Protecting your family and home from potential invasion and other disasters, you might think that you just need to call your local Charlotte, NC Security System Dealer and order an install.  The problem is, that not all systems are made equal, and not all systems fit your home and circumstances equally.  To ensure that you protect your home and family and that you get the right system for your home, consider the following tips:

Layout of Your Home

The reality is, that this is one of the most basic, most important, and most often messed-up portions of deciding on not only which sensors on a security system to use, but also, what system to use overall.  Consider a few of the following  factors:

1. Are you in the building stage of a new home or do you have an unfinished basement and easy-access attic?  You may be fine using a hard-wired system, which could potentially give you less hassle with battery changes, etc over the years (although you need to watch for exposed wiring and other faults of hard-wired systems.
2. Do you have many hard-to-access areas in your home or location that really may need a wireless system?  Are any of those far enough away from the primary panel and wireless unit that you need to consider a wireless repeater or relay?
3. Do you have an area with many large glass windows or doors, do you have windows that may be fairly easy to open, or would they most likely be broken?
4. Do you have windows that are accessible from the ground or that are below ground without safety-release, locked window covers?
5. Do you have areas that may not be covered by your “primary” sensors,  but that may have a vulnerable access point?
6. Do you have an uninhabited basement or accessible attic

Lifestyle

Again, this is usually a factor that is overlooked or ignored when selecting and setting up a system.  When you think about your lifestyle and how you and your family live, you may discover some keys to successfully setting up your new system.  Here are a few questions to ask about your lifestyle:

1. Are you mostly home, or are you often away?  Some sensors are more difficult to use with people at home.
2. Do you have people up in the night, and walking through the house, or are family members usually within their rooms or attached bathrooms?  If people walk through the home at night (to the bathroom for example), what areas will be walked through?
3. Are there individuals that come home after other family members are in bed?
4. Do you want to be able to keep any teens from sneaking out (this is more popular than you may think)
5. Do you want to be able to activate from various locations throughout the house, or only from a central panel?
6. Do you enter the home through the garage or another entry?

Pets

Animals can easily set off a security system that is set up incorrectly.  I have seen many systems installed by professionals that are configured incorrectly, that have continual problems from pets.  A few tips here:

1. Use the highest-rated “pet-immune” motion sensors when you use them.  Keep in mind an “80-pound motion” probably means you need to be very cautious with your 60 Pound English Bulldog
2. Do you have a very MEOW-Y cat?  Their shrill meows can set up a glass break sensor sometimes (these are getting better in the last couple of years, but you need to be cautious of which type you get).
3. Try to set your system to be fail-proof, rather than “probably ok”

Monitoring Needs

Keep in mind that monitoring for a security or fire alert system is a huge part of what you want this for.  If you had everything you needed to protect everyone at all times (we know you are Rambo, Dad), then you wouldn’t get a system at all.  The reality is, that you are gone, asleep, or (heaven forbid) injured, and that is why this system is valuable to you.  In addition, more and more cities and areas have regulations about how loud your siren can be, so sometimes you could have an alarm sounding, and a neighbor down the street may not realize, or may not know which home it is.  Better safe than sorry.

When you are looking for monitoring, the cheapest is not necessarily the best.  You want 24/7/365 monitoring, by a certified and trained monitoring center.

Did you know that you can test your monitoring center?  Yep, set it off while you are in the home.  Keep in mind, that they will ask you for your code, so be prepared.  Also, you can usually test it after the installing technician sets it up and does his test.

Fire Coverage

Don’t forget that your home is susceptible to fire.  Many homeowners believe that since their fire alarms are wired together to go off at the same time, somehow those are being monitored…. well, they aren’t   But, you can add some monitored fire and smoke sensors to your security system with relatively little cost, and usually no additional monitoring fees.  This is a no-brainer if you ask me. Keep in mind that many factors help to make a great system.