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7 Questions Every Homeowner Should Know About Home Security

Imagine you are home alone. It’s late at night. You hear a scuffle at the window. Perhaps it’s just a cat, but there’s always that nagging “what if” question. Sure, you may have a black belt in karate, or maybe you’ve just seen plenty of action movies, but even if self-defence isn’t something that you are worried about there are many other reasons to own a home security system. There are also many things you can do to make your house less of a target: the reality is that home security is a preventive measure that everyone can afford. Whether you are looking to sell your home or have just moved into a new house, there is a security system that’s right for you and a lot of things you can do yourself to lessen your chances of being broken into. The trick of course is deciding the level of security that you need and figuring out what you yourself can do. That is what this article is here to help you with.  

Why A Home Security System?

Whether you are concerned about crime in your area isn’t necessarily the focus. You may not live in a neighbourhood that is considered a high crime area and you may never have had a break in but nearly everywhere is at a degree of risk for break-ins. Besides that there are insurance, fire, and home resale reasons to get a security system.

The days where a dead bolt, large dog, and baseball bat were enough to protect your home are near their end. Most thieves can get past even the best locks, few places are big enough to have large dogs, and baseball bats don’t do much against a well armed intruder. Most break-ins occur late in the morning and early afternoon while people are away at work or school. That alone is good reason to look into home security.

What am I Trying to Protect?

You probably don’t have millions of dollars of crown jewels but any typical home has thousands of dollars worth of stuff that is of interest to thieves. TV’s, home stereo’s, DVD players, computers, jewellery, artwork etc. are all items that most of us have in our home and are all items that thieves love. They are easily sellable and not that hard to carry off in a hurry. Besides that home security offers a measure of protection for you, your family and loved ones. Perhaps you aren’t worried about personal safety, but you may be concerned about the safety of others in your home. The importance of what you are trying to protect should weigh heavily in your decision to install a home security system. You want to be able to sleep well at night knowing that both your loved ones and your valuable personal belongings are safe.

Do I Live in a High Crime Area?

Another way to figure out your home security needs is to consider the likelihood that you will be the target of criminal activity. If you have lived in a neighbourhood for a while, you probably already know whether it is safe to leave your doors unlocked at night. If it is a new community, then you can do some research (police station, library, neighbours, real estate agents) to find out just how common crime is in the area. If you do live in a high-crime area your need for home security is greater. This is obviously an important question when deciding what level of security you need.

Does My Home Invite Crime?

Even if you live in a low-crime area you should be aware that there are certain types of homes that are more susceptible to break-ins than others. For example, ground-level apartments are more likely to be targeted as are homes surrounded by thick bushes, plants, and trees, since they offer prowlers plenty of places to hide. Old, weak, or cracked doors and windows are easier to break into. A house on a darkened street where the owners are seldom home is a very attractive target. In contrast, of course, is a house with a wide-open lawn on a well-lit street that is posted with "Neighbourhood Watch and Beware of Dog" signs. This type of home isn’t the ideal spot for a burglar to attempt a break-in. Does your home invite or deter crime? The answer will help you make a decision about the level of security you need.

What are the Other Benefits of a Home Security System?

Aside from safety, you may have a financial motive to beef up your home security. Just by having a burglar alarm already in place you’ve probably increased the resale value of your home. Remember to tell your real estate agent about your burglar alarm if you are planning on selling your home. Also, most, if not all, insurers will give you a discount on your homeowners policy premium if you install a home security system. The available discount will vary from one insurer to another. It will also vary depending on what kind of security system you choose. Usually, insurers will give you a 5 percent discount merely for installing dead-bolt locks. A simple burglar alarm is likely to get you yet another 5 percent. If you decide to go with a more sophisticated home security system, complete with monitoring services, then you can expect a discount of up to 20 percent. (In addition to discounts for security devices, you can get discounts for installing safety devices such as smoke detectors or sprinkler systems.) Check with your insurance agent to make sure you're currently receiving any discounts you qualify for, and to see if you can save any more on premiums by installing additional security equipment.

