Tag Archives: burglar alarm

April 29, 2013 · 9:54 pm

Don’t set Your Motion Detector Off By Mistake!

Our motion detectors are really sensitive – which is a good thing. It assures you that your home is always protected. But if you are new to the system, it can be easy to trigger a false alarm. To help you avoid this, you should understand how a motion detector works. It uses passive infrared technology, which means you not only have to avoid movement while the sensor is armed but light and temperature shifts as well.

Pet immunity The motion detector comes with pet immunity; however depending upon the size of your pet, you can increase or decrease the sensor’s sensitivity (to 33 or 55 pounds) Also make sure that when we mount the sensor, it is located so that pets can’t come within 6 feet of it by climbing on the furniture or other objects. (This makes a home with cats not a very good candidate for a motion detector)
Bugs and insects The sensor has built in protection to prevent bugs from getting into the sensor and causing false alarms. This doesn’t stop a bug from crawling across the face of the sensor though and this can trigger an alarm.
Reflected light Infrared energy can be reflected off any glossy surface such as mirrors, windows or floors with a glossy finish
Windows Windows not only reflect infrared energy but they can also allow sunlight or light from cars to pass through the sensor
HVAC Heating and air conditioning ducts should not be blowing air onto the sensor. The detector can’t see the air but it notes the change in temperature and this can cause a false alarm.
Moving objects Anything that can sway or move because of an air current. Things like curtains, blinds, balloons, loose paper or other items that might be blown around by the heating and air conditioning ducts are an issue.
Vibration Make sure that the sensor is mounted on a solid surface and does not vibrate. Vibration may not only cause the sensor to move a little but it can also cause the fields of view in the room to move triggering a false alarm.

These are the reasons why we will not install a motion detector in a garage!

About Burns & McBride

Our job is to provide essential services to homeowners. one of those essential services is home security and automation. We provide affordable home automation to help protect families, allow them to use energy more wisely and simplify their lives.The Burns & McBride Smart, Safe Home system uses Z-wave technology to tie things like locks, thermostats and lights together so that you can control them whether you are home or away. Burns & McBride has been providing essential home services since 1949. To learn more about Burns & McBride’s Smart, Safe Home can help you – call us at 302-656-5110 or visit our website at www.burnsandmcbride.com

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Filed under Home Safety, Home Security, How Things Work, Uncategorized

Tagged as burglar alarm, motion detector, pir

June 17, 2012 · 1:25 am

What is Two Way Voice and Why Do I Need It?

Two Way Voice is Vital, it reduces false alarms and can lead to verified, faster police response times.

Traditional alarm systems work the following way:

Alarm is triggered
Alarm system seizes control of the phone line
After at least 30 seconds (CP01 standard) the alarm system will dial out to the monitoring center and complete the “handshake”
event ually the monitoring station will receive all the information and attempt to call back the premise on the premise’s land line.

Typically the burglar or home intruder do not answer the telephone call (go figure). The monitoring center next calls the police and informs them that an alarm is going off but they could not verify if it is an actual intruder because no one answered the phone call.

Two Way Voice is different, Especially Two Way Voice by Burns & McBride.

Two Way Voice allows the central station to communicate through a speaker phone built into the Go!Control alarm panel only after an alarm has been triggered. It allows our Central Station operators to instantly talk to you through the alarm panel and to hear what is going on inside the house if you are not home. We have heard footsteps, movement, rummaging, glass shattering, and even people screaming. When we hear any type of movement inside the house we then verify to the police that this alarm call is a “crime in progress” which they love. Police often respond very quickly with a higher priority to verified alarms opposed to unverified alarm calls because 98% of all alarm calls are false. In fact, many cities have enacted verified alarm policies where they refuse to respond to a unverified alarm signal.

Burns & McBride’s Two Way Voice is even better. We use Two Way Voice over the cellular network. Most companies that provide Two Way Voice provide it only over the telephone (POTS) line. This is great until your phone line is cut or tampered with not only disabling your Two Way voice but also disabling your whole alarm system.

Two way voice is a standard feature of the Burns & McBride Smart, Safe home system. Just one more way that our Smart, Safe Home helps you and your family.

Other security dealers offer two way voice but it is normally not a standard feature. Here is a video from one of those companies which does a good job of explaining the benefits of two way voice.

About Burns & McBride

Our job is to provide essential services to homeowners. one of those essential services is home security and automation. We provide affordable home automation to help protect families, allow them to use energy more wisely and simplify their lives.The Burns & McBride Smart, Safe Home system uses Z-wave technology to tie things like locks, thermostats and lights together so that you can control them whether you are home or away. Burns & McBride has been providing essential home services since 1949. To learn more about Burns & McBride’s Smart, Safe Home can help you – callus at 302-656-5110 or visit our website at www.burnsandmcbride.com

Smart, Safe Home Package Is Now Standard on Burns & McBride HVAC Installations!

