Protect yourself with a house alarm system

A home alarm system is the best way to protect your house, its contents, and most importantly, your loved ones.

Your home is your haven, so you want to feel safe when you’re in it and keep it safe when you’re away.

There are several different types of alarm systems, each with different operational systems, features and services.

With a monitored alarm system, a central call centre is alerted when the alarm is triggered. The call centre then calls the homeowner to make sure everything is ok, and if need be, alerts the police to check the premises.

The main point of these alarms is to scare intruders away.

• When the alarm is triggered, a loud siren goes off, which can deter burglars and alert people in the house and neighbourhood.
• Since the alarm is not connected to a monitoring station, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to contact the police. The upside is there are no monitoring fees to pay.

Hard-wired systems are wired into your home, while wireless systems use battery-powered radio transmitters and receivers to connect the various components such as cameras, sensors, motion detectors, sirens, central controllers, smoke and fire detectors and keypads.

Contacts

A contact is a small plastic device easily attached to each door and window that sets off the alarm if it is opened.

• It’s a good idea to have contacts on each door and window on the main floor, as well as basement and upper windows that are big enough for an intruder to fit through.

Motion detectors

Motion detectors can detect any movement within a certain range. They are often mounted in hallways and at the top and bottom of stairs, as well as outside near the garage, side and back doors.

• Most alarm packages include a certain number of contacts and motion detectors, but you may want to buy additional ones for added security.

Some people choose to have video surveillance systems, in which cameras are set up around the perimeter of the house.

• There are two benefits to this.

1. You can see who is at the door without having to open it.
2. If your home is burglarized, you will have video footage to review and give to police, which can help them catch the perpetrator.