Who Owns ADT Alarm Systems After Install?
You’ve paid to have an alarm system installed in your home. Do you own the equipment? Most likely, but not yet if you contracted with a big-box home security company like ADT.
Payment Plans for Equipment
Most people sign up on special offers in which they will pay an installation fee for the equipment, but not the equipment itself. The equipment is paid for over time, as part of the monthly monitoring fees, and usually for a minimum of three years.
This arrangement can work out well if you know you’ll be in your current home for a long time and are 100 percent certain you will be happy with the monitoring services provided by the company with which you are contracting.
If you are renting a residence, intend to move within a few years, or want the flexibility of choosing the company that monitors your alarm system, this type of arrangement might not be the best option. You’ll be locked into a long-term contract that you will be required to fulfill, including monthly monitoring charges, and you won’t be able to take the alarm system equipment with you when you move. In this situation, you might want to consider purchasing your equipment. Your up-front cost will be higher, but your monthly costs will be lower, and it may well work out to be the better bargain in the long run.
Another downfall of package pricing can be the fact that you don’t get to choose the equipment you want. Most starter packages come with specific options, such as a control panel, alarm sound, and two entryway sensors. If you want to add additional equipment, such as window sensors or cameras, the monthly costs jump way up. Before locking into a long-term contract, you should price out the equipment separately and make sure you don’t end up overpaying. Also, make sure the monthly monitoring costs are fixed for the entire length of the contract. Many times, the introductory rate is only good for a short period and then a much higher rate kicks in.
A benefit of purchasing your equipment from the get-go is that you also get what you want. Not all sensors and cameras are made equally. You may be paying a premium price for equipment that’s not top-of-the-line or not the best fit for your lifestyle. With the enormous range of options and features available to homeowners today, it’s worth it to check out the options that are available rather than just assuming all home security system components are the same.
There are a lot of options to think about when choosing an alarm system – equipment options, monitoring, experience, contract length, convenience, usability and much more. Take the time to do your homework and compare several different providers.
Explore Our Other Blogs
What is a Smart Home and How Can Home Automation Solutions Help You?
Home automation solutions are no longer the ideas of science fiction. These intelligent home systems can save you hundreds of dollars through energy conservation, and they can provide state-of-the-art security to protect your home and the loved ones inside of it. What is A Smart Home? A smart home is equipped with lighting, heating, and…
Where Should Window and Motion Sensors be Placed?
Motion and window sensors are basic parts of a security system in both residential and business applications. The expert security team at FSS Technologies has helped thousands of business and property owners stay safe with these tools. Sensors A motion sensor allows a system to detect movement, using waves or light to determine if someone or…
What Are The Different Types of CCTV Cameras?
Your company’s security camera is part of a closed-circuit television system (CCTV). CCTV uses one or more cameras, through either wireless or wired transmission, to send the broadcast from the camera directly to a monitor, set of monitors, or a recording device—providing you peace of mind in the case of crime, fire, theft, or accidents…
What Do Villages Require to Add a Security System?
What Is a Village? A village in the United States is defined as a small municipality with limited corporate powers. A village government usually consists of a village board made up of trustees and a village president. Village Building Codes Have Minimum Requirements Every village adopts its own building codes to establish minimum requirements for…
4 Questions & Answers about Smart Home Devices
Smart Home Technology Let’s face it; we are in love with our smartphones. According to Pew Research Center, more than 81% of Americans now own one; that is up from just 35% in 2011. With so much power in the palm of our hand, it’s not surprising that we want to use our smartphone for…
Theft Prevention Tips for Businesses
Theft, unfortunately, can take a wide variety of forms. Theft in a retail business might include the loss of physical property from shoplifting or can come in the form of embezzlement. In the retail sector, a 2019 National Retail Security Survey reported the average cost per shoplifting incident is $546.67. According to the 2018 Hiscox…
DIY Home Security Cameras
DIY Security Systems Are the New Fad There are many pre-configured, DIY home security system kits on the market. They are sold under various brand names including Ring, Nest, SimpliSafe, and others. The basic idea of a DIY home security system is that you pay one low fee to purchase all of the equipment and…
Fire Systems for the Healthcare Industry
Healthcare facilities face uniquely complex life safety challenges and fire hazards. Unlike other commercial properties, hospitals, clinics, and long-term care centers must safeguard patients and protect equipment that’s both expensive and essential to life safety, and maintain 24/7 operations with no downtime. With vulnerable lives at stake, the healthcare industry must adhere to strict fire…
What is the Lifespan of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors?
As with pretty much everything, your smoke alarm eventually expires. Sensors can become less sensitive over time, making them less adept at doing their job: detecting smoke, carbon monoxide, or potential fires. Replacing the equipment in your fire safety system is important both at home and in your business. We have developed a quick guide…
Why Security Camera Installation Should Be Left to the Professionals
Why You Should Hire a Professional Security Camera Installer If you are not an audiovisual professional, installing quality, capable home security equipment can be a much bigger ordeal than you anticipated. The DIY home security systems advertised on television look easy to set up and install. The truth is that we’ve received many calls from…