Increasing Home Security: What to Know Before You Choose a System

It's not as simple as monitored vs. unmonitored. Nor is the choice only between wired-in and wireless. Today, it's a bit more complex. In addition, the security system that is best for you may be a "hybrid," with different functions that require different applications. Every security system offers peace of mind and some degree of protection against unauthorized entry and break-ins, fire and storm damage, and perhaps other emergencies including hazardous fumes, glass breakage or home system failures. How much and how complex varies greatly.

Basic Intrusion Alarms

Early home security systems provided wired electrical circuits at door and window openings; they set off an audible alarm when the contact was broken. Motion detectors, other types of sensors and glass-break detectors, were and still are among the many components available to make owners feel safer.

In the past, the first line of defense was usually an audible siren. Today, however, alarm systems are more apt to transmit a silent message to owners and/or to emergency responders over wireless communication channels. It is not only more efficient, but also more effective. It was found that neighbors were never very reliable as home watchdogs.

The Scope of Home Security

Modern security systems are designed not only to add increased peace of mind, but also to help owners control their home environment. As a consequence, in addition to monitoring for emergencies by an off-site service, notification of unusual activity or conditions is typically transmitted to an owner's smart phone or digital device as well. Physical hardware is smaller, less visible and more effective than in the past.

One common trait of all security systems is the home control panel or keypad; in addition, portable fobs or panic devices are widely available and can useful for homeowners who own pools or for members of the household susceptible to falls or injury.

Wireless Smart Systems

Homeowners now have virtually unlimited control over interior home systems: Set the temperature or switch lights on and off from remote locations. Open the garage door from down the block, or check a smart phone to ensure that the front door is actually locked.

It is even possible to access and control home appliances, ask a digital home assistant to record a favorite television program, or allow the cleaning crew or yard maintenance personnel access at unscheduled times. More advanced systems, with surveillance cameras and recording devices, offer almost unlimited ability to view a home and its surroundings from afar. There is no need to pay extra for the additional surveillance when it's included as part of the security system with this kind of smart home technology.

Component Parts

Some of the more popular components for comprehensive systems are:

• Cameras at the entry door, in children's rooms and for back patio and pool areas.
• Monitors for carbon monoxide and radon, in addition to state-of-the-art smoke and fire detection devices. Humidity monitors and water leak sensors are helpful in areas prone to flooding, but can also prevent extensive damage when installed in laundry rooms, kitchens and baths.
• Motion sensors operate in a variety of ways, using heat detection, microwave pulses or vibration sensors to detect intruders and send a signal to the control panel. On a home's exterior, they also activate floodlights or trip an audible alarm.
• System additions that permit interaction with entertainment devices and other home operating systems.
• Digitized reporting or recirculating recording tapes, much like those used by business and retail security.

The realm of home security has changed dramatically, but the goal is still the same, to preserve the safety of the Mirasol home and its inhabitants.