Top 10 Home Alarms

Auto-Dialer

• As the name suggests, auto-dialer alarm systems automatically dial one or more numbers in the event of an emergency situation. Some auto-dialers work without the assistance of a home alarm system. They simply detect movement or a change in the temperature of the surrounding area.

Carbon Monoxide and Fire Detectors

• All homes demand the use of carbon monoxide and fire detectors. Purchasing a single unit that detects both of these common home hazards makes the home easier to maintain. For proper detection, carbon monoxide and fire detectors must be present on every level of the home.

Contacts

• Contacts are small sensors that protect windows, doors and other openings of the home. Contacts have two parts, one piece that is attached to the door or window, and another piece that goes on the edge of the woodwork or frame. The home alarm goes off when the contacts are broken apart.

Driveway

• Driveway alarms alert the homeowner when a car enters the property. Most are configured to detect cars and vehicles so that animals do not set off the home alarm. Driveway alarms are available in both inexpensive basic and higher-end advanced varieties.

Home Monitoring

• Home monitoring is a high-end security system that uses live people to respond to home alarm alerts. Homeowners that opt for this setup pay a monthly fee for the service, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Intercom Systems

• Intercom systems allow the homeowner to have audio, video or a combination of both types of access to the home's exterior. The intercom home alarm system comes with many optional details, such as wireless installation, portable reception and doorbell inclusion.

Motion Detection

• As the name suggests, motion detectors expose movement by setting off an alarm or flooding the area with light. When paired with other types of home alarms, motion detectors also auto-dial homeowners or alert the authorities when necessary.

Pool Alarms

• Pool alarms are vital for homes that have swimming pools, regardless of whether the home has any children. Neighborhood kids can stumble into the yard, or a family pet may be caught unattended. A pool alarm goes off when the surface of the water is disrupted by movement.

Security Cameras

• Security cameras are ideal for when someone is home to monitor the feed. Otherwise, cameras provide only secondary security. Inexpensive fake security cameras are also available to scare burglars away by fooling them into thinking they are being watched.

Wireless

• Wireless alarms make it easy to install a home security system in areas where wiring is impossible. Wireless systems require careful monitoring since they run on batteries and will not work without power.