Scott Alarm Web Log
Our Business Is “Alarming” !!

HOLD THE PHONE!

What has happened to the telephone?  Does anyone know what has become of it?  The saturation of new gadgets and technologies to provide our home telephone service is unprecedented.  Never before have we had such a difficult and confusing decision to make when it comes to telecommunications.  For a hundred years we have had one choice: Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS).   It was easy, you called the phone company and said “I need service” and they would lease you a line and a phone (any color you want as long as it’s black). But all that has changed, and the number of people using traditional POTS service is shrinking.  New technologies now available can bring telephone service to your home using the internet, and from a variety of providers. The new service is called Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP.  The force driving the conversion to this alternative telephone service is price.  Many of the up and coming carriers offer all inclusive service with local, long distance calling with call waiting, call forwarding and voice mail for one lower monthly price.

All this sounds great for the consumer who until recently did not have any options from an industry with out competition.  But ………

Is the quality of VoIP as good as POTS service? Generally yes, but we have noticed a lot of calls that get cut off for no apparent reason. And random clicking noises can be heard during some calls.

The new internet phone services also have created some new issues with a few of the telephone features we take for granted with POTS service.  Did you know that many internet telephone connections have little of no battery backup?  What that means to you is that in the event of a power outage you may have no telephone service.  Like most people I have grown accustom to using my home telephone when the power is out, and have the peace of mind that I can call 911 at any time.  If you are going to depend on calling 911 using an internet telephone provider then please do your home work.  Some VoIP providers do not offer traditional 911 services.

Another important question for you to research is “Will my security system still work with VoIP service?”  “Will it be able to send an emergency signal when I need it the most?”  The answer is both yes and no, depending on the provider you select and the technology used.  Using a VoIP telephone service may require that you also change the way your security system communicates with your central station, this can be done using a broadband adaptor (black box) or some type of radio backup. The radio style of communicator is preferred because of the additional security it provides by not being venerable to being cut or tampered with. Many of the internet compatible security systems offer several enhanced functions to message you about what may be going on at your home.

One last point to ponder is “Who will I call if there is a problem?” “How computer savvy am I?”   With traditional phone service we just called “the phone company.”

So what is the best home telephone service for you? It depends on you. If you can live with the short comings of the new wave to save a few dollars, just knowing that like all emerging technologies it will get better with time.  .  Call Scott Alarm at 904-265-2000 (outside of Jacksonville call 888-338-7233).  If “Crime Makes you mad”, fight back with a Scott Alarm today! Check us out at www.scottalarm.com.

IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE,

IT PROBABLY IS

I’m reminded of what my Mother would say to me as a young man, “There always seems to be a bad egg in every basket”.  At the time we didn’t get eggs in a basket, they came in a cartoon just like you get today at the store.  I get what she was saying, we find “Bad Eggs” everywhere we look.  Be it politicians, educators, clergy,  private business or government.

Today we are finding “Bad Eggs” popping up in the security alarm business.  It’s a shame but true.  We are hearing reports of bad players who have acted literally as Con Artists, prying on unsuspecting citizens with “slick” campaigns that over promise and under deliver.  I’m writing this article to try and warn you of some of their flim flam tactics and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim.

One of the latest charades going on across the country is a program known as “Summer Jobs”.  Young people have been hired and trained (from mid west states) and sent to larger cities during the summer months.  They go door to door canvassing neighborhoods looking for houses that have burglar alarms.  After knocking on a door they tell the homeowner “We have been hired by Honeywell or GE or another name brand who are recalling certain units.  The un-suspecting victim is asked if they may come in and see if their system is one of the systems on the recall list.  After looking at the control panel, sure enough your system is “recalled” and the company will replace it at no charge.  They gather brief information from you, have you sign a release and then schedule a tech to come by and replace your alarm panel.  What you are not aware of is that the release you just signed is a 3 or 5 year contract with a company that is out of state and does not provide you with the same level of service that you are probably accustomed to.  Now you have two alarm monitoring contracts and the one with the “Summer Jobs Company” has a stable of Attorneys from out of state that will do everything to make your life miserable in hopes that you will just give up and pay them.  And of course your original company wants their agreement honored.

This is just one of several scams that these people are doing around the country.  Last week one of our customers called us who had just that day experienced a similar type of approach.  We contacted the Sheriff’s Office only to find that they had already received two complaints about this company for trying to take “Advantage of the Elderly”.  We checked with the Better Business Bureau and found 68 complaints filed against them.  This time they did not get away with it.  But how does the consumer protect themselves?  For one, beware of a company that sends people door to door.  If someone is representing an Alarm Company ask for their credentials.  All alarm companies are required to be licensed by the State of Florida.  In addition, any employee working for said company and who comes in contact with the public is required by Florida Statue #489 to have received training from the state and required to carry photo ID issued by the state.  Florida mandates that the person have the ID (BASA certification for burglar alarms and FASA certification for fire) with them at all times if they are involved in sales, service or any other consultation.  The other thing you should always do when purchasing anything is to check the company out with the Better Business Bureau (by phone or online) and Consumer Affairs.  READ AND UNDERSTAND ANY CONTRACT BEFORE YOU SIGN IT.  Call Scott Alarm at 904-265-2000 (outside of Jacksonville call 888-338-7233).  If “Crime Makes You mad”, fight back with a Scott Alarm today! Check us out at www.scottalarm.com.

