The thought of a home invasion or burglary is frightening, making home security a priority for many homeowners. In fact, home security installation has become an important investment that can increase the value of a property. Home security installation can be successfully completed with the help of a professional home security company or on your own with the help of a do-it-yourself (DIY) home security package or DIY components.
Home security systems are either hard wired or wireless. At the most basic level, one can install a security system that is nothing more than an alarm. This involves door and window sensors being hooked up to a loud sound source that triggered when there has been an intrusion. Alternatively, a more complex system may involve video surveillance with automated notification of a centralized home security service or the police. Your first task in home security installation is to determine the level of protection needed.
The best way to answer that question is to begin by calculating the total number of windows and doors that must be covered. This helps the homeowner determine the size of the home security installation. Having ascertained how much ground must be covered, the next thing to consider is the budget.
Budgetary concerns may control whether one installs a hard-wire or wireless home security system. A hard-wired system is viewed by many to be the superior option, in part, because it is less expensive than wireless and the homeowner is less dependent on batteries. Unfortunately, a hard-wired system can be difficult to install in older construction, even by a professional. In a brand new home, the wiring can go in as the walls go up. While a wireless system costs more, it remains much simpler to install; in fact, installing a basic wireless home security system is a reasonable DIY project.
When deciding what type of system is needed, the homeowner will also need to determine which windows and doors will receive sensors. The type of sensor selected depends on whether one uses a wired or wireless system, though it is possible to get what is called dual-connect sensors. These can be adapted to either wired or wireless systems. Consequently, if a wireless system is selected and the homeowner decides later to change over to a wired system, the sensors are already in place.
The door and window sensors are tied into a central control panel or box. If one uses a wired system, the connection is direct. If one uses a wireless system, it is important to make sure there are no signal strength problems and that the control panel can adequately read the sensors at the farthest reaches of the home.
Whatever system is installed, try not to make it too complicated. Every member of the family, school age and above, should be able to enter in the code on the keypad without setting off the alarm. If it is too complicated, no one will want to turn it on. The homeowner should also think about the location of the keypad. If the home is large or has two stories, it may be advantageous to have two keypads, one next to the front door and one next to the master bedroom.
Finally, when completing a home security installation, a homeowner might consider incorporating other home security devices into the overall system. For example, such devices as a panic button, smoke detectors or a carbon monoxide detector may be added. These will further increase the value of the home security installation and enhance its ability to protect the homeowner’s family and personal possessions.
