To determine the type of home security that is right for you, you need to decide a few things. A big factor is determining how much money you are willing and able to spend. Another big factor is how invasive you will tolerate. No matter which way you decide to go, home security is a good investment.
Some people decide on the security they need by how safe they feel. If you live in a high crime area or if your home has been threatened, you may opt for more in-depth security measures. You need to go as far as you can to ensure you feel safe.
The most inexpensive options are easy do-it-yourself and do not require a lot of money. First, make sure you have good locks on your doors. These can be purchased at any hardware store or home improvement store and can be installed yourself. The deadbolt is the best option and will cost you about twenty dollars. Second, make sure your windows are secure. This can be accomplished by installing a security bar across or in your windows. These are easy to install and start at seventeen dollars and are also found at hardware and home improvement stores. Third, for the cost of a light bulb you can make sure your outside lights work.
If you would like to add additional security after you have taken the basic steps, there are several options available to you. You can invest in an alarm system. There are indoor systems and outdoor systems.
The most popular is the indoor system. Most basic systems include monitoring for fire and carbon monoxide for total home protection. The inside systems are installed along doors and windows or any place that an intruder can get in. If you still want more security, you can add motion sensors. A system like this will cost you about eight hundred dollars which usually will include installation. There are monthly monitoring fees that can start at forty dollars a month.
To stop an intruder outside, you can use the outdoor security system. These are based on motion sensors and will turn on your outside lights, the idea to scare the intruder away. This can be installed solo beginning at two hundred dollars or you can add it to the cost of indoor system and get both.
As an addition to your security system you can add video surveillance. You can choose from either wireless or hardwired. The video is transmitted to your television or video cassette recorder and consists of several transmitters and receivers. These systems will start at about three hundred dollars and can include an intercom system.
When dealing with home security, there are things you can do to help out your systems, like locking your doors and windows when you leave the house or go to sleep, and do not open the door unless you know who it is and to answer the door with a phone in your hands.