Home security systems and burglar alarms that you can install yourself in your home have become much more affordable and offer features only found in high cost professional systems a few years ago. This increase in cost effectiveness and availability has caused many people to purchase their own residential or apartment alarm system and install it themselves. Here are some things that you should consider if you decide to install your own system.
Try to detect intruders at the outside edges of your security zone:
When you are trying to keep a burglar or intruder from breaking in, you want to detect their presence as soon as possible, preferably before they have entered your home. The sooner they trip an alarm, the less chance they will have of doing damage or making away with your possessions or property.
With today’s wireless alarm systems you should try to place detectors at any outside perimeter entry points. Put detectors on gates, fences, doors and windows. A burglar does not want to be standing out in the open trying to get in when an alarm or siren sounds. If possible you want to detect an intruders presence while they are still outside and not concealed inside your house.
Use area detection systems as your second line of defense:
If an intruder gets past your perimeter alarms, you need a method of detecting them inside your home. You can protect inside areas where an intruder will have to pass by using motion sensors or infrared detectors. These type of sensors are set off by the movement or presence of someone in the covered area.
These types of sensors are important to have due to the fact that you may have someone get in by using an unintentionally unlocked door or other means that don’t set off the door and window alarms. If your home is multi-level, motion detectors in stairways are an important part of any system.
Make sure you extremely loud indoor and outdoor sirens or alarm bells:
There is nothing that will unnerve a burglar or intruder more than the sound of a screaming ear-splitting siren or alarm. You see ads on TV where you have an intruder break in and then the alarm company calls and wants to chat with you and ask if you are OK or if they should call the police. This is a ridiculous scenario.
If someone breaks in, you don’t want to wait for the alarm company to call you, then call the police and wait for them to come. You want the loudest and most ear piercing sirens that you can get going off. Criminals don’t want attention. And by having both inside and outside sirens the crook will not know if you or a neighbor has taken action. And the loud noise makes the crook nervous because he can’t hear if there are police sirens also approaching.
Some people argue that they want a silent alarm rather than loud screaming sirens or alarms. They say that the cops won’t catch the crook if a siren scares them off. You’ve got to decide if you want to be in junior law enforcement or if you want to keep your family safe. If your wife or children are home alone and someone breaks in, they would probably want the intruder to be chased off rather than having them attacking them in the house while the police react to a silent alarm and drive to your home.
A DIY home security kit is a very good way of giving you and your family protection. Take a little time to think through your installation before you begin, and use these tips to set up your system to give yourself the most peace of mind.