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Make Your Home Office Secure
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Article 4: Install Alarm Systems
Alarm systems provide a reliable first line of defense for your home and your home office, and they do so at a reasonable cost. But how do you choose the right alarm system for your home?
There are two main kinds of alarm systems: wired and wireless. Wired systems run copper wire throughout the home to every window, door and other entry point. Wireless systems use radio frequency transmitters and receivers. Each type of system comes with pros and cons. Consult with an alarm expert or installation company about which type is best for your home.
Plenty of alarm companies now advertise installation of new alarm systems for $99 (or for free) if you sign a long-term contract for monthly monitoring service. But you should be wary of these offers, warns Jeff Zbar, author of “Safe@Home: Seven Keys to Home Office Security.”
“At this price, you’re probably only getting protection of one or two exterior doors, few if any windows and only one keypad,” says Zbar. “The average home probably has at least three exterior doors, a dozen or more windows and possibly a sliding glass door as well. Most experts advise protecting every entry into the home, as well as installing internal safety mechanisms, like motion and glass breakage sensors.”
The real cost to thoroughly protect an entire home with an alarm system is about one dollar per square foot, says Zbar. Central station monitoring averages about $25 a month.
If you’re on a tight budget, you can get a basic system for less than $100 (plus monthly monitoring) that will provide a minimum level of protection. And don’t forget that you may receive a discount of up to 10 percent on your homeowner’s insurance when you install an alarm system.
Most alarm systems monitor for smoke and fire as well as break-ins and will automatically alert the fire department in the event of fire. This is an added level of security that you should seriously consider as you think about the benefits of a home alarm system.
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