News & Tips

Is a video surveillance system right for your business? Whether a company is large or small, video surveillance can enhance current security, protect valuable assets and employees, and improve and increase productivity. From evaluating your business’s needs to selecting system features, here are some tips on how to determine if a video surveillance system is right for your business.

First, it’s important to understand the three basic components of every video surveillance system:

• Cameras – The number of cameras in the system, as well as their style and features, will depend upon your company’s needs and budget. Most cameras are either dome or bullet-shaped. Optional features include high or low definition, adjustable or wide angle lens, and built-in infrared illuminator.
• Recorder – The brains of the operation, it’s essentially a computer and a hard drive that records what the cameras see. Standard recorders usually store one week’s worth of footage. Newer systems usually have applications for smart phones.
• Monitor – This is how you or your security provider views the recorder’s footage. Depending on the system, footage can be viewed locally on a computer and/or off-site from a remote location.

Next, determine whether you want to place the cameras inside and/or outside of the building or office.

The primary purpose of outdoor surveillance is to see suspicious behavior (such as who’s driving around the area) and to deter and/or identify and prosecute intruders. The cameras can either be very discrete or extremely obvious. When placed strategically, they can monitor one specific area (like the front door) or watch the whole building. Most outdoor cameras are waterproof and built to withstand the elements.

An indoor system usually works best for monitoring productivity, protecting employees, guarding against theft and identifying wrongdoing. Indoor cameras can monitor multiple rooms or just one area, be motion-sensitive and generally produce a higher quality image.

Surveillance systems also offer a host of features and options. The following are some additional terms and options you may encounter:

• Wired versus wireless – A system that’s connected to your wireless internet can offer more flexibility and the cameras are generally more discrete. However, interruptions to your internet service can affect the signal. Wired cameras may take more work to install but can offer higher quality picture and more reliable service.
• Color and resolution – While color cameras can be useful for certain businesses or commercial properties, a good quality, black-and-white camera image can also identify an intruder or thief. For outdoor systems, you may want to look for a camera that offers an infrared illuminator for low light situations such as nighttime.
• Coverage – The amount of area a camera lens can cover varies greatly. Some cameras only shoot directly in front of the lens. Wide-angle lenses cover a larger space, while pan-tilt-zoom cameras can view up to 360 degrees. For outdoor cameras, choose an automatic iris, which automatically adjusts to different levels of light.

For more information on our business video surveillance systems or to get a free estimate, give us a call at (925) 932-2211 or (800) 273-2680.

Denalect Alarm is proud to serve home alarm and business security and alarm systems in Northern California: Antioch, Blackhawk, Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

If you’re considering a home video surveillance system, you’re not alone. More and more Bay Area homeowners are enhancing their current security systems by installing video surveillance inside and/or outside their homes. From evaluating your needs to selecting features, here are some tips on how to decide if a video surveillance is right for you.

Like security systems, video surveillance systems also offer a variety of features. At its most basic, however, it’s comprised of three main components:

• Cameras – The number of cameras in the system, as well as their style and features, will depend upon your lifestyle needs and budget. Most cameras are either dome or bullet-shaped. Optional features include high or low definition, adjustable or wide angle lens, and built-in infrared illuminator.
• Recorder – The brains of the operation, the recorder is essentially a computer and a hard drive that records what the cameras see. Standard recorders usually store one week’s worth of footage. Newer systems usually have applications for smart phones.
• Monitor – This is how you or your security provider views the recorder’s footage. Depending on your system set up, footage can be viewed locally on your home computer and/or off site from a remote location.

Then decide if you need an outdoor or an indoor system. Outdoor surveillance, meant to deter or identify and prosecute home intruders, can either be very discrete or extremely obvious. Cameras are placed strategically, allowing you to monitor one specific area, like the front door, or watch the whole property. Outdoor cameras are usually waterproof and built to withstand the elements.

Indoor systems can work well for a homeowner who travel a lot or owns a vacation or rental home. That way, he or she can keep an eye on housesitters, renters, construction workers and anyone else that might be in the home when they aren’t around. Indoor cameras can monitor multiple rooms or just one area and generally produce a higher quality image.

And, depending on your needs and budget, home surveillance systems also offer a variety of features. The following are some additional terms and options you may encounter:

• Wired versus wireless – A system that’s connected to your wireless internet can offer more flexibility and the cameras are generally more discrete. However, interruptions to your internet service can affect the signal. Wired cameras may take more work to install but can offer higher quality picture and more reliable service.
• Color and resolution – While color cameras can be useful for a business or commercial property, the average homeowner doesn’t need that feature in a home surveillance system. A good quality, black and white camera image can identify an intruder or thief. For outdoor systems, you may want to look for a camera that offers an infrared illuminator for low light situations such as nighttime.
• Coverage – The amount of area a camera lens can cover varies greatly. Some cameras only shoot directly in front of the lens. Wide-angle lenses cover a larger space, while pan-tilt-zoom cameras can view up to 360 degrees. For outdoor cameras, choose an automatic iris, which automatically adjusts to different levels of light.

