A home alarm system will help you monitor the activity that takes place at your home and keep your family safe. There are several different types of home security systems, including:
Burglar alarms
Fire alarms and smoke detectors
Carbon monoxide detectors
Video surveillance
Environmental sensors
Monitored home security system
In this home security system guide, we’ll discuss each type of alarm system so you can decide which are the best options for your home. If you would like more information regarding the different types of security systems discussed, please consult our professionals.
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- Burglar Alarms
Burglar alarms protect your home from thieves attempting to break in and steal your prized possessions. Your burglar alarm is connected to your doors and windows. If someone tries to break into your home, you and local law enforcement will be notified.
Home Burglar Alarm Features
An efficient burglar alarm system will have the following features:
Door and window detection: Any time your door or window opens beyond your control, you or your local authorities will be notified.
Property motion detection: When armed, an efficient motion detection system is sensitive enough to detect someone walking through your home and smart enough to distinguish between your pet or an intruder.
Alarm screens: You can keep your windows open in the summer while keeping your home safe. If someone cuts through your screen or tries to open your window, the alarm will sound and will notify you or the local police.
An efficient burglar alarm system will have the following features: door and window detection, motion detection, and alarm screens.
Benefits of a Home Burglar Alarm System
There are several advantages to installing this type of alarm in your home. A high-quality burglar alarm can help:
Prevent burglary: Studies show that burglars will avoid homes that have installed an alarm system. You can further prevent burglary by integrating a customized home alarm system in your home.
Provide peace of mind: If you have a burglar alarm system in your home, you can give your family, guests and babysitters a sense of security. They will be comfortable in your home knowing you have taken this extra step to prevent a burglar from entering your home.
Lower your insurance premium: Installing a burglar alarm can increase the value of your home and decrease your home insurance premium. With fewer incidents at your house as a result of your efficient home security system, your insurance company will spend less money and may lower your annual rates.
- Fire Alarms and Smoke Detectors
Fire alarms detect fire and smoke in your house and can prevent your family from potential harm. Fire can damage your property and breathe in smoke can be fatal. Take the proper precautions and install a fire alarm system.
Benefits of a Home Fire Alarm and Smoke Detectors
Having fire alarms and smoke detectors in your home can help:
Prevent a fire from sparking in your home: If your fire alarm detects any smoke or carbon monoxide in the air, it will alert you with a loud siren. You can prevent a fire outbreak with your fire alarm and you can alert your family when your home is in danger.
Protect your home when you’re not there: If there’s a fire in your home, your fire alarm will alert your local fire department, even when you’re away from home. Your home will be safe even if you’re not there to take the precautionary steps to prevent the fire.
Protect any room in the house: While you should install a fire alarm in every room, you can place your fire alarms wherever you want.
Protect your home at a low cost: Considering the peace of mind and the amount of service you receive from your fire alarm, they are incredibly inexpensive to install.
Notify you when the batteries need to be changed: You should have your fire alarm checked every six months and replaced every 10 years. You may also need to replace the batteries if your fire alarm starts beeping without the presence of a fire.
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide can be fatal when you inhale a significant amount. This hazard is colorless and odorless, so you can only detect it in your home with a carbon monoxide detector. Often, carbon monoxide detectors are integrated with your fire alarm system.
What Causes Carbon Monoxide in the Home
Carbon monoxide is generated from:
Gas stoves
Chimneys and furnaces
Automobile exhaust
Space heaters powered by gas
Gas-powered generators
Signs of Carbon Monoxide in Your Home
When unhealthy levels of carbon monoxide are present in the home, your family may show flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. If your family consistently breathes in carbon monoxide, their symptoms could develop and could eventually be fatal.
Reasons to Invest in a Home Carbon Monoxide Detector
A carbon monoxide detector can alert you if there are harmful chemicals in the air, so you can bring your family to safety. To further protect your home from carbon monoxide, you can make sure you have proper ventilation and regular inspections of your gas-powered appliances.
If your carbon monoxide detector is in the same unit as your fire or smoke detector, a different alarm should sound for each type of hazard. Generally, when fire or smoke is present, your unit should beep three times. When carbon monoxide is present, your unit should beep four times.
Where Should You Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
You should install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home to check for carbon monoxide throughout your home. You should also check your state’s local regulations regarding the placement and the amount of carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors: A carbon monoxide detector can alert you if there are harmful chemicals in the air, so you can bring your family to safety.
- Video Surveillance
You can watch any activity that takes place on your property by installing a video surveillance system. With modern smart home technology, there are a variety of video surveillance systems to choose from:
Video recording: You can place a camera on the outside of your home to catch any potential intruders. Your video recording system can either store the recorded video on your device or save it to a virtual cloud. The police will have access to these files in case you need to report an intruder.
