City of Houston

The City of Houston is changing their policies in regards to the alarm permit and response process.  Although most things remain the same with this revision, there are some important details to cover.

Alarm Permit Fees Increase

First, for residential subscribers, the annual fee has increased to $36.13 for a standard burglar alarm.  For the combination burglar and hold-up/panic, the fee remains at $50.

For Commercial and Non-Residential alarms, the standard burglar alarm permit fee has increased to $103.23.   The commercial combination burglar and hold-up/panic alarm permit fee is $206.46 every year.

For all initial registrations where the fee is greater than $50, there is an additional $25.80 administrative fee.  So this will only apply to Non-Residential/Business type locations.

False Alarm Fees

Getting your City of Houston alarm permit is important.  Without the alarm permit, you could incur hefty fines should you have a false alarm.  The schedule of fines is set forth below, but be advised that the City of Houston has the right to change these at any time.

Residential

• 3 or less there is no charge
• 4-5 are billable at $50 each
• 6-7 are billable at $75 each
• 8+ are billable at $100 each
• False alarm with no permit is billable at $103.23 per occurrence
• False hold-up/panic – 1 free if permitted.
• False Hold-up/panic – 2nd is billable at $123.87
• False Hold-up/panic – 3rd is billable at $247.75
• False Hold-up/panic – 4th is billable at $371.62
• False Hold-up/panic – 5+ are billable at $495.50 each.
• Panic alarms without a permit are $272.52 per response and/or no response. (you could be billed even if they don’t come!)

Commercial

• 3 or less there is no charge
• 4-5 are billable at $50 each
• 6-7 are billable at $75 each
• 8+ are billable at $100 each & permit subject to revocation
• False alarm with no permit is billed at $206.46 per occurrence
• False hold-up/panic – 1 free if permitted.
• False Hold-up/panic – 2nd is billable at $247.75
• False Hold-up/panic – 3rd is billable at $495.50
• False Hold-up/panic – 4+is billable at $619.38 each
• Non-residential panic alarms without a valid permit are billable at $433.56 per response/and or no response (meaning you could be billed even if the police do not come)

The City of Houston is also requiring all alarm companies to provide a permit number upon dispatch.  If there is no permit number provided, they may not send the police.  It is IMPORTANT to notify your alarm company immediately and give them your permit number once you receive it.

The City is also trying to crack down on false alarm offenders as evidenced by the false alarm fee schedule.  If you are having a problem with your system, you need to contact the alarm company and get it fixed.  If you are having problems using your system, go to the section on our site called user manuals and familiarize yourself with how your system works.

You may pay for your alarm permit online or by mail.  Just go to the bottom of the City of Houston alarm permit for details.  If you need a copy of your permit, you can get it by going to www.houstonburglaralarmpermits.org.  You will have to register the first time you use this service.

City of Houston burglar alarm permits renew every year.  Set yourself up a reminder as to when you need to renew yours.  Don’t count on the City to remind you, because you will be the one either paying the fine or having no police response.

Click Here to Get your City of Houston Alarm Permit

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Was she right to dispatch?

Yes, absolutely. Whenever an alarm signal comes into the monitoring station, their job is to call back to the site to ensure that the alarm is not a false alarm. But if you cannot provide the proper password, the operator has no way of knowing if it is really you. In this day of identity theft and online hackers, it is easy for the criminal minds in society to get all the personal information about you that they want. If the operator were to just “take your word for it” over the phone, what good would alarm monitoring be?

If you set up a password with the alarm company that only you know, then the bad guy cannot get that by swiping a personal file about you. Try not to use the same password that you use on your computer.

Make sure that your alarm password is something that everyone who has access can remember easily. Should you forget your password, most alarm companies will simply mail you a letter back to reveal your password.

Keep in mind though, that should you forget your password, and the operator dispatches the local authorities, that they are indeed doing their job properly.

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1. Tips to Reduce False Burglar Alarms

Most burglaries will occur from the back of the house. There is less chance of them getting caught if they are trying to break in the back, as opposed to trying to get in from the front of the house where the neighbors can see. And the privacy fence that provides privacy for you, also shields them from view of your neighbors.

However, if you lock the privacy fence gate from the inside, the thief will have to jump over the gate, which is much harder. It is absolutely best if you can put a keyed lock on it, but simply sliding the latch to a locking position, will make their job more difficult. Hopefully, this will get them to go bother someone else and leave you alone.

Thieves are looking for a easy target. Lock your privacy fence gate, and make your home more secure.

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Most electrical and battery operated smoke detectors operate with a 9 volt battery.  There is a little tab to pull out on the smoke detector that will expose the battery to be replaced.

Experts agree that these should be changed out at least once per year.

Also, blow out any dust that you may see on the smoke detector while you are at it.

If you have monitored smoke detectors that are tied into the alarm system, don’t worry about changing those batteries.  These smoke detectors if hardwired, do not have a built in battery back-up, but operate on the alarm system’s main back-up battery.

If you happen to have wireless monitored smoke detectors, the batteries that are installed at the time of installation are lithium batteries that are designed to last 3-4 years.  If you experience a low battery on these smokes, you will be notified on the keypad, and the alarm company will be notified at the monitoring station.  If you tamper with the monitored smokes, they will send in a signal to the monitoring station.

