What to Look for When Purchasing a Home Alarm System?

Monitoring

• Though many home security systems communicate with a center that monitors and responds to alarms, some systems do not support monitoring. Homeowners who want monitoring should look for companies that perform background checks on employees, have established themselves in the industry and have proper licenses, including insurance, in place, according to the security website Burglar Alarm Notes. Homeowners who do not want to pay a monthly monitoring fee should look for unmonitored systems.

Wired or Wireless Operation

• Homeowners who want to permanently install a security system and rely on it to consistently function with nearly no maintenance should look for wired security systems, according to the homeowner website Home Guide 123. Those who do not want to cut through walls and doors to install wires, and those who want to take the system to a new home in the future, should look for wireless systems.

Sensors

• Different homeowners have different monitoring needs, and alarm systems feature a variety of sensor types to accommodate these requirements. Homeowners with numerous first-floor doors and windows should look for supervised systems that can accommodate large numbers of door and window sensors. Those with smaller homes, though, may prefer systems with motion detectors and outdoor cameras, according to Home Guide 123.