Home security is a very personal matter, and the right system for you will be based on several factors unique to you and your home. Please consider the following when going through your selection and design process.
What type of home do you have?
- Apartment/Condo
- Townhome
- Small Single Family Home
- Larger Single Family Home
The size and type of home you have will determine how many doors and windows should be protected. The number of floors will determine how many interior motion detectors you may need. Location and accessibility will determine the placement and quantity of security devices required.
Who lives in your home?
- You
- You and another adult
- Children
- Elderly parents
- Pets
Your home security system will be designed around who lives in your home and their lifestyles. You can select from a long list of security devices that will meet your home’s and your the security needs of the residents of your home.
Example: If you have large dogs, a motion detector may not be the right choice for you. If you have teenage children, you may want your system to be able to track when they get home or leave your home. If you are elderly, or have elderly parents living with you, you may want to have remote panic buttons available for medical emergencies. You may decide that having monitored smoke or carbon monoxide detectors are a good idea.
Who or what do you want to protect?
- You and your family
- Pets
- Valuable items and household goods
The origin of the home security system is a burglar alarm system, designed to protect against burglary and theft. Today’s security systems also have the capability of monitoring for fire, carbon monoxide, drops in temperature if the power or furnace stops working, moisture sensors if water is getting into your home, and even cameras connected to your security system that you can view from your smart phone or any web-enabled device.
What are your biggest home security protection concerns?
- While sleeping
- When away
- Burglary
- Away on business leaving family alone
- Assault-home invasion
- Fire-carbon monoxide poisoning
- Medical emergencies
Home security systems are installed to make you fell safer or provide that all important “peace of mind”. No matter what safety or security concerns you may have, today’s home security systems have a solution to help reduce your concerns.
A house fire can be a devastating and deadly event. Installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors connected to your monitored security system can save your life. House fires are extremely toxic and produce gases that can leave you unconscious and helpless. Let your monitored security system do its job by signalling an alarm and getting the fire department dispatched.
One of the worst nightmarish thoughts is to awake at night and discover that an intruder is in your home. A home security system warns you before that intruder enters your home. When the alarm is tripped, your siren will sound and a signal will be automatically sent to our central monitoring station, and the police will be dispatched.
Today’s security system technology has produced solutions for any security concern you may have.
Now that you know “How to Decide What Home Security System is Right for You” and “What Makes a Great Home Security System,” please refer to our article(blog), “What Makes a Great Home Security System.” After reading both of these articles, take a walk around your home inside and outside and decide what security system devices would be appropriate for your security needs and lifestyle.
When finished, read our article Understanding Home Security System Value, Cost and the Competition.