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Guide to DIY home security system

Want to install a new home security system, and you want to do it yourself (DIY). But where to start? A security system usually starts with a control panel and end with an alarm but with new innovation in home automation that's going toward smarthome, it has enables new functionalities to be added to a security system. It can do more than just detecting and then sounding off alarm. Lighting, home appliances and many more can be assimilated into the security system and be controlled from just one place which is usually the computer.

So many things can be changed or added and only if you do it yourself can you customize your home security system to your needs. With a DIY system, you'll have greater control over the components.

The easiest type of home alarm systems, installation-wise, is wireless alarms. Wired alarm security systems involve drilling up the walls, running cable through them, and other noisy, tedious chores that the other family members might not appreciate. With wireless systems, it can be as simple as buying a kit and hooking everything up. However, if you are considering a monitored home security system, or a system that calls/pages you when something is amiss (requires hook up to the telephone system), installation will be more complicated, even with wireless.

The basic elements of a standard home security system include:
Control Panel: This is the location where the system wiring terminates, the backup battery is located, and where it is connected to the phone lines if it is a monitored system. More about control panel...
Keypad: This is where the system is armed and disarmed. Additional keypads can be installed. For example, a keypad can be installed next to the homeowner's bed. If the alarm sounds in the middle of the night and the security system had the capability, the keypad display could indicate which door, window, or motion detector caused the alarm. More about keypad...
Siren: A loud siren sounds when there's been a break-in and it also lets an intruder know they've been detected. More about siren...
Inside Motion Detector: Passive infrared, microwave, or photoelectric detectors sense changes in a room caused by human presence. Special motion detectors are available for people who have pets. More about motion detector...
Door and Window Contacts: Magnetic contacts form a circuit between a door and doorframe or a window and a sill; when the door or window is opened (and the system is on), the circuit is broken and sounds the alarm. More about magnetic sensor...
A Central Monitoring Station: If the system is monitored, in the event of an alarm, the control panel sends a message over a telephone line to a central monitoring station, which is manned 24 hours a day. After attempting to contact the homeowner, the central monitoring station will contact the police, fire department, or medics. There is usually a monthly fee for this service. More about monitoring services...

The heart of a decent DIY security system is the same popular X10 technology used for networking home computers, household appliances and other domestic gadgets. By plugging window and door sensors, motion detectors, inside and outside lighting and video cameras into the X10 network, you can control the operation of all these components from your computer (or via a stand-alone control console). The beauty of X10 security is that you can pick and choose the components you want. You decide based on your needs and budget and if you choose to upgrade later on, you just add the components in. For example, if you choose to add a front cam to your current x10 security system, you can just add into your network easily.