Total connect video: With this remote monitoring feature, you can check your home even when you’re away. Your video surveillance system connects to your mobile device, so you can be aware of what’s happening in your home while you’re at work or on vacation.
Video doorbells: You can connect a camera to your doorbell, so every time it rings, you can see who is at your door. You can even let people into your home with a smart lock feature.
Benefits of a Home Video Camera System
There are several benefits to installing a video surveillance system, including:
Preventing crime and theft at your home: Simply placing a security camera outside your home will prevent an intruder from attempting to break in. If you have the security camera in plain sight, thieves will know that their every move will be monitored and they may not choose your home as a target.
Monitoring what happens around your home: You can place security cameras anywhere outside your home near a power source. With that kind of flexibility, you can easily check on any area of your property.
Providing evidence of an intruder: In case of theft or crime, your security camera can make both a video and audio recording of the incident. The local authorities and legal attorneys can use the evidence your camera provides to find and convict the criminal.
- Environmental Sensors
While fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors guard the interior of your home from damage, you can also set up environmental sensors to detect potential weather damage. With environmental sensors, you can guard your home against:
Extreme temperatures: Your home should be at a temperature that accommodates the functionality of your possessions and appliances. If your home is too cold, your pipes could burst. If your home is too warm, your perishable food could spoil. Whether you need to keep your freezer cold or your pets warm, you can install a temperature alarm system that will alert you if your home is experiencing an extreme temperature change. You can set the proper temperature range for your home and once the temperature falls out of range, you will be alerted.
Flooding: Your home can experience flooding through a pipe leak or excessive rainwater. Water damage can soil your floors, any important documents, or your valuable possessions. A water detector can monitor your home for unusual water levels and alert you if it detects flooding.
Benefits of Environmental Home Sensors
Some benefits of environmental sensors are that they can:
Efficiently protect your house: An environmental sensor security system has the ability to protect your home from outside fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, flood, and extreme temperatures.
Provide a comfortable environment for your home: An environmental sensor also helps to regulate the temperature of your home to be comfortable for your family. If your home’s temperature deviates from what it should be, you will be notified. You may need to replace your HVAC system, install insulation or repair a draft in your home if your alarm system notices a change in the temperature.
- Monitored Security Systems
With modern technology, you can now monitor your home anytime, anywhere. When your alarm system runs on a wireless connection to your smartphone and other “smart” devices, you can easily alert the police with your security system’s app. Since you’re calling from the app, the police will know it’s a verified call.
How Monitored Security Systems Work
You can use your phone to:
Control your home’s lighting.
Lock or unlock your doors.
Monitor and set the temperature of your home.
Check on your kids home alone after school.
Grant you access from your mobile device. Since your monitored security system connects to WiFi, you can check on your home with your mobile device from anywhere with internet access.
Benefits of a Monitored Home Alarm System
Monitored security systems can:
Provide your home with invaluable protection: Since your monitor has a live stream option, the alarm company can monitor your home at all times. If they detect a problem, they can notify the police right away.
Provide extra protection from fire: While you and your family are asleep, you might not notice a fire in the house. With a monitored security system, your alarm company can notify the fire department at the first sight of a spark.
Send medical assistance: In case of a medical emergency, a monitored security system can alert the local authorities to your incident. Seniors who may be feeling faint could alert an ambulance instead of trying to find their phone.
Provide easy installation: In the past, security systems used to be connected by wires throughout your house. With a wireless monitor security system, you can easily install, replace or move your security system throughout your house.
Grant you access from your mobile device: Since your monitored security system connects to WiFi, you can check on your home with your mobile device from anywhere with internet access.
How to Choose the Best Security System
For optimal protection, you should aim to integrate as many different home security system options as possible. You can create a custom security system that includes a burglar alarm, fire and smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, video surveillance, environmental sensors and monitored security. The more security systems you use, the more your home will be safe against burglars, fires and natural disasters.
What to Look for in a Security System
As you’re selecting a home security system, you should consider what will offer the best protection for your family. Here are some factors to consider:
Affordability: You need a system that will keep your home safe while staying within your budget. With a custom security system, you can choose which options will protect your living space and which options you can skip.
Power accessibility: Your security system will function even if there is a power outage. Most security systems today are battery-operated and connected to WiFi. You can also set up your security system to be solar-powered.
Ease of installation: If you choose a wireless option, your home security system will be easy to install. You could even order the technology and install the devices yourself.
A security system industry professional can help you install or replace your security system. They’ll tell you which types of security systems are best for your home and how to get the most out of your security systems.