Be careful while doing a home security system review
It is important to conduct an extensive home security system review before deciding on any one security system. The points that should be kept in mind while conducting such a review are: your security needs, your budget and the reputation of the company marketing the product.
Let’s look at your security needs first. It is quite obvious that you should be the best judge of what kind of security you want. However, you will be better served if you ask a security expert to estimate the security requirements.
The security expert will spend some time, maybe a couple of days, examining your house from every angle. Based on that he will decide the potential soft spots — that is the areas that can be used by an intruder to enter your house. It may be a window facing open countryside or it may be a tree whose branches sweep your terrace. It can even be the service entrance that may be located in a remote area. The possibilities are immense.
A security specialist will be able to make a list of all soft spots. He will then suggest the kind of equipment you need to strengthen the soft spots. This equipment may be simple hard-wired burglar alarm or a wireless alarm system. However, in each case you would know the number of contact sensors, video cameras, light contact sensors or magnetic switches that you may need. You would also know where these components are to be installed.
You now need to decide about central monitoring. Can you just go for a simple home security system? Or do you need a round-the-clock monitoring of your premises? If your house is in the open, and there have been frequent cases of thefts or burglaries then you certainly need to take the help of a security monitoring service. This will give you peace of mind because you know that you security is being taken care by a team of professionals who monitor every suspicious alarm emanating from your home. More than that, they will alert the local authorities in case of a break in, and help will be on its way even before you become fully aware of the threat.
However, you need to find out several things about the central monitoring system before giving a contract. You must find out if the central monitoring station is certified by Underwriters Laboratory; that it has a power back up system that can run for 10 to 15 hours; that it is run by trained staff; that it alerts local authorities within seconds of receiving a security alert.
You also need to find out the costs. There is no point in seeking a company that charges astronomical fees. You must visit those companies whose charges are within your budget. Only after this should you finalize your home security plan.