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.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 ...
About the Author: Boyd Norwood is a web content specialist for
10x Marketing. For more information on
house alarm and home security systems, please visit
alarmoneinc.com
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