You’re not just looking for a new house, you’re looking for a new home. You want a place where you and your family will be safe. You want your belongings protected whether you’re at home, out for the day, or out of town. If simple locks aren’t enough for you – and they probably shouldn’t be – you need a home security system to ensure you stay safe and sound.
Installing and maintaining a home security system can be a long, complicated process. No one solution will work for everyone, so your system will be unique to your needs. To ensure you get the security cameras and burglar alarms you need, follow these 5 tips to improve home security for new homeowners.
1. Wired Security Cameras Are Generally Better Than Wireless Security Cameras
Wireless doesn’t always mean better. Wireless security cameras take up more bandwidth on your wireless network, and they don’t have the zoom capabilities or the image quality of their hardwired counterparts. If you want a serious surveillance system, you want hardwired security cameras with the wires buried safely in your walls instead of a battery-powered webcam that anyone can try to hack wirelessly.
That said, if you only want a security camera or two inside your house to keep an eye on the dog or make sure your kids don’t get up to too much trouble, there’s nothing wrong with going wireless. Just make sure you change out the batteries frequently if they don’t connect to your home’s power.
2. Get A Professional Security System Installation
Whether you’re building a brand new home or moving into an older home, you don’t want to rely only on yourself for your security. You might think you’re saving money on installation, but if you’re doing anything more than placing a few wireless cameras you’ll spend a lot more on maintenance in the long run.
In addition to guaranteed service and repair, professional installers know how to integrate a security system without interfering with your home’s wiring or plumbing. They’ve also got more tools that are better suited to the job than a simple drill. Finally, a professional installation guarantees the parts of your security system are compatible with each other. The last thing you want is to find out that your door and window sensors won’t talk to your security keypad.
3. Use Monitored Burglar Alarms
If you don’t want to go it alone during your installation, you certainly don’t want to be responsible for the whole system once it’s been installed. You can’t watch your burglar alarms 24/7, but a monitoring company can. Their job is to ensure your home stays safe when you’re out, and unlike an automatic sensor, they can tell the difference between a squirrel and a would-be burglar, preventing the police from showing up to a false alarm.
4. Use A Variety Of Security Systems
You’ll never be as secure with a lot of one type of security as you will be with a variety. The best systems provide overlapping coverage of zones with a healthy sampling of security cameras (indoor and outdoor), a doorbell intercom, and a burglar alarm suite.
5. If you’ve already got a security system, use it.
Unless your existing alarm system is in exceptionally poor condition, it’s likely cheaper and more effective to use it as the foundation of your home security system. You can add or subtract nodes as necessary, but if you start from scratch you’re neglecting a security system that’s already been optimized for your home.
Get Safe and Sound
That’s not the end, of course – these home security tips are just the basics for new homeowners so you have an idea of what you’re looking for. If you want more information and details on comprehensive security systems, or if you know you want a quality security camera or burglar alarm system installed, give Safe and Sound Security a call. We offer free consultations that give you everything you need to know about a personalized security system that will keep you and your household safe and sound.
