Home Security 101: Crash & Smash Protection Examined

Okay, now that we’ve posted a number of these educational Monday posts on wireless home alarm technology, it’s time to get a little technical. Today we’re going to address a feature that can make your security system virtually undefeatable – and thereby increase your peace of mind. The feature I’m talking about is called Crash & Smash protection. And this level of security is an important component of interactive monitoring.

What is the Risk? 

Imagine this scenario: while you’re way, an intruder breaks into your home when your alarm system is armed. After the standard 30-second “entry delay” as the alarm system waits for you to disarm it, the siren sounds. The intruder hunts down the alarm system – and these guys know where to look. He smashes the alarm control panel before it can dial out to the monitoring center. The police never come, and he gets clean away, with your cash, jewelry, and electronics.

This really happens – and when it does, it’s called “Crash & Smash.” 

There Is a Solution

The good news? One very smart company figured a way to beat Crash & Smash, and that company is Alarm.com, which also happens to be the interactive monitoring services platform used by FrontPoint. Using a patented technology , the built-in Alarm.com cellular radio sends a signal as soon as the first sensor is triggered, and then treats the subsequent chain of events like an intrusion – so it doesn't matter if the panel gets smashed or not. Your home is still protected.

Real Life Stories

There are plenty of example where this scenario played out. In each of them, the patented Crash & Smash protection worked: the alarm signal was transmitted, and even though the panel was destroyed, the police were dispatched – often with the perps being caught in the act.

How Crash & Smash Works 

Here’s how it works. You may remember from this earlier post that Alarm.com interactive monitoring services track everything happening in the home. It knows when the alarm system is armed, and it knows when each sensor is triggered – such as a door opening. The moment an intruder triggers an alarm sensor (door, window, motion, etc…), a signal is sent, and Alarm.com is ready to communicate the intrusion condition to the monitoring station.

Even if the system is compromised, that alarm signal still reaches the monitoring center, and the proper authorities are notified – and dispatched. Alarm systems with true Crash & Smash technology are virtually impossible to defeat, and keep you one step ahead of any intruder.

Interactive Monitoring Is Still the Key

Remember, this level of fail-safe protection is available only with interactive monitoring services – and specifically, from alarm companies who work with Alarm.com, who patented the technology behind it. And when it comes to alarm monitoring, remember the best systems rely on a security cellular connections, not a phone line or Internet connection: cellular is just safer.

If it sounds as if we’re excited about interactive monitoring services, you’re right! They represent the cutting edge as well as the future of home security and home automation technology, where you can feel not just protected, but also be connected.

Patented Crash & Smash protection is just one more example of what is available today, and why it makes sense to learn all the facts when shopping for home security. You’re looking for peace of mind, and with the right technology, it’s yours for the asking. See you next Monday!