Repair Our Home

There are many types and levels of home security available to Tennessee residents. The state is a mix of rural and urban areas and the threats and expectations are quite varied. Many Tennesseans take their security in their own hands by keeping weapons on hand or dogs in the home. Weapons can pose a safety problem, as well as making a homeowner vulnerable to criminal charges in some cases. For many, the best choice is one of the many home security alarms available. In this article, the benefits and weaknesses of some of the security options are examined. Self-installed alarms, basic installation services and professional, monitored systems will be discussed.

Just about any do-it-yourselfer can install one of the widely available department store alarm kits. With two or three wireless sensors and a controller, installation takes less than an hour. An area motion detector and one or two door or window sensors are included. A few higher-priced self-installed alarms include the ability to make phone calls to owner-programmed numbers. Some even offer monitoring at an extra cost.

Before placing family’s security in a bargain alarm system, homeowners should be aware of some inherent weaknesses in these kits. The two most obvious weaknesses are battery life and the limited number of sensors. The quality and sensitivity of kit-based sensors is at best questionable. Non-professional installers often overlook security vulnerabilities and make mistakes that expose the family and property.

Much better security is available from professional Tennessee home security services. Professionals keep abreast of the technological advances in the industry and the methods being employed by criminal types to get past security systems. Professional installers will mount sensors and controllers that use house electricity for power and fall back on battery power when electricity fails. Security lapses caused by battery life are eliminated.

The professional consultants working with Tennessee home security services will point out vulnerable areas easily overlooked by the average homeowner. Modern criminal types are becoming more tech savvy and learning to incorporate technology to defeat security systems. Professional security technicians will be aware of these methods and know of security measures that have not yet been widely defeated.

Simple alarm systems are enhanced by monitoring services. There are a few nationally recognized names in home security and some Tennessee home security services are part of these large companies. Large companies have the resources to maintain professionally staffed monitoring centers. Trained security monitors can quickly verify a threat and call local authorities.

The days of home alarm systems being monitored by local police have long passed. Police departments were inundated with false alarms, forcing them to stop responding directly to alarms. While monitoring services add a few seconds to response time, the police are no longer wasting time on false alarms. There are a few Tennessee home security services with local monitoring centers. These local companies may have a small advantage with response time compared to the national monitoring centers. Direct contact with local police via radio or dedicated phone lines can shave a few seconds off the response. Some local companies also offer patrol services and radio dispatched security officers.

home security system with local monitoring centers may have a small response time edge over national monitoring centers. It is possible for local services to have direct links to local law enforcement via radio or dedicated phone lines. Some services also provide regular patrols with radio dispatch capability. The home security a home owner decides to use depends on many factors. The value of property to be protected, the amount of perceived threat, and the financial resources available for security are all part of the decision.

Welcome back!