Home security systems offer lots of options

Dear Tim: I’m in the market for a home security system. What can you tell me about home security systems in general, as there seem to be so many aspects that it’s rapidly getting confusing. Should I be looking at a wireless system? If the price is too high for what I want, should I consider a do-it-yourself home security system? – Marty V., Hartford, Conn.

Dear Marty: I have a home security system in each of the two houses I own. Over the years as both a builder and remodeler, I oversaw the installation of security systems in many of the houses I built and remodeled. These electronic monitoring systems can bring you tremendous peace of mind, plus the added benefit of alerting you to other dangers beyond burglars, thieves and bad people.

My first experience with a professionally installed home security system was over 25 years ago. It was placed in a custom home I was building. The owner and his wife were paranoid about the woods behind their home. Even back then, the quality of the internal motion detectors and sound-attenuation devices was impressive.

A sound-attenuation monitor is a sensor that can detect specific sounds while ignoring others. A popular sensor is one that can recognize the sound of breaking glass. This is helpful when you want the alarm to go off the instant an intruder shatters glass to gain entry.

This is not uncommon, as the bad guys know that a typical home-security system will have the doors and windows monitored for movement. If you have a large window or patio door that is switched to make the alarm go off when it’s opened, this will not do much good if the burglar just walks through the broken-glass opening.

It’s also very common for home-security systems to have motion detectors. These clever devices are almost impossible to fool. I’ve tried in my own home by attempting to slowly sneak past them; I’ve yet to succeed.

Motion detectors allow you to provide great protection at a lower cost, as you don’t have to worry about monitoring each door and window. If a bad person is indoors and moving about, motion detectors placed in the right places will trigger the alarm.

Suffice it to say that modern home-security systems will almost always go off when someone enters your home who is not supposed to be there. There are many different types of sensors that can be installed – even those fancy ones you see in spy and thriller movies.

But be aware that a home security system needs to alert you or the authorities to other dangers as well. Fire, carbon monoxide, excessive heat, loss of heat, flooding and so forth are all threats to you and your property. Many different sensors can be installed that will automatically alert you or someone else that there’s a problem at your home.

The vast majority of home security systems use a telephone line to communicate with a monitoring service. These companies then make the call to the police, fire department or other authorities. But there is a time delay with this method.

Some communities offer radio communication from your home directly into the police or fire department. If you have interest in this nearly instantaneous-response system, you need to check with your local government to see if they offer this service.

While I’m intrigued by the possibilities of a wireless home-security system, at present the systems in both of my homes are hard-wired. Tiny cables had to be extended to all the doors, windows and sensors, and then back to the central control panel. This takes lots of effort and time, but there are distinct advantages to a hard-wired system.

If you can find a wireless home-security system that is foolproof and has great reviews, I’d give it serious consideration, as it will be very easy to install. I just tested a wireless home security camera that worked very well. It was able to transmit the things it saw to a Web site that allowed me to view what was happening at the house via the Internet, even though I was 1,000 miles away.

Both wired and wireless cameras record the images to a computer, where they are stored in case you need them. Some cameras even use infrared light to record in the dark.

I’ve seen do-it-yourself home security systems, but I’m not sure how effective they really are. One critical thing your system should do is communicate with a monitoring service in your absence. With a do-it-yourself system, you need to make sure the monitoring service will accept your installation and equipment, and take responsibility for your work.

My guess is that few services will do that. If they are going to assume security liability, they will want to use their equipment and have it installed by their employees.