YOU NEED TO KNOW
Canada is one of the world leaders in
alarm technology. Both DSC and Paradox are Canadian
companies. You can buy these systems with pride and know you
are getting the most advanced technology available in the world.
If
you own a home or a business an alarm is a must. Building
owners are finding that even common areas need some sort of
supervision, either electronic surveillance, alarm supervision or guard
patrols.
The
basic needs of most homes and businesses are met with a simple alarm
system. This system includes the controller, the telephone
connection for monitoring, the siren, one keypad, one motion detector
and two door contact.
Add-ons
can include more door and window contacts, additional motion detectors,
valuable life safety devices like smoke and heat detectors, Carbon
Monoxide (CO) detectors and even environment detection such as flood
sensors and low temperature sensors.
Designing
the perfect alarm system for your needs always starts with either the
basic system or a system with built-in advanced technology like access
control.
The
basic system includes many advanced features for no additional
charge. If you already have an alarm system you may be able
to use these features for free.
The
Paradox Spectra will serve as our basic alarm system.
The
first feature that every alarm system owner should know is user
codes. Too many people share user codes. With
proper use of user codes an alarm system can provide you with basic
access control functions.
The
Spectra has 32 user codes. Each member of your family or each
employee can have their own code for arming and disarming the alarm
system. The alarm system can track which user code was used
to arm or disarm the system.
To
use this feature properly you must assign each person who uses the
system (we normally refer to users as key holders
because you would have to give an alarm code to everyone who has a key,
and the alarm code is a type of key in itself;) a user number. The alarm
system will accept a different key code for each of the 32 user numbers.
For
example, User Number 5 is "1234" and User Number 30 is
"4321". When the code "4321" is used to arm the system User
Number 30 is logged by the monitoring station. When "1234" is
used to disarm the system User Number 5 is logged into the event
buffer. This feature is called "Opening and Closing" and must
be programmed by your installer.
This
information is especially valuable after a burglary. There is
an extra charge to turn on this feature.
Duress
code: This is a special code that you use only if
you are forced to disarm the alarm system. This code tells
the monitoring station to send help fast!
Arming with a key
This is an especially good way to keep control of your codes.
The key can either be an actual key (make sure it is copy protected) or
it can be a proximity card. By adding this to your alarm
system you can reduce the risk of burglars covertly watching a user
enter his or her code and coming back later.
STAY
arming allows you to arm the alarm system while you are
inside the building. Motion detectors are deactivated and
only the perimeter is armed. Anyone opening a door or window
must enter the alarm code right away or guards will be dispatched.
The
correct way to use this feature includes not disarming the system when
someone is at the door. If you feel you must answer the door
let the delay countdown begin. If the person on the other
side of the door cannot justify why he or she is there you have the
perfect excuse to get rid of the person - you have to shut the door to turn
off the alarm. If the person does not go away you don't have
to do a thing. The alarm will sound and help will be on the
way.
FAST Exit during stay
- this allows you to leave the armed area without disarming the
system. Just push the [STAY/11] key for two seconds and leave
through the normal exit door.
One touch arming -
Also called Quick Arm, this feature allows you to arm the system
without using a code. Great if the cleaning lady isn't
finished and you have to leave. Just have her push the quick
arm key on her way out. Your installer must program this
feature.
Automatic Arming
Your system can arm itself either at a certain time, great when your
employees keep forgetting to arm your alarm system, or when there has
been no movement in an area for a long time, great for storage rooms
that need to be armed.
Door Chime allows
you to hear the keypad beep when someone opens a door or walks into a
room. You can easily turn this feature on and off on the
Paradox Alarm Panels: Hold down the button that corresponds
to the zone you want to chime for two seconds. Store owners
enjoy this feature on their front door. It tells them when
customers enter the store.
Panic Buttons -
These must be programmed by the installer
Partitions - Your
alarm system is actually two systems in one! For example, if
you have a basement apartment in your house you can have that area as
partition one and your main living area as partition two. You
give your tenant a code that only arms their partition and you have a
code that controls both!
Once you understand these basic
features you can make full use of your alarm system. Advanced
features like home automation can be complicated for some.
The best example of a good use of home automation with an alarm system
is to have the lights turn on that lead to an exit when the smoke
detector is triggered.
