We all want to be able to live in our homes safely and securely. When we are asleep at night, or when we are away from home, we don’t want to have to worry about burglars or intruders breaking into our homes.
In the past, installing a home burglar alarm or a residential alarm system was a thing that only the wealthy could afford.
There is a problem with this, however. Even if you purchase one of the most sophisticated DIY residential alarm systems, it will do you little or no good unless you are smart and install and use the system wisely. Here are some things to do and not to do so you can be sure that you are giving yourself, your family and your home the best protection.
Arm Your System Every Night and Every Time You Leave Home:
Thieves know that even in homes that have an alarm system, chances are 1 out of 5 that it is not armed or is not working at night or when you are away. When your system is new, this isn’t a problem.
But once the shine wears off it is a sad fact that many times, even with a system in place, it isn’t activated either because the homeowner did not turn it on, or did not keep up with testing and maintenance of the system to make sure it was working.
When you install your system, make it a hard and fast rule for all members of the family to never fail to arm the system each night, and every time they are the last one to leave the house. And set up a monthly schedule for yourself to test the system to make sure it is always working properly.
Make Sure You Have Backup Power if the Electricity is Cut:
It doesn’t make any difference if you have a residential wireless alarm system or one that has wired connections. If the main power to your house is cut, your system needs to have some type of backup power to keep it working. And if the backup power is provided by a battery, be sure that the control panel or unit containing this battery is not easily accessible.
People may think this is a needless precaution but if you really are targeted by expert burglars this is the most important thing you can do. Experienced crooks know that this is the quickest and easiest way to disable most home security systems. And if you want to protect yourself from the worst possible risk, you want to be sure that your alarm system is working if you are targeted by a professional burglar or intruder.
If You Are Getting False Alarms, It’s Time To Get Worried:
Most residential home security systems made today are very well built and of high quality. Once you have installed your system and tested it a few times you should be able to rest assured that it will provide you with trouble free service. However, there are times when a system will give you a false alarm.
If you start to get false alarms, and after you check everything to make sure the system is working OK, there is one other option to consider that you should be aware of.
If you have any reason to believe that your family or your home may be targeted for burglary or intrusion, be sure to consider the possibility that the false alarms are being triggered by the criminals who want to gain access to your home. Experienced thieves know that in many cases if they cause the system to go off a few times and give false alarms, it doesn’t take long for the homeowner to shut the system off and quit using it.
While this may seem to be a little on the paranoid side, it is something that you really must think about if you have a problem with false alarms and you can not determine the cause. And this applies for any system. If you have either a DIY residential or commercial alarm system stop and think before you quit using it, especially if the false alarm problem has started recently and occurred more than once over a period of a few days or a few weeks.
Remember These Rules and Sleep Better At Night
By properly maintaining and using residential alarm systems, homeowners everywhere can enjoy a higher sense of security and increased peace of mind. DIY systems have become very affordable. If you don’t have a security system for your home, get one today.