Vermont Business Security Systems Checklist

Business security systems are important to consider for commercial property whether you own the property or run your business within it. No matter whether you are at the workplace, home at night, or travelling, ensuring that your employees, property, inventory, and other assets are protected will give you peace of mind.

Running a business is never easy. You work hard every day to find the right product mix, work to ensure your location and equipment are exactly what you need to service or sell to your customers and you spend countless hours planning to create a successful company. From branding, to bookkeeping, company policies, inventory management, merchandising, and the details in the business office or store itself, the number of hours you spend working and thinking about your business are irreplaceable. With all of this hard work, dedication, and the financial investments involved, you must protect your business in every way possible. While no one is able to stop every break-in or robbery, our business security systems checklist will help you analyze preventative security measures to provide comfort knowing you’ve taken proper steps to keep your business and employees safe. Review the list below for the features and benefits of perimeter alarms, temperature and humidity alarms, water alarms, commercial fire protection services, motion detectors and security camera systems:

Perimeter Breach Alarm Systems

A perimeter on your property is key to defending or deterring most burglary attempts. Depending on whether you are protecting outdoor or indoor areas, perimeter alarm systems vary, but the purpose is the same. When the alarm system is on, it monitors entry activity through areas like doors, gates, windows, skylights and ventilation systems and alerts you of any entry or exit activity through them. Depending on the perimeter monitoring needed, different methods can be used to monitor the property. Most systems, when breached, will sound an audible alarm in addition to alerting the monitoring company or system. This acts as a deterrent that can stop malicious attempts immediately, knowing that their presence is detected and authorities could be on the way. In addition to perimeter breach alarms, we recommend adding signage that a security system is monitoring the property for an added deterrent. Stopping a burglar is great when they hear an alarm, but stopping them before they break a window, cut through a fence, or break in a door is even better. While perimeter access is important, these security components work best in combination with other systems like motion detectors and video systems in order to ensure all bases are covered. Many businesses use perimeter breach alarms to monitor typical points of entry like doors and windows, but also use motion detectors for larger spaces that could be accessed through ventilation systems and skylights, or for large areas that include many doors or windows. Nearly all business security systems include this type of alarm, but planning your alarm system is important to partner the best components for alarms, alerts, and deterrents to protect your business properly.

Motion Detectors

Motion detectors detect a change in movement and are an essential part of a business security system. They can be helpful for security systems in all different types of commercial applications: military premises, industrial locations, small businesses, green houses, etc. During business hours and when a building is closed, motion detectors can be used to detect unwanted access in safes, fenced off high-value inventory areas, rooms, garages, furnace rooms, and ventilation systems which are difficult or not feasible to add perimeter protection.

Typical motion detectors are either passive or active.

Passive motion detection uses infrared technology, and monitors a change in temperature, specifically heat. A significant increase in temperature within a space typically indicates an introduction of a body which is then recognized as movement. This type of infrared technology can detect the temperature of a human body and that type of change in the space would then trigger the alarm.

Active motion sensors produce radio waves that bounce off of objects in the monitored space. If something interrupts a radio wave, an alarm is triggered. Understanding which type of detectors to use is important to reduce nuisance alarms.

Some motion detectors incorporate both types of activation into one detector; these are known as dual technology sensors.

Business security systems using motion detectors should be customized based on your property, the type of security needed and the specific size of the space being monitored. Many security systems use motion detectors to protect areas with many windows or potential access points rather than adding perimeter protection to every window. This can be a cost effective way to monitor movement or entry to large spaces without monitoring every potential entry point. Our security professionals will help you plan the use of motion detectors and perimeter protection for your commercial property.

Panic Button Alarms

Panic button alarms are a great addition to provide quick response from local authorities and give your employees peace of mind when a business contains highly valuable assets like cash, jewelry, electronics and other items that could easily be stolen during a hold up or robbery. Many companies like banks and jewelry stores include panic buttons under retail counters so employees can contact the authorities without a phone call or attracting unwanted attention from the robbers. Panic buttons should be accessible and added to the right locations so that this security component is most effective. Our team will help you analyze the proper locations, quantity, and install them for you to ensure function and accessibility.

