Now that you understand the various parts of an alarm system, you’re probably considering getting an alarm system for your home. Picking an alarm is actually quite easy, it’s merely a matter of surveying your home, getting a bunch of quotes from local providers, and then getting the system installed.
Questions a security system provider will [...]
With computer security systems, companies often hire computer specialists to come and try to break into the system. It’s a strategy that works because the specialists are often as skilled as potential thieves and they can identify weaknesses that might otherwise go undetected. While you probably don’t want to hire someone to try to break [...]
Now that we’ve covered how motion sensors work and how door and window sensors work, we might as move along to the bells and whistles of the home security system: the alarm.
Alarms usually have two parts: in-house notifier and an out-house notifier. Those were terms I made up but they’ll make sense in a minute. [...]
The last article about how door and window sensors worked probably piqued your interest in the other sensor your security system uses, the motion detection sensor. Whereas the door and window sensors monitor ingress and egress, the motion sensor monitors what happens when the bad guys get inside – especially valuable if they defeat the [...]
So the security system you had installed comes with several window and door sensors and you’re curious how they work. Understanding how they work can also pay dividends down the road when you start troubleshooting if your security system ever gives you problems, such as false alarms from a sensor or “zone.”
There are basically two [...]
Much like cell phones, the security system itself is generally a loss leader that the company uses to get you to sign up for active monitoring. For example, ADT usually charges $400 to install their
EZ Essentials package (control unit, 1 motion detector, 2 deadbolt detectors, 2 reset keys, and a battery backup) but if you [...]
You can get an ADT security system installed for a mere $99 as long as you sign up for a minimum of three years of service, but the units itself are worth only $399. If $399 is a little out of your budget or you don’t like the idea of signing on to 3 years [...]
So you read my series on how to save money with your homeowners insurance and the tip about how an installed home security system can knock a few dollars off your premium, and now you want to know what you should look for in a home security system, right? Excellent! You need to know two [...]