Home Security — Wireless systems
By Steve Marchessault
To most of us, there is nothing more important than feeling your family is safe and secure in your own home. If your home has ever been burglarized, it’s hard to forget the feeling of being vulnerable. According to the FBI, burglary accounts for more than 20% of the estimated number of property crimes and most often those crimes are committed during the daytime. Homes with a security system have a significantly reduced break-in rate, and it can help protect your family and possessions from fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Today many homeowners are opting to install wireless home security systems. Wireless systems can offer as many features as the conventional hard-wired security system and are simpler to install. Wireless home alarms work with radio wave frequencies which are transmitted from motion sensors to the central control panel. The wireless signals penetrate walls and ceilings and can travel hundreds of feet. The wireless security systems operate on battery powered sensors which allow you to have a complete security system without needing to install wires. This is a viable solution for many of the older homes on Cape Cod.
The newest wireless systems employ two-way technologies that allow wireless keypads, sirens and multi-purpose handheld devices that can be used to verify whether your system is armed or disarmed from a short distance. Wireless keypads and sirens provide greater flexibility and protection for the homeowner. This new technology works well with wireless photoelectric smoke detectors, door or window contacts, motion detectors and glass-break detectors.
Troubleshooting is also much simpler with a wireless security system because the control panel will alert the homeowner and alarm technician if a device is malfunctioning. A home security system can be customized to suit your needs, and once it is installed in your home you will feel more confident that your family and property are well protected, whether you are home or away.
Home Security Audit Checklist
Use this questionnaire to check the security of your home. A
“No” answer indicates an area where you should take action
to improve the protection of your home and family.
Home
• Are all exterior doors solid core doors with heavy-duty
dead bolts?
• Are sliding glass doors locked by placing a pole or
board in the floor track to prevent the door from being
lifted off the track?
• Do all windows have adequate primary and secondary
locking mechanisms in good operating condition?
• Are the house address numbers clearly visible from
the street?
• Are all entrances to your home illuminated with bright
lights?
• Are expensive items (PC’s, stereo equipment, etc.),
easily visible from your windows?
Yard
• Do trees or shrubs obscure the view of your doors or
windows from the street?
• Are bushes & shrubs trimmed to eliminate areas where
an intruder could hide?
• Are all outdoor storage sheds, pool house, or other
exterior buildings kept securely locked when not in
use?
• Do you have an unsecured ladder by your house?
• Are garage doors kept closed and locked?
• Do you keep your car locked when it is left in the
driveway?
Safety
• Do you close and lock your doors and windows each
time before you leave home?
• If you have a security system do you turn it on every
time you leave home?
• When your home is not occupied in the evening, do
you use lights that are controlled by timers?
• Before you unlock or open the door, do you first
determine who is there?
• Do all members of your household know what to do in
case of a fire or emergency?
• Do you arrange for a friend or neighbor to come by
and check on your home when you are away?
• Are any firearms you may own stored unloaded, and
locked separately from ammunition?
• Do you have a current inventory of the valuables inside
your home, including makes, models, serial numbers,
and photographs?
• Do you have a safe or safe deposit box for storage of
valuable items like jewelry?
• Do you leave an extra house key with a trusted
neighbor, or security company instead of hiding it in
your outdoor shower?
• Is your home equipped with smoke detectors and
carbon monoxide detectors?
About the Author: Steve Marchessault, General Manager of Intercity Alarms, has over 25 years of business experience, including over 15 years working exclusively in the electronic security industry.