Commercial Fire Alarm Systems

The Commercial security systems that most businesses focus on are smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarm systems. Most business owners know they should have fire alarm systems installed, but few actually have comprehensive commercial fire protection. Mountain View Security Systems offers a range of fire alarm systems as well as UL Safety inspections to ensure that your business is adequately monitored. In the case of an emergency, authorities will be notified immediately to reduce response times. According to the US Fire Administration, in 2018 there were 1,318,500 fires on record that lost 3,655 lives and caused $25.6 billion worth of damage. Commercial fire protection is one of the most important security systems for your property. Well help you navigate what your system should include, install it for you, and provide safety inspections that are required.

Security Camera Systems

Business Security cameras are an easy way to help protect your property. Security camera systems deter theft, and if there is a break-in or property is stolen, security camera footage can make the difference in finding the culprit in order to get property returned or to prosecute the thief. Surveillance systems can be actively monitored through a computer or a mobile device, or they can simply record the footage for use if needed. Many security camera systems now allow you to view the footage in real time through a smartphone or other connected device. When they are partnered with an alarm system, camera systems allow you to see what caused an alarm and record the video footage for later reference if needed. Security camera systems are typically used to monitor the inside or outside of businesses during all hours to watch for theft, monitor secure areas of a business such as a safe or gated-off storage area, monitor crops or greenhouses, as well as doors and parking areas. Security cameras can also be used to ensure employees operate safely. While just the presence of cameras is typically enough to motivate people toward appropriate behavior, the ability to view footage remotely 24/7 with the touch of a button, keep track of who enters and exits a building, and seeing what happens even if you can’t be there adds peace of mind as a business owner or manager. We can help match the right surveillance to your business for a security system that provides you peace of mind.

Temperature and Humidity Alarms

If maintaining the temperature or humidity of your property is crucial, a temperature and humidity alarm can be added to your system to protect against environmental problems that might occur. This type of alarm monitors the temperature and humidity of your property, and can give you alerts or sound an alarm if it falls outside the range you have set. This allows you to react and minimize property and product damage. There are some businesses where this type of alarm is crucial like indoor farms, food service, technology and art galleries, but many businesses in Vermont can also benefit from knowing if the temperature drops too far or the heating system malfunctions. Temperature and humidity alarms are a reasonable addition to your security system package to add additional peace of mind if low or high temperatures and/or humidity are a risk to business assets.

Water or Flooding Alarm

An additional type of environmental alarm that can protect your business and assets is water or flooding alarm. These alarms detect the presence of moisture or water where you do not want it.

Water Bugs (small moisture detectors), can be added in high risk areas, spaces that are not visited often like a basement, or in potentially problematic areas for seasonal businesses. Water Bugs detect the presence of moisture or water and will alert your system, or send a notification to your mobile device. Water alarms are an inexpensive add-on to a security system, and can give you great protection for flooding basements, broken pipes or in areas where a plumbing leak could cause significant damage. Water and flooding alarms are especially useful in areas such as rooms with water pipes, dishwashers, boilers, washing machines, sump pumps, toilets, freezers, and below grade where foundation leaks could be a problem.

Business Security Systems Summary

A business security system is an asset you hope to never need, but having the proper system installed will give you the peace of mind of knowing that your assets and employees are protected, and that your system will function properly if it is needed. At Mountain View Security Systems, we will analyze your property and assets with you and install the right system to protect your business, it’s assets, and your employees. We’ll provide professional installation, monitor the security system, and notify you and authorities if alarms are triggered.

Mountain View Security Systems services Vermont and has an in-house monitoring and dispatching center with commercial security system options to suit the needs of your business. We are very happy to help you work through this important security checklist and any other concerns you have to ensure every possible safety measure is in place for your business to protect it for years to come.