Ensure That You Have Smoke Detectors in Each Bedroom

Most homes built after 1992 have a smoke detector in each bedroom and out in the hall outside of the bedrooms.  But  homes that were built before 1992, or even some homes built after 1992, don’t have smokes in all of the bedrooms.

Battery operated smoke detectors cost only about $10 at Lowe’s or Home Depot.  Isn’t that a very small price to pay for an early warning in case your home does have a fire.  There is simply no excuse for not making sure that every bedroom has either a hardwired or battery operated smoke detector.

Don’t ignore your fire system.  It may save your life!

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1. Carbon Monoxide Detector Tips | Don’t Let CO be Your Silent Killer

How is CO Produced?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced as a by-product of combustion of anything that burns fuel. This could be gas furnaces, barbecue grills, water heaters, fireplaces (wood & gas burning), stoves, automobiles, etc. CO poisoning mimics flu-like symptoms, thereby disguising the seriousness of the problem.

How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide in the Home

• Do not run an automobile in the attached garage for an extended time. If you need to warm your car up, back it out after starting and then allow to warm up.
• Ensure that the flue is open when lighting the fireplace.
• In case of power outage, do not use generators inside the home. Keep the generator away from windows, doors, or any vent openings which may allow the CO to enter the home.
• Check the pilot lights on natural gas appliances such as the hot water heater. The flame should appear blue. If it is yellow, then the appliance is likely producing CO.
• Have your heating system checked at least once a year by a professional to ensure that there are no leaks that may cause an issue.
• Never use barbecue grills our outdoor appliances indoors.

How Many CO detectors does your home need?

The recommendation of the National Fire Protection Association is that you should install a CO detector outside each sleeping area and on each level of the home. Ensure that the carbon monoxide detectors are plugged in all the way. If they are the battery operated kind, make sure that you replace the batteries at least once per year. For the ultimate in protection, install carbon monoxide detectors inside each bedroom for an earlier warning.

It is also to important to note that you should replace your CO detectors at least once every five years. CO alarms are not designed to last forever and will lose their effectiveness over time.

What is the Best Place to Purchase a CO Detector?

There are many places to purchase CO detectors. But what is the best? Amazingly enough, I am going to advise against buying them from your alarm company if you are just needing to make sure that you are out of the house in the case of a CO presence. By the time we purchase our CO detector and pay our techs to install them, you can usually get 2-3 carbon monoxide detectors for the same money at places like Walmart, Lowe’s, & Home Depot. Since the CO detectors are primarily for notification of the occupants to get out, and not necessarily to alert the authorities, I would rather see you spend your money on more devices to provide more coverage. When it comes to CO protection, the more devices the better.

If however you are wanting to protect your pets or the elderly while you are away, then the monitored CO detectors are a great option. Just consider these instances when deciding on what protection you are most likely to need.

Why not get your CO detector now? You can order securely through Amazon.com via the links provided below.

Back to Houston Alarm Monitoring & Security Systems in Houston by Texstar Alarm Systems Home

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1. Time to Change the Batteries on Your Smoke Detectors
2. Tips to Reduce False Burglar Alarms

Below you will find a few quick tips to help reduce false burglar alarms and the possibility of fines at your home or business.

• Never leave Mylar balloons in a room with a motion detector. This is a big problem around Valentine’s day. The balloons will float in view of the motion, and set it off.

• Ensure that no spider webs or cob webs exist around the motion detectors. If a spider or bug gets on the face of the motion detector, it can set the motion off. This situation can be very hard to troubleshoot. In some cases, especially in commercial settings, if you can put a moth ball behind the motion, it will greatly deter the bugs. But remember, the moth balls don’t last forever and will need to be replaced every now and then.

• Make sure your alarm company knows if you have added a pet to the family. There are pet motion detectors available that are able to pick up a person, but ignore the animal. However, in the case of a cat, the cat may jump so quickly as to fool the motion into thinking it is a person. It is advisable to look at other alternatives to a motion detector if you have a cat.

• Never leave your remotes out. The remote controls that come with some security installations have panic buttons on them. If you leave them out and a child or pet starts playing with them, it could trigger a false panic alarm.

• Make sure that all doors and windows are shut completely before arming the alarm.

• Ensure that everyone who has access to the home or business knows the code to turn the alarm off, and the password if it is accidentally set off.

• Answer the phone if you set the alarm off. It is probably the monitoring company calling for the password.

• Do not leave things out that can fall in front of the motion detector. For instance, if you leave Hallmark cards standing up on a counter, and one of them falls down, it could trigger a false burglar alarm if the motion happens to be aimed in that direction.

• If you accidentally set your alarm off, turn it off immediately.

• If you have had windows or doors replaced, it is best to have a security professional repair the contacts. But if you should decide to do it yourself, you must ensure that you put the contacts back properly.

• Test your system once a month to ensure everything is working properly.

Most police departments have fines for excess amounts of false burglar alarms. Usually you get 5 free false alarm dispatches a year, but some agencies have only 3 free dispatches. If you set your alarm off, and the monitoring station calls you back and you give them the proper password, the alarm will be canceled. This is not considered a false burglar alarm by the police. Only when the police are dispatched does it count against you.

It is important to note also that if you do not have a current alarm permit filed with your local jurisdiction, the police may not respond. If they do respond, you will probably incur a fine. So be sure to file your permit. To find your alarm permit for the Greater Houston area, visit our alarm permit resource page.

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2. Carbon Monoxide Detector Tips | Don’t Let CO be Your Silent Killer