Guide to buying a home security system

There are many alarm systems on the market ranging from fairly cheap to more sophisticated systems. Be wary though, some low cost alarms can, through false alarms, be a nuisance to you and your neighbors.

There are basically 2 types of alarm systems: a local alarm and a monitored system. A local alarm sets off a siren when it's triggered. It's designed to scare off a potential intruder with a lot of noise. A monitored system is a system connected to a central security service and it doesn't just make a lot of noise when it's triggered, it sends an emergency signal to the monitoring center whereby the right people can respond to the signal. A monitored system tends to be more expensive but by signing up for the security service, it sometimes qualify you up to 20 percent discount on your homeowner's insurance and some even throws in a discount on your security system.

Carefully consider each potential home security system before purchasing one as it is also an investment in your family's safety.

• Get at least three quotes and specialist advice from companies that supply alarms.
   

• Talk to your insurance company about the alarm companies they recommend before you decide which best suits your needs.
   

• What kind of features that comes with the system. For example, added fire protection feature or timer for your lightings.
   

• Ease of use of the system. Don't buy a system that requires you to be a rocket scientist to operate. A system that has a very deep learning curve can give you problems instead of peace of mind.
   

• What are the maintenance plans for the system?
   

• If you are planning to use a monitoring service with your system, please check the company's background before signing up. Make sure they are experienced and have a good reputation.

When installing a security system, it would be best to install a system that has the added ability to project the impression that somebody is home. Today's security system can do a lot of things from turning lights on to keeping pipes from freezing.
If a house is empty for most of the time of the day, this kind of system is very useful as it can turn on the TV or radio periodically and this can cause a burglar to think twice before striking. What burglars want are your belongings and would not risk the chance of having contact with the owner. Prevention is always better than cure and in this case, preventing break-in is better than sounding the alarm when the burglar is already inside the house.

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