Protection from fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are also very good reasons to get a home security system. Nothing is more devastating than a residential fire. Most quality residential systems include fire monitoring and for a slightly higher fee you can find a system that can detect carbon monoxide. The same service that can protect you from break-ins can also detect both of these culprits and call the monitoring service before you know there is even a problem.

What Can I Do to Secure My Home?

There are many things you can do yourself to make your home more secure and that will lessen your need for a state of the art security system (if you live in a good area you can easily get by with a basic model). Thieves are opportunists. They will choose homes that have easy access and that provide them cover so they won’t be seen. In addition to installing a home security system, here are some tips you can do to make your home more secure:

• Even if you live in a safe neighbourhood, keep all doors and windows closed and locked.
• Install dead-bolt locks (if you don’t already have them) and replace old, cracked, or hollow doors with doors made of metal or solid hard wood.
• Don't rely on a slide chain to protect you when you open a door to see who is knocking. If there’s not already a window nearby or one in the door itself, install a wide-angle peephole device so you can see who it is.  
• Make sure your sliding glass doors have keyed locks and cannot be lifted out of their frames from the outside. A pole or rod cut to the proper length and laid in the track of the door can prevent it from being slid open, even if the locks are compromised.
• Install removable pins, nails, and/or rods to prevent windows from being opened, and replace old or cracked windows and panes.
• Keep the door between your home and garage locked. Automatic door openers are easy for burglars to get past.
• Try to create the illusion you are well protected. Purchase Beware of Dog signs, even if you don’t have one. 
• Cut back bushes and trees that surround your house and windows.
• If your community has it, join the neighbourhood watch, if not, perhaps start one. 
• Keep your yard well lit. Install landscape lighting as well as motion sensor lighting outside to alert you to potential intruders. Lights are a key element to any home security plan.
• Remember home security when you go on vacation. If you are out of town, use timers on lights, radios and televisions. Make sure a friend or neighbour picks up your mail every day and stop delivery of your newspaper.

What Should I Look For in a Home Security System?

There are thousands of companies and nearly as many products, so deciding where to start can be difficult. Right after you’ve decided your security needs you should decide how much you are able or willing to spend. The price of a security system depends largely upon how sophisticated the system is. A typical higher tech solution is a full-perimeter system, which usually includes a series of sensors that, when armed, detect when a door or window is opened, broken, or tampered with. These systems operate on the principle that when a detector is tripped, an alarm of some sort will go off. If the system includes off-site monitoring, local police will be notified. Additionally, there are heaps of other systems that can protect you if a burglar bypasses your perimeter system and succeeds in entering your home. Floor sensors can detect an intruder by the weight of his or her footsteps. Motion detectors sense any significant movements within their range.

The technology that goes into many modern systems is truly amazing, and if cost is not an object, very sophisticated systems are available. But don't let money discourage you until you have shopped around. There are many security systems to choose from, in a wide range of prices. Home burglar alarms can range in price from free installation and less than a dollar a day to monitor to hundreds of thousands of dollars for installation and monitoring.

With the free home security system you typically get Decals (to let potential intruders know you have an alarm) and door and window Sensors. Most security systems companies offer free installation for both the front and back doors, and sometimes windows. You may pay extra for some window sensors, depending on the type of system. Along with these items there is usually one motion detector thrown in as well.

Lastly, have a list of questions about the home security monitoring company that would answer a call to your home. What is their average response time when a burglar alarm goes off? How many false calls do they receive? How much, if anything, does the monitoring company charge you if they respond to your home security system?

Whatever you are trying to protect, you should be able to find something within your budget. Ask your family, friends and co-workers for recommendations about home security experts. You can also consult your local yellow pages, the Internet, or community newspapers for security system professionals and dealers. All of these people can help you make an informed decision about getting a home security system that is right for you.  

This paper is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein constitutes legal, financial or other professional advice. Transmission of these materials is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, any relationship of any kind between the provider and the recipient. Some of these points may not apply in your area. Different term and conditions may vary from state to state and province to province. All articles, text and photographic material presented here is for the use and pleasure of the recipient only.