There are a lot of things to keep in mind when shopping for a home security system. Your biggest concern is the kind of residence you live in; single-family homes, apartments, townhouses, and condominiums all need to be secured in different ways. Many aspects of your home will affect your decision: how many windows there are, whether you have a basement or attic, whether it's owned or rented, and for how much of the year you live there. When shopping for a security system, all these factors need to be kept in mind.
It is a common, but incorrect, belief that rented apartments or condominiums do not require a home alarm system. As a matter of fact, apartments and condos are burgled surprisingly often. This type of dwelling would be perfect for a wireless system. The main components of a wireless system are the main keypad and a wireless receiver; this saves you from having to install wiring inside the walls. All that's necessary is to attach the receiver to a phone jack. The contacts at all the doors and windows communicate wirelessly with the receiver. This kind of system saves you from drilling holes in your landlord's walls, and can be moved easily if you move somewhere else. As a matter of fact, many security companies will move your security system when you move if you meet certain requirements.
If you live in a home you own yourself, you're free to choose between a wired or wireless home alarm system, depending on certain qualities of your residence. If you live in a condo or townhouse, it may be wise to go with a wireless system so you won't have to drill through walls shared with other residents. The wireless and wired options both will work if you own a single family home, depending on the type of walls there are and if you have a basement. A wired system can safely be used in a single-family home if it has drywall and less than 1500 square feet of floor space; in those homes drilling will usually not damage the wall, so it will be safe to install the system. Wireless security systems are usually a better idea in buildings with plaster walls or with concrete-ceiling basements, since plaster and concrete are difficult to drill through without damaging the building permanently.
A larger house, one more than 1,500 square feet, may be better protected by a partitioned system that uses multiple keypads to protect separate areas of the building. If you live somewhere with more than one floor, there are a variety of factors that decide whether upper levels need to be covered by your home alarm system. If any of your upstairs windows can be gotten to using trellises, porch roofs, or anything else that can be climbed, they too will need to be included in the alarm system. If there's no way to get to any of your upstairs windows, they won't need to be included. |
