Florida is a great place to live and work, but crime, fires and water damage can make living the good life difficult. If you own a home or business in Florida, a florida security company protects your most important assets. Many companies sell security systems, but not all security is the same. Choose the right company for your security needs

Some Watchdogs Are Wolves in Disguise

There's a troop of door-to-door alarm salesmen from Utah who illegally solicit the takeover of residential monitoring services. These individuals falsely state they are the “authorized” Florida security company for Honeywell, First Alert, and GE Dealers for your area, but they are not BASA or FASA licensed in the state of Florida to sell, service, or install alarm systems. Consumers who have fell victim to these conmen have regretted their security decisions.

The Utah conmen are not the only bad actors out there, so you need to protect yourself and your property by doing a little research. Be sure that whichever Florida security company you contract with is a respected part of the community. Check the Better Business Bureau's website for complaints and ratings and never hire anyone with less than an A rating.

A security system is a financial investment in your safety. Before you sign a contract, due diligence is a must. Ask to see evidence that any alarm company you are considering is a member of a local business association, such as the Alarm Association of Florida. Ask for license numbers and check online, verifying that the licenses are valid Florida security company licenses. Contracting with companies who are authorized dealers of well known brands like Honeywell and First Alert is safest. Finally, confirm that any company you work with has insurance.

Choosing the Best

Keeping your family safe requires more than ruling out criminals; for a system that saves your life, you need a highly-qualified Florida security company. Your installers should be BASA/FASA Certified, with NICET Certified Technicians on every installation or repair job. In addition, they should be independently tested by a group like the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to ensure equipment is properly installed. Your security system is too important to be set up by subcontractors, so make sure that your installation crew works for the company you signed the agreement with. While security systems do not need maintenance and repairs often, when they do, your security company should guarantee same-day service on your system

You need a certified Florida security company, monitored from a secure central monitoring station 24/7. Any company that you contract with should have an average response time of less than 30 seconds and a monitoring system based on multiple land lines and dedicated wireless services so that your connection will not be interrupted during an emergency. The company should also provide 24-hour customer support and call in technical support services.

Your security system is important. It's an essential investment, but if you choose the wrong one it could cost your valuables, your home or even your life. Asking the right questions and doing a little internet research to see which Florida Security Company is right for your needs is vital to your safety.

12/12/2011