Saturday 23 May 2009

Important Home Security Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe and Secure

Having a home security system
that is professionally installed and monitored by a centralized monitoring center is a big step in providing safety and protection for your family and home. A home security system utilizes the latest in technology and human effort to provide full coverage for your home in the event of an intrusion or home invasion.

Police can be dispatched fast to prevent a successful robbery from occurring. In addition to having a home security system, there are other recommendations for home security that will help keep your home safe and secure. Many experts agree that combining these recommendations with a professionally installed home security system will greatly reduce your chances of robbery or home intrusion.

Experts agree that having good locks on all exterior doors is a good idea. A one-inch deadbolt lock on each door is recommended. These are harder to tamper with and provide excellent protection against thieves who may try to pick the lock to enter the home or force the door down. Having good solid locks provides adequate protection when combined with a home security system. It is important to make sure all exterior doors are locked tight at night, so burglars cannot get in through an unlocked door.

One of the most common entranceways into a home for burglars is through the garage. People often leave their garage doors open which can provide a burglar easy access to your home. Even in broad daylight, burglars have been known to enter homes through open garage doors and make off with valuables very quickly. While it is sometimes overlooked, if you are not working in the garage, it is wise to keep the door closed at all times. Don’t provide burglars with an easy way to get into your home and steal your property.

While a home security system will protect your while you are away for an extended period of time, it is always a good idea to create the illusion that someone is always home. This can mean leaving lights on in rooms that are visible from the street. You can also leave a television on or a stereo so a burglar will think someone is home and may think twice about trying to break in. Exterior lighting for your property, along with strategically placed motion detectors, can also help deter crimes. It’s harder for a burglar or prowler to sneak into a house when the exterior is well lit and the area is covered by motion detectors that will trigger the home security system.

Some more tips include not advertising the merchandise that may be available in your home. Keep drapes drawn and blinds shut so burglars casing out your home cannot determine where your valuable property is. It is also a good idea to store cash and expensive jewelry in a safety deposit box or safe. Having these items lying around is just asking for a thief to come and take them. It’s also important that you don’t advertise that you are not at home. Leaving notes for friends, delivery people and service personnel are a tip off to criminals that you are not at home and your home is an easy mark for a break in. If you follow these tips, along with installing a home security system, your home stands less of a chance of being broken into and you will not become an unfortunate statistic.

Friday 15 May 2009

Vital Home Security Tips On Purchasing An Alarm System

Many householders and just about all commercial enterprises acquire an alarm system to protect their property and their possessions. But a number of householders still do not see the need to install an alarm system. They think a burglary won't happen to them, it only happens to other people.


But the 2005 FBI crime report showed that nationally in the United States of America a burglary occurs every 15 seconds and on average the dollar loss per burglary in 2005 was $1,725.


Just about any business enterprise will have one, in some form or another. When searching for alarms, you ought to take your time to discover the correct system and the correct prices for you. If you purchase at the right time, your actual system could end up being one hundred percent free.


Many Companies such as ADT frequently run special offers to get you to purchase their alarms and services. In a few cases, they'll give you a free system provided you sign up for one of their monitoring services for an established time. Depending on the offer this could be 1, 2 or 5 years. They might in addition have offers that give you free service if you purchase an alarm from them. Either way, you can save a considerable amount of money from your income.


These businesses will often come to your abode and set up the alarm for you. They will demonstrate how to run the alarm system, and show you the best way on how to deploy the system in the best possible manor, so as not to activate an alarm mistakenly. Whilst it could take a little time to become accustomed to the slight change in your household habits (you'll have to remember to arm and disarm the alarm), you and your folks will very quickly get accustomed to the change in your abode, and you may well notice that you are actually sleeping better at night because you now feel someone is watching out for you.


It's very important to check the companies guarantee. If there's a problem with your alarm, the company should aid you in the resolving of the problem, or should replace whatever parts aren't functioning. Whilst buying your alarm system and especially when contracting a service, make a point of asking a considerable number of questions about any hidden fees. Exactly what service you'll acquire for your money, and the exact period and extent of the guarantee that they can offer. Badly installed alarm systems will not do you any good if they malfunction all the time, or give false alarms as this will just leave you still feeling vulnerable.


Remember according to the FBI report in 2005 there were more than 1.4 million home invasions and 61.4% of residential burglaries happened between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., during the day. And according to Simon Hakim, Temple University a home is 2 to 3 times more likely to be burglarized without a security system.


