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The questions you should ask when buying a home security system
Over the last five years, security has become the prevailing concern in the worlds of business and politics. Business security systems, Internet security systems, and of course the Department of Homeland Security are phrases that have become very familiar to us all. But our homes are really the only places where we make the safety decisions, and that's where home security systems come in.
Keeping your home safe
About five million homes are broken into every year, and many homeowners are turning to home security systems to reduce the chances of adding to that statistic. When shopping for a home security system, there are a number of things to look for regarding both the company you purchase the home security system from and the system itself.
Ask these questions about the security company:
- Are they a local, licensed business?
- Do they provide live 24-hour monitoring?
- Will they work with your insurance company to reduce your costs?
- If you're on vacation, will they send someone to your home to assist the police?
Ask these questions about the home security system:
- Is it powered by electricity or a battery?
- In case of a power outage, is there a battery backup?
- Does it feature auto shutoff and auto reactivation?
- Does it offer a time delay in case of false alarms?
Types of home security systems
There are many different types of home security systems available to guard both the perimeter and interior of your home.
A basic perimeter burglar alarm is usually either a closed-circuit or open-circuit system. In most cases, these home security systems also use a control box with a keypad so that the burglar alarm can be turned off by entering a security code.
If choosing between closed-circuit home security systems and open-circuit home security systems, keep in mind that a knowledgeable thief can deactivate an open circuit system by cutting its connecting wires. A closed-circuit home security system is triggered when the circuit opens, as wire cutting would do.
For interior alarms, home security systems that use motion detectors are commonly used. A motion detector home security system can use radar, photo sensors, or passive infrared motion detectors.
Wireless home security systems are also popular because of how inexpensive they can be. Many wireless home security systems are simple motion sensors with noise alarms, but some have an auto-dial feature that automatically calls a preset phone number (such as 911) and plays a recorded message (such as your address).
Such telephone auto-dialers are a common home security system feature. They can be set to call the police directly, or else provide information to the security company that can then communicate with the police.
Apart from auto-dialers, many burglar alarms still feature an old-fashioned alarm sound. Some home security systems will also turn lights on and off to attract attention to your home.
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