If you are considering installing a home security system, you’ve seen a wide range of options from free installations by various national companies to do-it-yourself wireless motion detectors and sirens. Hopefully this article will help you decide what type of system best suits your situation.
Crime Statistics
• A burglary is committed every 10 seconds in America. This adds up to almost 13 million homes - one of every 20.
• According to the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association, burglars attack homes without a security system 3 times more often than homes with a system.
• Today about 1 in 6 home owners has invested in an electronic security system - more and more Americans are saying that they feel safer with a home security system.
• Over the last 5 years, the number of homes with a security system has increased by almost 40%
• Your chances of a break-in are highest right after you move into a new home - Burglars know that most people don’t install security systems until 2 to 4 years after they move in.
• Nearly half of all burglars break in through the front door, 32% choose the back door and 22% through a first floor window. The rest break in through a basement, garage or second floor window.
• In 2005, law enforcement agencies reported an estimated 2,154,126 burglary offenses-a 0.5-percent increase compared with 2004 data.
• An examination of 5- and 10-year trends revealed a 1.8-percent increase in the number of burglaries compared with the 2001 estimate, and a 14.1-percent decline from the 1996 number.
• Burglary accounted for 21.2 percent of the estimated number of property crimes committed in 2005.
• The average dollar loss per burglary offense in 2005 was $1,725.
• Of all burglary offenses in 2005, 65.8 percent were of residential structures.
• Most (62.4 percent) of residential burglaries in 2005 for which time of occurrence was known took place during the day, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
From FBI Website: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/offenses/property_crime/burglary.html
Benefits
Besides the obvious benefit of preventing a home break in, or notifying local police, a home security system can bring you other benefits. Many home insurance companies will provide you with a discount on your insurance policy that can range from 5 to 20% per year. You can realize savings whether you are a renter or home owner; you should contact your insurance provider to determine what your savings will be, but they may require that you have it installed professionally and with a national carrier. Certain features in the alarm system may increase savings, such as having the alarm monitored versus just having a local siren sound for an alarm. Even just the decals that come with a system will be a deterrent to some criminals.
System Components
The basic components of a home security system are as follows:
• Central Station: Emergency signals from your home are electronically transmitted to the 24-hour monitoring station, which summons help from police, fire or medics.
• Control Panel: The location where your system wiring terminates and your backup battery is located. Usually located near your panelboard in the basement or closet.
• Dialer: A device that uses your existing phone line to contact the Central Station with the alarm information. Consider installing a Cellular Backup which will call the Central Station if the phone line is cut or not in service. It works the same way as a cell phone and usually requires a small monthly fee.
• Door and Window Contacts: Magnetic contacts form a circuit between a door and door frame or a window and a sill; when the door or window is opened (and the alarm is on) the circuit is broken and this sounds the alarm.
• Keypad: User interface that will arm and disarm your system and also indicate trouble conditions, such as windows or doors that are not secured.
• Siren: A loud siren will alert you when there has been a break-in and it also lets an intruder know that he has been detected.
• Inside Motion Detector: Passive infrared, microwave or photoelectric detectors sense changes in a room caused by human presence. Special motion detectors are available for people who have pets.
The best home security system will be customized to your lifestyle - it needs to be flexible enough to take your schedule into account and will specifically protect the things you value the most. It has been proven that user education is the best defense against false alarms. It is very important that the installer teach you and your family how to properly use your security system, including false alarm prevention measures. The installer will also ask questions about how you plan to use your system and give you tips on programming. It is better not to give the installer detailed information, but rather give them generic information to use as an example for programming review.
System Selection
Hard-wired versus Wireless
Both commercial installers and do-it-yourselfers can install wired or wireless systems. Certain factors will help you choose what system is best for you. If you live in an older home, with thick plaster walls and decorative moldings and hardwood floors, you may want to opt for a wireless system since there are no wires that need to be run through walls to the control panel. However, there will be larger devices mounted on or near doors and windows if they are to have contacts. This is because the device needs to have power, from a lithium battery which needs to be replaced about every 5-7 years, and a transmitter. If you don’t like the look of these devices, you may want to just use motion detectors which are mounted in the ceiling of the corner of the room. You will almost always want to install a door contact for all exterior doors and let the motion detectors handle any break-ins through the windows.
Wired systems remove the need for obtrusive wireless devices and the maintenance of batteries, and usually cost less since the devices are smaller and are powered through the control panel. Wired systems can be up to 1000 feet from the control panel whereas wireless devices can only be around 200-250 feet from the main panel. If there are devices that are farther away, you will need to install a repeater that receives the signal from the device and then sends it on to the control panel. Certain types of construction can affect the range of wireless systems, such as thick masonry, metal studs, or concrete floors.
Wireless systems are easier to install since there are no wires to run and hide and the devices usually talk to the control panel once powered.
A wireless keypad
System Options
Whichever system you choose, there are several accessories and options to select from to augment your home’s security. Some of these options include:
Alarm Screens- These are special screens for your windows which have a wire woven in their mesh which will activate your alarm when cut or removed.
Closed-circuit TV- This is a private TV system which allows you to monitor and/or record activity inside or outside your home.
Flood Detector- A sensor that is placed in vulnerable areas, such as around washing machines and hot water heaters that will send a signal to the control panel and central station if there is a major leak. This sensor can be programmed to notify you only and won’t go to emergency services.
Glass Break Detectors- these sense the sound of breaking glass and are a good choice for sun rooms, or on a long run, or glass doors instead of installing doors contacts on every door.
Panic Buttons- A button that can be hand-held or located in strategic places such as next to beds and doors; just pushing the button will sound the alarm.
Pressure Mats- These mats can be placed under rugs and they react to pressure from footsteps to activate the alarm.
Smoke Detectors- Smoke detectors are required to alert you of a fire in your house, but tying them into your security system will also notify the central station as soon as it goes off.
No matter what type of system you choose to install yourself or to have installed professionally, contact your local police department to ask if they have a list of approved security system installers. Many towns require that you have a permit for a monitored security system and charge a nominal fee, usually only $10 or $20. You will also need to fill out your contact information and the phone number and name of the monitoring company. There may also be fines for false alarms, so you may want your monitoring company to call you first and if they can’t get a hold of you, then notify the police. It may also be helpful to get an estimate from a few installers even if you plan on installing the system yourself. They may provide valuable information on routing wires and locating devices.
