Arm Your Home with the Best

We know that keeping a secure home is important to every homeowner. For that reason, we outlined the benefits of burglar alarms and video surveillance.

A person's home is truly a castle. For many people, their home is their most important possession — either they are still repaying the mortgage or after years of monthly checks, they finally own their property outright. With this in mind, we understand that keeping your home safe and secure is important. The better armed your home, the safer you and your family will feel. Choosing the best home security system for your house and your budget can be difficult. We assembled information about home burglar alarms as well as video camera surveillance to help you make an informed decision.

Burglar Alarm Security Systems

Homes are not kept secure by drawbridges, moats and thick stone walls as they once were. Instead, you are left to rely on home security alarms to scare away potential burglars. There are several kinds of modern home surveillance options, but the basic burglar alarm is a must for every home.

These electronic alarms have sensors connected to a master control board. The security system can be wired or wireless, silent or deafening, among many other choices. The simplest home burglar alarm can be set off by opening doors or windows. Others will alert homeowners and emergency crews in response to fires, carbon monoxide and medical emergencies. More complicated systems can be programmed by "zones". Homeowners can choose to make each floor of their home, a garage and other structures a different zone. These alarms will activate depending upon which zone is breached and send specific information to emergency crews. Many homeowners also choose to have a member of the security team call them automatically when an alarm is triggered. This will allow the homeowner to remain informed when they are away from home or quickly alert the security company to an accidental alarm trip.

The most important part of any alarm system is that it sends the correct alarm output when it senses components previously identified as valid conditions to activate the alarm. Basically, if you programmed the alarm to notify the fire department when it detects smoke, you do not want the alarm system to call the police department while your home burns to the ground. A failure to activate or a failure to contact the correct emergency crews will not keep you safe. For that reason, home burglar alarms need to be tested regularly. Before you begin any testing, make sure you have notified the alarm company.

Video Camera Surveillance

Video surveillance is the next level in home security. Generally, this includes motion sensors which trigger lights and the camera. Lights will not only put off a potential burglar, but will illuminate the person's face and clothing so the camera can be most effective.

Cameras can be an enormous asset during a robbery. A break in is a scary situation and the victim likely will not take the time to study the intruder's facial features, clothing and other identifying aspects. When a camera is present to record those attributes, the video can be replayed for police.

Video surveillance also allows the homeowner to keep an eye on his or her dwelling while the homeowner is on vacation. Most security systems allow homeowners to view security cameras remotely as long as the homeowner has access to an Internet-capable computer.