So what are you waiting for, act now before you become the next victim.

Saturday 9 May 2009

Making the Right Choice for a Home Security System for Your Home

Today, there are many options on the market for home security and as a consumer, you may be confused as to what is the best option for you and your home. Protecting your home and family from burglary and home invasion is your top priority and finding the best home security system that will accomplish that task is your goal. Fortunately, you have some guidance from security experts who have laid out what makes a great home security system and what you should consider for your home.


Security experts agree that superior home security systems will offer multiple layers of protection for your home using several different technologies that work together to protect your home and monitor it when the alarm system is armed. Coupled with the technology, security experts also agree that having live monitoring where a monitoring technician is watching your home security system from a centralized monitoring center can really make the difference in getting help to your location once the alarm sounds. Technology married with live human talent is a combination that is found in the superior home security systems and should be considered when you are in the market for a home security system.


The type of technology deployed can make a difference in the early detection of an intruder so your alarm sounds quickly and the monitor can spring into action to get help to your home fast. The best systems will offer multiple layers of protection that include door and window sensors and smart motion detectors which are connected to your main alarm system and will sound a high decibel alarm when your alarm system is armed and it is triggered by an intrusion. Someone trying to force a door open or breaking in a window is all that is needed to sound the alarm. If the high decibel alarm does not scare the person away, the monitor will already be on the case and the police will be on the way to investigate the alarm further.


Monitoring is what truly separates quality alarm systems from average ones. While the technical components of a home security system keep the home secure from burglars by sounding the alarm when there is a security breach, monitoring takes it one step further by alerting police to the situation at your home and dispatching help in any emergency so your family is safe and protected at all times. Monitoring is key to a superior alarm system because your home is covered by the monitoring center whether you are at home or not. This buys a lot of peace of mind, because when you are away from you home and an alarm sounds, police will be dispatched to your home and intruders can be caught in the act. You don’t have to be home for the home security system to be effective and you don’t have to rely on neighbors to hear your alarm and call for help.


Choosing a superior alarm system is an important decision and you should consider what security experts have said what makes up a good home security system for you and your family. Cutting edge technology backed by live monitoring is the best way to keep you home safe and secure whether you are at home or away. You have constant around the clock protection with a monitored home security system.

Saturday 2 May 2009

Home Security Systems: Who Can You Trust?

Finding a good home security system is of paramount importance in the dangerous day and time in which we live. You need look no further than the headlines of the latest daily newspaper, television broadcast or Internet news site to read about horrific home invasions and violent crimes that might have been forestalled by a home security system.

Not convinced? Here’s a few statistics that may convince you of the need for a home security system.

- A burglary occurs about every 15 seconds

- Homes without security systems are nearly three times more likely to be broken into than homes with security systems.

- The average loss per residential burglary stands at about $1607.

- Losses due to burglary average nearly $400 less in homes with home security systems than for residences without home security systems.

When you select a home security system, you’re putting the security of yourself and your family in the care of this system, so it’s important to make an informed decision when choosing your home’s protection.

When choosing a home security system, there are four factors you should consider: price, features, service and effectiveness.

Prices vary from home security system to home security system. A general range lies between $100 and $1,000. Some home security providers offer free installation coupled with a monthly fee while others charge a flat price. When picking a home security system, it's important to ensure the price you're paying offers a quality security package for your home.

The features your home security system offers should be the main concern you consider when selecting a system to protect your home. Home security systems are primarily divided into indoor and outdoor systems.

Indoor systems are generally used to check for motion inside the home or a security breach at the doors and windows. Outdoor systems monitor movement outside the home and activate security lights if activity is detected. More expensive security systems make use of video recording equipment.

When choosing a home security system, decide on the level of protection you want, make sure the system being offered meets your needs and don't be afraid to ask questions of your home security system provider.

A home security system is only as good as the company that stands behind it. Before purchasing a home security system, do some research, find out what the average response time is for your home security provider, how often they do equipment checks, warranty information and whether they have a relationship with local law enforcement.

Lastly, before settling on a home security system, check into its effectiveness. Find out specifics about features such as police contact, sensor sensitivity and power outage backup. Ask local law enforcement and public safety officials their opinion of various home security services and also check the Web for customer reviews.