APX Alarm Review: Advice On Choosing The Right Alarm Company

Stay away from these guys. If you don't believe the many negative posts, (and I believe most are true) here is what I suggest: Simply contact a couple alarm company's in your area (I also suggest staying away from ADT and Brinks)...just contact a couple of alarm companys and talk with them over the phone about what you are considering and why you should use them. If you want to call ADT and Brinks do that to, but not without contacting a couple local firms that are not affilliated/selling ADT/Brinks. Then, after finding two or three that you feel confident in; have them come out and give you an estimate and their recomendations. Ask them about their monitoring. And ask about costs, especially costs of installation and purchasing the system up front. Ask about the general features/ arrangement of the system they propose and what additional features or issues you should consider to have a quality and reliable/ effective system.

You will probably find that you can get a good system, properly designed and installed by trained PROFESSIONALS, monitored by a UL listed monitoring center with plenty of redundancy; for a lot less money than other systems and without obligating you to contracts that you cannot get out of when you get poor service or find that you paid way too much for a system that can be easily defeated.

As with many businesses, beware of the door to door salesman tactics and especially installation that comes minutes after you sign a contract (eager to drill their holes and stick up your system before you have a chance to reflect on how you just got screwed). Beware of verbal statements that are not actually in the contract. And if you didn't heed this advice, remember you have a 3-day right of recision in the contract (I suggest using certified mail/ return receipt for exercising that option). It doesn't hurt to check with your local BBB or Attorney's General to see if their are any complaints and if who you are using even holds the proper licenses. You might be surprised what you find out about this company in particular; as well as many of the big names. Use that time to do proper research. You will save money and get a quality system.

Alarm systems are not that complicated. You need quality products, sensors that are of the right type, properly located, proper quantity, proper calibration, quality installation by trained professionals who both take care about your home and know the technical portion of their business; and then monitoring by a UL listed, properly trained monitoring service with some degree of redundancy. Keep in mind the big companies usuallly do not "manufacturer" their systems...and that there are many reliable monitoring agencies; so don't fall into the trap and think that because some firm is one of the largest and you have heard of them before that they are automatically the best or even a good value. In this day and age; marketing power and advertising seems to do more for developing a business base than providing quality products, professionalism, and quality service.

And as far as ADT and Brinks, certainly they have some decent systems (not all systems, but they do have some good ones), but be aware that it is hit or miss with the installers, the appropriateness of the system design etc. Unfortunately; with the advent of wireless; many company's just stick up their devices and run...using very poorly trained or uneducated installers. There is much more to designing and installing a good system than that.

Finally, keep in mind that most of those great big control panels that have the "brains" and keypad all in one unit are very easily defeated...you are paying high dollar for minimal protection junk...probably paying more than you would for a good system if you did your research or talked to some professionals.

Like anything, a proper security system should be designed and installed by professionals. There are some good installers at ADT and Brinks, and probably some good systems available...but like in many businesses; many of these firms live more on their name than truly providing a reliable, quality product, properly DESIGNED and installed.

Most importantly; many company's will sell you a good alarm system at a reasonable price and not require you to commit to their monitoring service at all. Just make sure the system you purchase can be monitored by other companies if you so choose at a later date. That way these businesses retain your patronage by providing a quality product at a fair price...NOT by locking you into a contract where they can bend you over a barrel.