It All Comes Down to Home Security Monitoring

No matter how many gadgets and devices you have in your security system, they won't do you a bit of good without reliable home security monitoring. In fact, without the best monitoring you have wasted a lot of money. Without good home security monitoring, what good is your security system?

Installing a home security system should cause three things to happen if someone tries to break in:

1. You need to hear the alarm and move to the safest place you can in the home.

2. A very loud siren somewhere in or around your home will get the attention of your neighbors. This is designed to bring someone to help you.

3. The home security monitoring company needs to be on the job and acting quickly to notify your local police department of a break-in.

The most important of these responses is the action of your home security monitoring company. If they are not on the job or if they fail to act, your entire security system is essentially worthless. Think about it " if your neighbors are away or they are at work, who will hear the siren under your house? If you are home alone and you can't get to a phone, your safety might depend on the monitoring company.

When you select home security monitoring you need to look for a solid reputation and a long history of success in monitoring the homes of customers and keeping them safe. What you need in a home security monitoring company is guaranteed service 24 hours of every day, 365 days of the year, without fail. You need to know that even a power outage will not leave you unprotected.

You also need to know that the sensors and detectors are "smart" enough to send specific information to the monitoring company to enable them to take action without waiting for you to identify the problem or threat for them. This continues to be a shortcoming of many home security monitoring companies " they don't know what alerts and alarms mean when they are activated.

There are a number of new and very sophisticated types of sensors, detectors and "switches" you can buy to increase the safety of your family. But you are wasting your money if the home security monitoring company you choose can't read the signals. This is one of the main reasons to use an established and proven monitoring company that has demonstrated the ability to monitor all types of alarms in all kinds of circumstances.

How do you know if the home security monitoring company you are considering is adequate? Here are the most important questions to ask:

2. What kind of guarantee is offered for personal safety and property protection?

2. What kind of theft or personal safety guarantee do you offer on home security monitoring services?

3. What kind of backup systems do you use to ensure monitoring during a power outage or if the wires are cut?

Even if you are working with a company that provides both equipment and monitoring, it is important to ask the last question above. Ask these questions of all home security monitoring companies you consider.

If you choose to deal with a company that provides the equipment and the home security monitoring services as a package deal, you should be able to trust that the equipment can be properly monitored. But don't take that chance. As these questions so you know your family and your property will be safe. Correct answers to these questions are the basis of the confidence you expect when you invest in a home security system.

Don't risk a huge investment in security equipment that is useless. Without good home security monitoring what good is your security system?

About the author: Todd Cavanaugh is a ten-year security system specialist. Protech Security Systems installs pre-wired and wireless monitored security systems, 24-hour camera surveillance systems, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. For more information, see his recommendations on home security monitoring.

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October 18 2009 | security-systems | No Comments »

Wireless Burglar Alarm Overview

Let's face it, any time is the right time to install a wireless burglar alarm. Somewhere in the U.S. there is a burglary every twelve seconds. If you have any doubt about your safety and security, now is the time to act. You can protect yourself and your property.

You don't have to live in a high-crime neighborhood or in a gated mansion to be targeted for robbery. With more than 60% of robberies occurring in the daytime by forcible entry, installing a wireless burglar alarm is just smart.

Wireless Burglar Alarms Are a Good Choice

There are a number of good reasons to install a wireless burglar alarm. First, you can protect yourself. If you have an alarm, you will be three times less likely to be robbed.

Second, wireless burglar alarms actually make sense for people who live in rental properties " apartments or houses. There are no wires that have to be run through walls, so you don't have to do any damage to install the system. And you can choose a portable system that you can disconnect and take with you when you move.

The third advantage of a wireless burglar alarm is that they are quick and easy to install. You can probably handle the installation yourself in about an hour's time.

Wireless Burglar Alarm Components

You can pick and choose the components you need for your wireless burglar alarm, just as you would with a hard-wired system. You can get an alarm for a single door or a system for an entire house.

The basic components of most systems are a door switch/sensor, a few window switches/sensors, a panic button, a connection to a telephone line (you will probably need a cellular compatible system) to notify the monitoring company or the police, and an alarm or siren. From this basic wireless burglar alarm, you can add more door and window sensors, motion activated outdoor lighting, a glass-break sensor, motion sensors for the interior, and even video monitors.

What Kind of Wireless Burglar Alarm Do You Need?

The safest and most reliable way to assess your needs in a wireless burglar alarm is to consult with a home security professional. These trained professionals will help you evaluate your property, your neighborhood, and your home to determine if and how your might be vulnerable to burglary. They will look for such things as convenient dark places to hide outside your home, darkness around doors and windows, inadequate locks on doors and windows, and they will assess the safety provided by the types of doors and windows you have.

Based on their assessment, you will be ready to start looking for the right wireless burglar alarm for your family. For example, if you travel for business, you might want a system that will notify the police and a neighbor. If you live in an apartment or townhouse, you might not need too much more than a very loud siren or alarm that will bring the security guards. If you have children home alone in the afternoon, you might want a system that is easy to operate, but will immediately notify the police if there is an attempted intrusion.

If you decide you only need a single wireless burglar alarm on your apartment door, you might just ask the alarm dealer to advise you on the best alarm. If the instructions with the alarm are clear, you can then install it yourself.

Carefully evaluate your security needs, shop for the best price on the right wireless burglar alarm, and get it properly installed. Then you can go on with your life without worry about your family's safety at home or protecting your possessions.

Todd Cavanaugh is the ten-year owner of Protech Security Systems, a wireless burglar alarm company. Protech also specializes in pre-wired and wireless monitored security systems, fire alarm systems, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Visit his business web site for his recommendations on wireless burglar alarms.

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September 03 2009 | security-systems | No Comments »

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