Below are some of the questions we get asked most frequently from our customers and homeowners.
Using a modern system like the Lightsys 2 from Risco Group we can allow for any eventuality. In fact most of our systems are pet friendly anyway because perimeter alarms using shock sensors on doors and windows allow free movement around the property. Motion detectors are a little old fashioned in a modern system because if this triggers somebody is already in your house. With a perimeter system the alarm sounds whilst the intruder is OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY trying to gain access.
The other major benefit of such a system is that you can set the system and have free movement around the property yourself. This is particularly useful for customers with young children. Getting up and going downstairs doesn’t require the alarm to be switched off. You can have a cup of tea and watch television if you like safe in the knowledge that if a prowler tries to gain entry the alarm will sound.
This isn’t to say that motion detectors don’t play a part in a modern security system. We still specify motion detectors and even these can be pet friendly if you use good quality equipment but they only need to be armed when you leave the house empty. A perimeter system is also excellent for the elderly, particularly if they live in a bungalow. Free movement around the house is critical when specifying a user friendly system.
Let me come and use my experience to specify the perfect system for your particular property and lifestyle.
People often ask if they can get a discount on their home insurance if they have one of our Lightsys Systems fitted. The short answer is ‘Yes you can’ but I would like to offer some further advice on this subject.
The Lightsys control panel can be fitted as a grade 3 alarm system with full police response monitoring if required. This means it can be fitted in banks and any high end retail establishments so it is more than adequate for a typical domestic installation.
When you purchase a home insurance policy they ask various questions about your home security. This is usually about the type of locks on doors and windows and whether they are British Standard etc. Another question is always ‘Do you have a burglar alarm?’ If the answer is yes then they want to know if you have the system regularly maintained and also if the maintenance company is a member of SSAIB or NSI.
It is human nature to want to say yes to all of these things to feel as adequately protected as possible. But who benefits from this exactly? The best offer I have seen from an insurance company is a 5% discount applied to your policy if you answer yes to all of their questions. It is also true that in most cases they offer no discount whatsoever. The insurance companies just know that you really want to adhere to all of their stringent requirements related to your home insurance to ensure that you are adequately covered.
It might interest you to know that when I buy my home insurance and they ask if I have a burglar alarm I always say no despite my house being like Fort Knox. Lots of other people say no to this question too even though they have a burglar alarm. The reasons vary. Maybe they have an alarm that no longer works or perhaps they have acquired some pets so they never use their alarm system. Millions of people have burglar alarms who rarely switch them on. The truth is that you don’t have to have (or admit to having) a burglar alarm in order to buy an insurance policy.
The other important thing to bear in mind is how much this is worth to you. My buildings and contents policy this year cost me £157 (for my typical 4 bed semi-detached) and if I tried to get a 5% discount I would have saved £7.85.
The short answer to this is NO. The vast majority of a new installation is wireless anyway and if you have an old system being upgraded we can utilise wiring that is already in place if it passes our wiring test.
We do need to install some wiring however. We need to run a cable to the outside sounder and strobe light and a cable to the keypad where you operate the system. We have had years of practice at running cables and it is highly unlikely that you will see a cable anywhere. A word of warning here for people getting several quotes however. The external sounder uses too much energy to be wireless. There are wireless sounders available for most systems these days, including our Lightsys system, but they should only be used as a very last resort. Many companies use them because it saves them the problem of wiring……but we always install the wired version of the sounders available. It’s a thousand times better.
We never install anything without discussing the wiring routes and options with you the customer. I can assure you it is easier than you might think to do a perfect job.
There is nothing worse than having a pushy salesman in your house making up stories about special one time offers etc.
We are different. We don’t do special offers or bank holiday sales. We advertise our prices on this website publicly so you can see what it costs. So don’t worry. You won’t be visited by a silver tongued salesman in a shiny suit telling terrifying stories of violent burglaries. Such incidents are extremely rare and this is not why we prefer to visit the property.
You will be visited by a fat, bald electrician (me usually) for the simple purpose of specifying the correct system and discussing how it is installed. You will receive an emailed quotation and then it’s up to you. There will be no contract thrust in front of you to place the order. In our experience customers need a conversation with each other about all the things that have been discussed and then they place the order.
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Absolutely! We install and maintain burglar alarms and home security systems across the whole of Manchester.
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