SECURITY ARTICLES
TOP TEN HOUSE ALARM AND
HOME SECURITY DEVICES
A man’s home is his
castle, as the saying goes. But homes today don’t normally feature
ramparts, drawbridges, moats and six-foot thick stone walls to keep out
unwanted visitors. Today, a house alarm, and preferably a managed home
security system, is needed to ensure your home’s security. Not only
does installing a home security system improve the safety of your family
and possessions, but it can also decrease your home insurance costs. The
Top Ten House Alarm and Home Security Devices list highlights ten
devices and features of home security systems that can make your house a
safer place.
THE TOP TEN
10. Talking Devices help
you to understand the status of your home and monitoring as well as
program the system. Some security systems feature talking master control
panels, key pads or remotes. The talking feature may not result in great
conversation, but it will help you understand your system a little
better.
9. Some home alarm
systems include extras like Key Fobs and Remotes to control the system
at a distance. Somewhat similar to a car’s key fob, home security key
fobs include buttons to activate and deactivate the house alarm system.
Some even include a “panic” button that activates the house alarm
and alerts the proper authorities in the event of an emergency. Remote
controls are similar and often larger. The features of remotes vary
greatly and can include a full key pad, a talking feature and a panic
button as well.
8. Yard Signs and House
or Window Decals advertise your home’s protection. The Greenwich Study
of Residential Security found that homes without alarms were 2.7 to 3.5
times more likely to be burglarized, and that the most effective
deterrent was the alarm monitoring company’s yard sign (SIA Research
Update, Security Industry Association, October 2001). Some choose to
post the signs to deter possible break-ins without actually installing a
home alarm system. While this effort will lower the odds of an attempted
burglary, a yard sign alone cannot fully protect your home.
7. A Back-Up Power Supply
is important in maintaining home security even during a power outage,
when the risk of break-ins and looting is increased. Your home alarm
should be effective even when your power is not. The easiest to maintain
back-up power supplies use standard size batteries. Look for a model
that uses rechargeable batteries to lower your maintenance costs.
6. Smoke Detectors add
another layer of protection to your home, especially when they are
integrated into the home alarm system. Not only do smoke detectors
indicate a fire and give you time to escape safely, but when included in
a home security package, they automatically notify the managing company
and the fire department. Some systems even integrate the power supply to
the smoke detectors. That means you don’t have to change the batteries
ever!
5. Wireless Systems
protect your home without adding extra cords to trip over or extensive
installation of in-wall cords. In wireless house alarm systems, each
sensor or keypad communicates with the master control panel via radio
frequencies or existing wiring in your home. A burglar will never be
able to disarm the system by snipping the wires. This ensures the system
is fully integrated and monitoring all parts of your home without using
up your outlets or creating an obstacle course of wires for you.
4. Extra Key Pads are
also important. Exterior mounted key pads can provide secure keyless
entry to your family. Some systems also offer remote control key pads
which are lightweight and portable. A home alarm system that features a
security code with a key pad increases the security of your home. A
monitored system can also lock down entry after several repeated, failed
attempts at entry which indicate a possible break-in attempt.
3. Key pads may not
always be enough to keep burglars out. Sensors on Windows and Doors
reduce the risk of a burglar entering undetected and are a key part of a
home alarm system. Motion Detectors within the home also increase the
level of security. The most sophisticated motion detectors include a
feature to ignore pets’ movement to avoid constantly setting the alarm
off inadvertently.
2. Installation,
Monitoring, and Repair Services increase not only the level of safety
but the convenience of keeping your home safe. A house alarm alone
cannot notify the police or fire department in the event of an
emergency. The most complete systems include buttons to notify police
departments, fire departments and medical help instantly. Another
advantage offered by the best monitoring companies is live customer
support and full service installation and repair of the system by
employees who have been background checked, licensed and drug tested to
ensure your safety. Finally, some companies even offer relocation
services to keep you secure even when you move.
1. The classic Master
Control Panel is vital to any home alarm system. The central hub of the
system, the control panel is usually wall-mounted in an easily
accessible place. The panel receives information from all other sensors
and key pads, computes it, and transmits relevant information to the
monitoring company. If you choose to arm the system from the panel when
you leave the house, the master control panel also receives the disarm
code when you return home. Some can even be disarmed by telephone!
Of course, this list is
not comprehensive, and the needs of every home and homeowner are
different. For more tips on choosing the right home alarm system and
features to protect your house, I recommend visiting alarmoneinc.com.
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