbours to report unusual activity such as seeing someone suspicious inside your property before police will attend.

Monitored burglar alarm

A monitored burglar alarm offers a much higher level of security. When a monitored alarm activates, it sends signals through to an alarm receiver centre, or ARC. From the monitoring station, they will be able to identify whether the alarm has been triggered by a real risk, such as a “confirmed” activation, and use their own discretion as to whether to notify the police authorities.

They will also contact your key holders. These are two people that you specify when you install the monitored alarm, and they have to be within 20 minutes distance of your property and be able to attend when the alarm activates for safety measures.

To guarantee a police response, your ARC needs to be registered with your local police, and your alarm installer needs to be recognised with the NSI or SSAIB. Standfast Security’s monitored alarms have been approved by the NSI to Gold Standard, as one of the top alarm installers in Bristol.