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.