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Posts Tagged ‘burglar alarm’

The Right Time to Install a Wireless Burglar Alarm

September 3rd, 2009 No comments

The recession and rising joblessness are taking a toll in many ways in our society. One of those is the rising burglary rate. If a burglary was happening every twelve seconds before the recession, it is hard to imagine what the rate is now. One way to protect yourself and your property is with a wireless burglar alarm.

You don’t have to live in a high-crime neighborhood or in a gated mansion to be targeted for robbery. With more than 60% of robberies occurring in the daytime by forcible entry, installing a wireless burglar alarm is just smart.

Why a Wireless Burglar Alarm?

The fact that wireless burglar alarms are a good choice for any residence is supported by several facts. First, alarms are a deterrent. Homes that have no security are three times more likely to be targeted.

Second, wireless burglar alarms are ideal for people who rent an apartment or house. Because there are no wires, there is no damage to walls, ceilings and floors. In fact, a portable wireless burglar alarm can be removed and taken with you when you move to another house or apartment.

Third, wireless burglar alarms are quick and easy to install. You can do it yourself in about a hour.

Wireless Burglar Alarm Components

You can pick and choose the components you need for your wireless burglar alarm, just as you would with a hard-wired system. You can get an alarm for a single door or a system for an entire house.

Every system will have a control panel, often combined with a keypad, a siren or alarm, a panic button, a connection to a telephone line, and switches or magnetic sensors for each exterior door and window. More elaborate systems might also include glass-break sensors that respond to the sound of a door or window being broken, motion sensors that detect someone moving around inside the house, exterior motion sensors that either turn on lights of sound an alarm if someone is close to exterior doors and windows.

How Do You Decide What You Need?

The best way to determine your needs in a wireless burglar alarm is to ask a home security specialist. These trained professionals know what to look for to determine your homes vulnerabilities. They will also look at your familys routines, at the neighborhood crime rate, the doors and windows, and more.

Home security professionals can help you evaluate the types of wireless burglar alarms available and choose the best system for your family’s needs. For example, if your home is empty for several days or weeks at a time, your alarm will need to be connected to a telephone line that will alert you and summon the local police. If you live in an apartment or townhouse, a very loud siren or alarm might be enough to alert neighbors. If you have children who are home alone in the afternoon, you might want to be able to notify a neighbor, the police and you.

If all you need is a simple wireless burglar alarm on a single door or a few windows, such as an apartment, you might need merely advice on the best alarm. If you are good at following directions, you can probably take the alarm home and install it yourself.

If the right time to install a wireless burglar alarm in your residence is now, carefully evaluate your needs, find the best system for your security needs, get it properly installed, and relax. You can stop worrying about your home.

About the author: Todd Cavanaugh is the ten-year owner of Protech Security Systems, a wireless burglar alarm company. His company also specializes in home and business monitored security systems, fire alarm systems, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. For more information, see his recommendations on wireless burglar alarms.

Why Don’t You Have An Intruder Alarm?

August 31st, 2009 No comments

It’s a bad economy and millions are out of work. Some people are turning to crime. An intruder alarm in every home would keep families safe from home invasion and robbery. There is just no denying that alarms scare criminals away. Installing an intruder alarm in your home might be the one thing that will keep you safe.

Intruder alarms are becoming as important as a good lock and a deadbolt on the front door of a home. Whether you live in an apartment, a condo, a duplex or a single family residence, you could be vulnerable to robbery or home invasion. There are some simple ways to know if you would be smart to have an intruder alarm. If you find that you should have intruder alarms, you can purchase and install quickly, sometimes in just one day. You can easily find the intruder alarm that is right for you.

Who Needs an Intruder Alarm?

If you live in a neighborhood where crime rates are high or are rising, you probably need an intruder alarm. If you are “elderly” or “disabled” you are among the groups of people who are considered relatively helpless and “easy prey.” You should also have an intruder alarm. If you live alone or have children at home alone regularly, you should also have an intruder alarm. If you fit one of these groups, you should protect yourself because you could be targeted for a break-in.

If you live in an unusually safe neighborhood or a high-security building, you might be safe. But others should consider the factors that make their home vulnerable and look into the need for an intruder alarm. The first step is to carefully evaluate your intruder alarm needs. You can get a good assessment by talking with a home security expert.

Are You an Easy Target?

It is important to know how vulnerable you and your family are before investing in an intruder alarm. Here are some of the things to consider:

– You never lock your doors; you don’t lock doors in the day time

– Windows on the first floor of your home are not locked

– There are wooded areas around your home or other good places to hide

– There is no light on some of your doors and windows at night

– Do you often return home with packages or other items in your arms?

– You park in a carport, a driveway or a detached garage

– Are there trees or shrubs near doors that are good places to hide?

– Nobody would hear you if you screamed

– Do you have patio doors or French doors?

– How easy would it be for someone to follow you home?

– You keep large amounts of cash at home

– Do you carry large amounts of cash?

Intruder Alarms Fit Every Need

If these questions have pointed to risk of break-in, you will need to choose the right intruder alarm. Keep in mind that some intruder alarms are more appropriate for particular types of residences.

If you live in large apartment-style building you probably only need an intruder alarm that would make a lot of noise. This kind of intruder alarm can usually be purchased in a home improvement or home electronics store. You might be able to install it on your own. You might only need an alarm on your door. If you are on one of the first few floors, you might also want to put intruder alarms on windows. Wireless and portable intruder alarms are ideal because they are easy to remove and take with you if you move.

If you live in a duplex or a single family home, you might want to consider something a little more sophisticated. For the home, there are several types of intruder alarms, often used in combination in an integrated system. There are alarms that notify you if a door is opened. Most issue a quiet beep if the intruder alarm system is deactivated ” but it is enough to alert you. There alarms that notify you if a window is opened. Many of these also alert you with a quiet beep when the system is deactivated. There are also glass-break alarms that respond to the sound of the glass in a window or door being broken. And there are motion sensors that sound an intruder alarm if someone is moving about the house. All of these alarms have loud sirens designed to scare off intruders and alert your neighbors.

Connection of intruder alarms to either monitoring companies or directly to your local police department are the final step in protecting your family. Most professionally installed intruder alarm systems will be connected to some method of alerting and summoning the police. Some systems also include a “panic button” in case all else fails.

Whether you think you are especially vulnerable to a break-in or not, intruder alarms are increasingly popular and advisable in residences. You’ll probably sleep better and your family will feel safer at home with good intruder alarms.

Todd Cavanaugh owns Protech Security Systems. His company has installed intruder alarm systems for the last decade. Protech specializes in home and business monitored security systems, 24-hour surveillance cameras, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Protech is among the intruder alarm Tucson companies recognized by the BBB as an Accredited Member.