Different Types of home Security Systems

There are many different types of security systems and choosing one can be very frustrating and confusing. Making sure to have a security system in your home can protect your valuables and your loved ones, but you should always do your research to find the right system for your needs.

1. Monitored System

A monitored system alarm is one of the most commonly used alarm systems and has many pros and cons. This system will alert a call center if the alarm gets triggered and this call center will contact the police. One downside to this type of alarm is that it goes through your outdoor phone line and a burglar can locate those lines to cut them before breaking in if they know to do so. The call center would never be notified even though you would be expecting it to be. You can use a cellular phone or radio as an alternative for a monitored alarm, so this problem can be made less of an issue.

Another disadvantage to having your home on a monitored system is that even when the burglar sets the alarm off, he will usually have quite a bit of time to get in and get a few valuables by the time the call center and police are notified. Also, despite that it can be worth the money, monitored home systems will usually be more expensive than any other type.

2. Unmonitored System

Another type of security system is an unmonitored system. This system sets off a loud siren inside and outside the house when the alarm is tripped. This system relies on your neighbors nearby to call the police if you are not home. A major advantage to this system is you will not have to pay monitoring fees, making it much more affordable. The system also can be installed with flashing lights so that people can know from where the alarm is being sounded. Most of the time loud sirens will be enough to drive burglars away since there will be a lot of unwanted attention drawn to the house.

The one major disadvantage is, of course, that you will be relying on your neighbors to hear the alarms and call the police. If yours are away frequently or aren’t the proactive types, this alarm could do nothing for the security of your house.

3. Wireless Alarm Systems

You can purchase a wireless alarm system at your local hardware store. There are pros and cons to these systems as well. One advantage to a wireless system is that they are easy to install. There are also no monitoring fees with a wireless alarm and you can choose any settings you like. For example, you can choose to use sensors, cameras, beams, and/or motion detectors.

Some of the disadvantages are the limit to the distance you can have between sensors and cameras and that batteries will have to be replaced often, which can get expensive.