Home Security News

Affordable DIY Wireless Home Security System?

A home security system has always been a good idea, but now that harder financial times are coming, it may become even more important to protect your valuables--and your family.  While full-fledged, professionally installed and monitored home security systems are expensive, it's possible to get a decent amount of coverage with a do-it-yourself system that you can install over a weekend.

For less than $200, you can get a simple wireless system (wireless units are much easier to install than hard-wired models) that can be up and running in minutes.  Features usually include a couple of door and window sensors, a motion detector, a control panel, and an emergency dialer that will ring you up and let you know when someone has entered your home.

An example is the Skylink SC-1000 Complete Wireless Alarm System, which you can pick up on Amazon for less than $170. 

"This kit comes with a complete wireless security system that can be installed in minutes. With the motion sensor and two door/window sensors, the system covers enough for a decent size house... The emergency dialer AD433S is your own monitoring center without any monthly charges... The Control Panel can control up to 24 different sensors, these sensors include door/window sensor, motion sensor, flood sensor, smoke sensor, temperature sensor, etc. If any of these sensors are triggered when the system is armed, the siren will sound and it will send a wireless signal to the dialer that will call for help at the same time."

Burglar Alarm Contracts--What to Watch for

Want to feel more secure by installing a monitored burglar alarm (one where a company responds by sending a patrol car or the police if the alarm goes off)?  Who doesn't?  It's great to know someone is watching.  And today, there are deals all over the place where you can buy home security systems for next to nothing, as long as you sign up for a monitoring contract with the company for a couple years.  We're used to such contracts, because that's how most of us got our cell phones, right?  Free phone with a two-year contract.  An article from a Seattle news network, though, highlights one of the things you need to watch out for: the automatic renewel.

A Seattle couple "got their alarm system for almost nothing. In return they had to buy the monitoring service for three years...Dennis figured their commitment would be over in three years, 'then if we wanted we would be able to renew.' But he says, three years later when he called the company to say they no longer wanted the monitoring service, the company told him, 'Sorry, the contract was automatically renewed for another three years at the original price.'"

Basically, they got stuck with another (pricey) three-year contract because they didn't realize they needed to cancel in writing at least 60 days ahead of the original contract expiration date.  The lesson?  As with so many things, read the fine print of those burglar alarm contracts before you sign up.  And then remember to keep them somewhere you can refer back to them easily, because the mind tends to forgot things after a couple of years!

Glass Break Sensor Information

Some home security systems come with glass break detectors or motion detectors, and you may be wondering if it's a worthwhile investment or what exactly they do.  Basically, glass break sensors work by recognizing the sound/shockwave made by the glass of your windows breaking.  Then an alarm sounds.  To be thorough, you should install sensors on both ground and upper story windows.

More information on glass break sensors/detectors:

About Glass Break Sensors
How to Install a Glass Breaking Sensor in Your Home
Background on Glass Break Detection
Making Sense of Glass Break Sensors

Telephone Lines = Weak Link In Alarm Systems?

Monitored home security companies like ADT rely on a phone call initiated from the alarm system in order to take action (which may be calling the police or sending a unit to check out your home personally, depending on the security company and what options you sign up for).  A short news article called Homeowners Discover Loophole in Home Security System brings to light an alarming vulnerability that many of us might not think of: the telephone lines.  If burglars cut the phone lines, there's no way for the alarm system to alert the monitoring company, whether it be ADT or another company.  Though monitored alarms are generally preferable to home security systems that just sound sirens locally, you should realize the possible vulnerability.  The article mentions a backup cell phone call incase the telephone lines are damaged.  This sounds like a good idea and is something you'll want to look into with your alarm company, especially if it's been a few years since you had your system installed (before cell phones became so prevalent).