How to determine the best security system for your lifestyle

Posted on July 19, 2011

Whether you live in a condo, townhome, apartment or single-family dwelling, taking a little time to determine the best security system will help ensure the one you choose best meets your needs. Below are some things to consider when developing the best security system for you.

Location and visibility are good places to start. If you live near a heavily populated area – such as downtown Minneapolis – crime will be more prevalent than in a smaller town like Buffalo, Minnesota, for example. How visible is your house? Is it isolated from other houses or is it near many? How far away from a main street is it? 

If your home is isolated from other houses, you may be at a higher risk for break-ins than houses that are in close proximity to each other. This causes your home to “stand out from the crowd.”

If you are positioned away from a main street, secluded from a high traffic area, or have a house that is hidden by trees, your susceptibility to break-ins also rises because the probability of a burglar being caught approaching your home is lower.

Physical structure and layout of property is next on the list of “to do’s.” The first line of burglary defense for any home is external lighting. Poorly-lit homes are more susceptible to burglaries.

The size of your house and property are directly related to the amount of area that needs protection. If your home is larger, there is more area to cover, which usually requires additional glass-break sensors and/or motion detectors in your home security system. WH Security always recommends all ground-level accessible exterior doors and windows have sensors.

I’m covering access to your security system last, but it is certainly not least. In fact, this is often overlooked and can be one of the most important factors when planning your security system set-up. Have you ever given an access code to a neighbor, contractor or friend for temporary use? The best way to deal with these infrequent, but necessary situations is to give the person entering the home a temporary access code for a specific timeframe. This can be done by programming through the alarm panel or an online portal.

There have been a tremendous number of advances in home and business security and surveillance systems, and with those advancements come many new opportunities for these scenarios as well. Interactive services, like those WH Security offers through Alarm.com, are a great way to gain access to your system remotely through a smart phone or computer, allowing you to unlock and relock doors as others need access to your home while you’re away. Through this service, homeowners can also turn lights on and off, and control thermostats. Now you don’t have to be home to let a contractor in or give your neighbor your access code in order to let the dog out. Simply open the door for them.

I hope this posting has been helpful in determining the best security system for you. Thanks and look for more helpful blog postings in the future.

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