A home alarm system can be a great way to protect your home, your possessions and your family. When looking for a home alarm system, you should know there are many different kinds of systems to choose from. It does not matter what size of home you have, an alarm system can provide you with the security and peace of mind you need while away from your home or when you are sleeping at night.
There are some people who do not think that an alarm system will prevent a break in, however the security experts would all agree that security alarms do in fact deter burglaries. If a burglar has a choice between breaking into a home with an alarm system or a house without one, they will choose the one without the alarm system. In the cases where the alarm system does not deter a thief from breaking in, chances are they will exit more quickly once the alarm sounds. So the mere presence of an alarm system will make most burglars nervous enough to leave immediately.
Most alarm systems all share the same essential components. To start with, they will contain some type of power source in combination with a control panel. In addition, there will most likely be a keypad that allows you to activate and deactivate the system as you come and go from your home. Depending on the type of alarm system you purchase, it may have sensors on the doors and windows, and may have motion detectors and glass break sensors.
The simplest types of alarm systems work using a circuit detector. The two types of circuit detectors are the open and closed systems. The open system sounds an alarm when the circuit is completed, such as opening a window in your home. This type is better at protecting the perimeter of your home by being installed on the windows and doors. With the closed circuit system, the alarm sounds when electricity cannot flow through to your alarm system. If someone opens a door in a closed system, the flow of electricity back to the control panel is automatically detected; at which time its own circuitry kicks in to sound the alarm.
Most security experts recommend using the closed systems as they sound when electricity is unable to flow through to the control panel. If you install an open system, a thief merely needs to cut the wires to make sure the circuit never connects; meaning the security alarm will not sound. Keep in mind that open security systems will only sound when the current is able to actually make a full circuit. Without current getting to the control panel in your home, the alarm will never sound.
Alarm systems with motion detectors work by detecting a thief that is already in your house. Motion detectors work by shining a beam into an area of the room. If the beam bounces back in the same consistent pattern, the security alarm will not be activated. However, if someone walks in and breaks the beam, which changes the pattern that bounces back, the motion detector sends a signal to the control panel to activate the alarm. Most home alarm installations would include a combination of motion detectors along with window and door sensors.
Many people also choose systems that are monitored by a monitoring center capable of dispatching the police or other emergency services, when needed. Monitored home security systems can give the added piece of mind of knowing your family's safety is always being looked after whether there is a break-in or if a fire occurs. Of course, the monitored home alarm system will require an additional monthly service charge for their services. However, a lot of home security alarm companies offer free equipment in exchange for you signing up with them for a long-term monitoring agreement.
On the other hand, an unmonitored alarm will not have any additional monthly fees, but they do require that the homeowner or their neighbors contact the authorities when a break-in occurs. This type of alarm will have flashing lights and loud sirens to notify the homeowner and their neighbors that there is a security issue in the home. A major drawback to this type of alarm is that when you are away, it requires someone else to contact the police; and if nobody hears the alarm, then the police will not be coming.
An often-overlooked advantage to adding a home alarm system is that most insurance companies will offer discounts on homeowner’s insurance premiums for those who have installed an alarm. The discount may help defray some of the cost involved with buying an alarm system and having it monitored. The amount of the discount will vary from one insurance company to the next; however, it also depends on what type of security alarms you have installed and whether or not it is monitored.
Installing a basic home alarm system often gets you around a 5% discount on your homeowner’s premium. If you get a little more sophisticated type of system, it could get you up to a 10% discount. Homeowners who install both a burglar alarm systems and a fire detection system will sometimes receive up to 20% off their homeowner's policy premium. Many people fail to notify their insurance providers and miss out on this discount. Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you are eligible for any discounts for installing home alarm system.
All of this added security to your home may sound like a great idea, but the only problem is that a good system may cost you around $1,000 to $1,500 not to mention the ongoing monthly monitoring fees. For some people that is a small price to pay to reduce their worries, but for others it is prohibitive. However, with increases in technology, alarms for security are becoming less expensive and the manufacturers of home alarm systems usually offer a variety of alarm systems and monthly monitoring plans to choose from. If you are planning to get an alarm system for your home, do as much research as you can on the alarm system and the monitoring company to find a solution that will work best for improving the security of your family.