“MAKING YOUR HOME WORK” By Bruce Scott, Bryan Pope, and Jeff Budd of Scott Alarm

This is not something that you haven’t heard of before. The economy is headed to what may not be a full blown recession but it could get too close for comfort. Gas prices are soaring at an unbelievable rate, with no end in sight and everything in the world that can attach itself to the fuel problem is and will continue. The price of steel, corn, maintenance, eating out, vacation, and just this week the price of a movie ticket increased (they say because of the increase in the cost of popcorn, their largest profit center) just to name a few. The trickle down effect is touching almost everything that impacts our lives.

Now, along comes the increase in crime. In a good year (remember those) we would find ourselves on the cusp of the largest season for crime increase. You guessed it! School is out for the summer and any law enforcement agency would tell you that “Tis the Season” for burglary, larceny, shop lifting and robbery. What adds to the problem this year will be the ascent’s of enough summer jobs to go around.

The Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida commissioned a panel of citizens that have recommended a tax levy of 61 million dollars to fund an anti crime program. This is on top of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s already having the largest budget of any department in the city. Is this action going to stop all the problems citizens are faced with in dealing with the criminal element? It would be nice, but it won’t take care of the whole problem. You can quote me on that.

In thirty eight years of protecting home and business owners from the threats of Fire, Burglary, Robbery and Assault, I have found that several steps of action that we all must take. As crime goes up, we must all “Fight Back”! Don’t telegraph your vulnerability to the bad guy. Be aware that the person at your door may not be your friend. If your house has an intercom system, use it. Don’t leave newspapers in the driveway, if you’re leaving town suspend the service until you return. Trim the hedges around your house so that they cannot conceal themselves while they break in. Make your home appear to be lived in with lights, music etc (if your handy rig up timers) even when your away. Don’t make it easy for the bad guy by leaving things to help them rob you like ladders in your back yard, or leaving your garage unlocked causing you even worse pain by ripping you off using your tools to do it.

But the most obvious thing you should do is protect your home or business with a professionally monitored Security Alarm System installed by a Pro. Your insurance company gives you rate incentives that in most case pay for system and monthly service. Why do the big insurers give these discounts? Simple, they know you are at far less risk than the guy that protects his property with a recording of a barking dog. So do something that has worked for over four hundred thousand installations. Call Scott Alarm at 904-265-2000 (outside of Jacksonville call 888-338-7233). If “Crime Makes You mad”, fight back with a Scott Alarm today! Check us out at www.scottalarm.com.

By Bruce Scott, Bryan Pope, Jeff Budd

Many of us are used to cleaning with a traditional vacuum cleaner, whether it is an upright, a canister or one of the many other types available, but a central vacuum system can be a welcome change that not only makes cleaning easier but also enhances your home and your life.  A central vacuum system provides almost 100 percent filtration removing dust and allergens from your living space making your home a healthier place to live. Most central vacuum systems require very little maintenance such as emptying the canister as needed or a filter that will need to be changed about once a year.

The suction of a central vacuum system like most is affected by length of hose, types of attachments and professional installation methods. Canisters are usually installed based on the square footage of the home.  Always go bigger than what the maximum is on the unit.  So if your house is 2480 square feet and the unit says that it will work for up to 2500 square feet, go to the next size up.  This will give you not only better power but also less stress on your unit.

The convenience of inlet valves throughout the home makes vacuuming simple. You can either take the hose where you want to clean or there is even a hose made that comes right out of your wall so you never have to carry it around.
Inlet valves will need to be placed throughout the home. Locations will allow the vacuum system to reach all the areas of the home with a standard 30-foot hose. You will want to consider the placement of furniture if possible before the inlets locations are placed remembering that the hose will have to maneuver around and through while vacuuming. You will also want to make sure you are able to reach drapes and into corners, your house might have.

The value of your home will also increase with the addition of a central vacuum system. If you are building a new home, be sure to ask your builder to arrange your rough- in before the drywall stages of construction for the best placement for inlets or even if your builder forgot to add one there are many options available for a quick clean install.

Choosing a central vacuum system is the right choice. You simply need to consider your home, your family and your cleaning needs.  This article will be posted on our Blog at www.scottalarm.com.  So, if you have any comments, questions or suggestions on this article or any other “Home Works” matters please post it.