For more information on our video surveillance systems or to get a free estimate, give us a call at (925) 932-2211 or (800) 273-2680.

Denalect Alarm is proud to serve home alarm and business security and alarm systems in Northern California: Antioch, Blackhawk, Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

Finding neighborhood crime statistics and safety ratings online is easier than ever thanks to these helpful websites. Remember, you don’t just live in a house, you also live in a neighborhood. Being aware of your area’s crime can help you best protect your family as well as your property.

CrimeReports. Ranked in 2014 by Time Magazine as one of the 50 best websites, CrimeReports works with thousands of law enforcement agencies to publish crime data and improve communication with the public. You can enter an address or use the advanced search option to discover crime statistics up to the last six months or by a date range. Another option is to search by specific crimes. Or, if you know about a crime, you can submit a crime tip to alert others. You can also sign up for daily, weekly or monthly crime alerts. All of these services are available for free, including the CrimeReports iPhone app.

SpotCrime. Gathering data about crime incidents from law enforcement agencies, news reports and user tips, SpotCrime plots them geographically using Google Maps. Every crime is assigned an icon, so you’ll get a clear picture of the types of crimes in a community. Access to the crime maps is free (just type in an address or zip code) and users can sign up to be alerted to criminal activity in their area via text message, email, Facebook or Twitter. Like CrimeReports, SpotCrime offers a free iPhone app. Their blog also offers lots of good information on crime awareness, new cities covered by SpotCrime and how to get the most value out of the site.

NeighborhoodScout. This web-based search engine uses FBI and U.S. Justice Department stats to build neighborhood and city profiles to compare crimes as well as other lifestyle characteristics. You can search by a specific address or use the advance search tool to find a neighborhood that best matches your lifestyle criteria. The neighborhood is then described in detail and linked to information that’s valuable to a newcomer. A paid monthly or annual subscription is required to access the crime data, which includes information on a location’s overall, property or violent crimes as well as an individual’s chance of becoming a victim of crime within any neighborhood.

Denalect Alarm is proud to serve home alarm and business security and alarm systems in Northern California: Antioch, Blackhawk, Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

If you have an alarm system installed in your home or office, then you know to contact your security provider if the system is triggered or if you need to schedule routine maintenance. However, there are a few other situations when they need to hear from you, especially if you’ve done or plan on doing any of the following.

• Remodeling. Your alarm system was designed and installed to meet your home or business’s original security needs. If you have or plan to make any significant remodels (such as building an addition or altering the layout) your current system may no longer provide the same level of protection. Contact your provider so they can assessment any existing or proposed changes.

• Testing your system. At Denalect, we highly recommend that you test your alarm regularly to ensure it’s still communicating with your provider. First, however, it’s important to contact your provider so that the test won’t be mistaken for a bona fide alarm signal. For more information on how to test your system, go here.

• Changing your cable or wireless system. If there’s any work done on your telephone lines or if you’re switching providers, it’s also a good idea to let your provider know. Certain alarm systems might be affected by, or not work with, some of the phone providers out there. That’s why we provide several different options for monitoring your system, including cellular, internet and our own private wireless network.

• System Upgrades. As home security technology advances, new system upgrades and add-ons can increase the custom features of your existing system. You should be able to contact your security provider for a no-obligation review of the latest advances compatible with your system.

If you’re a Denalect customer who has made or is interested in making any of the changes above, feel free to contact our business office at (925) 932-2211, between 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.

We proudly serve Contra Costa County in Northern California: Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

Homes and businesses with security systems are six times less likely to be broken into but a sounding alarm doesn’t always frighten intruders away. That’s where 24-hour monitoring comes in. Benefits of monitoring include:

• Immediate response. Offered by most security providers for a monthly fee, alarm monitoring doesn’t rely on your neighbors to contact the authorities if your alarm is activated. Instead, a silent signal is sent directly to your security provider’s central station so they can dispatch the police to your property right away.

• Peace of mind. In addition to being notified if an intruder breaks into your home or business, security companies can also detect other emergencies on your property, such as a fire, carbon monoxide poisoning or if a panic button is activated.

• Budget friendly. Like cell phone companies, most security providers nowadays offer customers an equipment discount along with a two- or three-year monitoring contract when installing an alarm system. Also, check with your insurance company. Many offer a discount for homeowners and businesses that use a 24-hour monitoring service, which may help off-set the cost.

• Better customer care. A security company that monitors your system will be more sensitive to your needs (such as fixing and maintaining equipment) than a vender that sells you a system in a one-time deal.

• Security when you’re not there. If you’re out of town, have a vacation home or another part-time residence, monitoring will report any issues 24 hours a day, from a low battery to a beeping keypad. Alarm monitoring companies let you specify who should be notified for which kinds of signals.

Denalect’s UL-compliant Central Station monitors businesses, schools, homes and government offices 24 hours a day. For more information on our monitoring services or to get a free estimate, give us a call at (925) 932-2211 or (800) 273-2680.

Denalect Alarm proudly serves the home security and business surveillance needs of Contra Costa County in Northern California: Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.