How to Compare Home Security Alarms

Decide whether you want the dependability of cables connecting the components of your home security system, or the convenience of a wireless network. Cables are not affected by interference from cell phones, microwave ovens and other devices in the home, while a wireless network avoids the hazards of loose wires, or the need to run wires through walls.

Compare the operating systems of your potential choices. The operating system (OS) running the home security alarm system can use a graphical interface that guides the user so that he can get it up and running quickly, or it can be designed for personalization, which will require a higher learning curve.

Consider the number of possible ways of getting into your house. This includes doors, picture windows, living room and bathroom windows, and any other means of getting inside. Count the number of devices for monitoring these entrances included in the home security alarm systems you're comparing. Find out whether more components can be added as needed.

Review the automation sensors included with the home security alarm systems you're comparing. Are fire alarm sensors included? Are carbon monoxide sensors included? Are gas and water leakage sensors included? A good home security system should include both sensors that protect against intruders, and sensors that warn of possibly life-threatening situations when they occur in your home.

Look at the types of interfaces the compared home security systems use. Do you want a graphical interface accessed through a computer, or one accessed through a portable device -- for example, a cell phone or Wi-Fi-enabled touch-screen panel. An interface on a computer gives you a large viewing screen and the processing power of the PC for activating and monitoring functions from the home. A portable device allows the user to access the system from a remote location, albeit with a slower response time and on a smaller screen.

Consider the method used by the compared home security alarm systems to alert you to a problem. Does the system send you an email or text message? Does it just sound an alarm in the home? Or does it call someone at a security center? An automated system, while responding immediately, can only perform in the way it is programmed to perform. A system that contacts a person at a security center lets someone consider why the alarm went off.