We are delighted to announce that the Burns & McBride Smart, Safe Home system is now a standard feature on our heating and cooling equipment installations.

This system makes any new HVAC system better by improving energy savings when you are away from home while at the same time offering protection from burglary, fire and other life safety events.

Among the energy saving features of the Smart, Safe Home system are:

Automatically turns the heat down or the cooling up when you leave home and arm the system to perfectly match energy savings with your active lifestyle and save money on energy bills
Sends you a text message if there is a problem with the heating or cooling while you’re away
Turns the furnace blower off if the smoke alarm goes off to prevent smoke damage
Provides 24/7 life safety monitoring for life safety issues like burglary, fire or carbon monoxide dangers.
And more…

The Smart, Safe Home system includes the Go!Control control module featuring the latest and most advanced security and home management solution in the industry featuring:

Color touch-screen interface

Intuitive, user-friendly interface is found on the Go!Control panel, your computer (internet) and web-enabled phone – providing you with access when and where you need it.

GSM (cellular) radio

The most reliable communication option available in the industry. No more concern with cut phone lines or the elimination of residential phone lines altogether. Exclusive “smash and grab” protection sends an alarm signal even if a burlar tries to destroy the Go!control panel.

Integrated two-way voice

Go!Control allows the central station to listen in and talk to the homeowner when a signal is received.

(3) Thin Door/Window Contact

(1) Passive Infrared Motion Detector

(1) 4-Button Key Ring Remote

(1) Honeywell Programmable “Smart” Z-Wave Smart Thermostat

(1) Yard sign and set of window decals

Switches, locks, light controls and other Z-wave devices can easily be added.

We Install It – Unlike some Do It Yourself security systems who send you the pieces in a box, your equipment new system will be installed by a trained Burns & McBride technician. These systems are very simple to operate but they are sophisticated – particularly when it comes to tying them into your heating and cooling equipment.

We Support It – with our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with the equipment during the first year, we will remove the equipment and return all of your money.

For more information on this program, call us at 302-656-5110 or visit our website at http://www.burnsandmcbride.com

The Smart, Safe Home system is just one more way that we at Burns & McBride are helping homeowners save money by using energy as wisely as possible while making their home’s safe and comfortable.

For more information on this exciting product call us at 302-656-5110 or visit our website at http://www.burnsandmcbride. Finally you might want to follow our blog at http://www.burnsandmcbrideblog.com. Just as Smartphones are adding applications and changing every day so to with the technology behind our Smart, Safe home system. Our blog explains some of the constantly changing things that are happening in the industry and we hope that you find it informative.

What is the Smart, Safe Home Package?

We have smart phones and smart cars, but smart homes have seemed out of the reach of the average person. But now new technology coupled with our 62 years of experience in home services has brought affordable, home management to the public.

Burns & McBride is pleased to introduce the most technologically advanced security and yet affordable home automation solution available today.

Taking advantage of the experience we’ve gained in home comfort since 1949, our Smart, Safe Home System protects your family from life safety emergencies such as fire or burglary, controls your heating and cooling system to help to reduce your energy bills with “Smart” thermostats and lets you manage your home remotely. Our state-of-the-art system offers you the versatility and peace of mind you need to secure your home and protect your budget with the touch of a button – even from your mobile phone.

Simply More than Security

As a Burns & McBride home security customer you’ll enjoy all of these valuable benefits:

Simple, affordable technology saves money on your energy bills and provides 24/7 security monitoring
Home automation – You can remotely control your thermostats, lights and other appliances to minimize your energy use, so that the energy savings can pay for the system!
Around-the-clock 24/7 monitoring by one of the country’s leading central stations with a 60 second response time for emergencies like fire, burglary or carbon monoxide
Remote Security – You can control your system and receive real time notifications about activity in your home from almost anywhere, even your mobile phone
Savings of up to 10% on your homeowner’s insurance premiums
Text messages for things like doors opening or closing (know when the kids got home from school)
Monitored Heating and Cooling Sensors – Your system automatically notifies us of heating or air conditioning problems, even if you aren’t home. As a home security customer, you move to the top of the list, and the next available qualified technician will be sent to remedy the problem.
No long term contract required

We Install It – Unlike some Do It Yourself security systems who send you the pieces in a box, your equipment new system will be installed by a trained Burns & McBride technician. These systems are very simple to operate but they are sophisticated – particularly when it comes to tying them into your heating and cooling equipment.

We Support It with our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with the equipment during the first year, we will remove the equipment and return all of your money.

Tag Archives: burglar alarm

Don’t set Your Motion Detector Off By Mistake!

What is Two Way Voice and Why Do I Need It?

Two Way Voice is Vital, it reduces false alarms and can lead to verified, faster police response times.

Two Way Voice is different, Especially Two Way Voice by Burns & McBride.