Alarm Specialists, A Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Company

Reviews

• AP

  Adam Pace

  May 8, 2026
  1.0
  I have been a customer of Alarm Specialists since 2001 – that's 25 years of loyalty and on-time payments. I am writing this review because what has happened over the past year represents a complete and dangerous breakdown in service. When Police, Firefighters and EMS respond to false alarm calls, these unnecessary responses result in an enormous burden on resources and expense, which in turn reduces emergency unit availability to respond to real emergencies. That's why I feel it necessary to write this review and alert others. For 24 years, they were reliable and I never thought twice about renewing. That era is over. This company has become an absolute failure, and their incompetence is not just frustrating — it is a genuine safety risk. Is it coincidental that Pye-Barker acquired Alarm Specialists in April 2024? I don't think so. In April 2025, I was told I needed to install a new network communicator for $1,500. Just one year later, I was told that communicator was insufficient and I needed yet another upgrade — this time a cellular communicator — for an additional $500 out of pocket plus an extra $10/month for monitoring. Two very expensive upgrades in two years that have caused frustration for a loyal 25-year customer. Then came April 23, 2026. My alarm triggered at 10:48 PM while I was away from home. What did the central station do? They called my disconnected landline — the very number I had just paid $500 to move away from. Then at 10:51, just 3 minutes after the alarm triggered, they dispatched police to my home. Only at 10:53 did they call my cell phone, leaving a voicemail rather than waiting for me to answer. They never called my wife's cell phone at all. In other words: they tried a number they knew was dead, sent police to my house, and only then attempted to reach me after emergency services were already dispatched. When I called to complain, they told me they would add "special instructions" to my account so that they would call me before dispatching police in the future. I'm pretty sure that's not industry standard — it should be the default for every customer, not a special accommodation I have to fight for after the fact. Then came today, May 8, 2026. I changed my WiFi password and noticed a "communication failure" on my panel. I called in, they performed a remote reset, and assured me everything was working fine. So I tested the alarm myself — triggered it deliberately — and waited. Six minutes of silence. No call. Nothing. Only when I called them back was I told my system had been placed in "test mode" — something they never mentioned, and never asked my permission to do. I then had them reset the system properly, triggered the alarm again, and this time received a call 2 minutes later. But here's the question that should concern every homeowner reading this: what if that first test had been a real emergency? My system was silently disabled and I had no idea. My wife is now afraid to be alone in her own house without a working alarm system. A security company's only job is to make you feel safe. This company has failed at the most basic level imaginable. After 25 years, I have lost all confidence in this company's ability to protect my home and family. These are not minor inconveniences — they are fundamental, documented failures of a security monitoring service. I strongly caution anyone considering this company to look elsewhere. They have lost a 25-year customer, and based on this experience, I suspect I won't be the last.
• AV

  A Vitenas

  Sep 8, 2022
  5.0
  Beyond excellent. We've had an account with Alarm Specialists since 2008 and this company is the most responsive of any service company. Gary, the original owner, and his staff are professional, knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We always feel secure whether at home or traveling knowing they are easily accessible and constantly monitoring us.
• RS

  Rina Strzeletski

  Sep 2, 2022
  5.0
  Professional, clean and fast… very satisfied thank you!!!
• ML

  Melita Love

  Aug 15, 2022
  5.0
  Professional, personal, efficient and helpful from day 1. I highly recommend working with Alarm Specialists.
• MB

  Manbrown Brown

  Apr 13, 2018
  5.0
  Great

Frequently Asked Questions About Alarm Specialists, A Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Company