Top 5 Home Alarm Systems for 2013

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Posted on October 28, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

It’s very interesting and exciting for us to research DIY home alarm options and recommend our finding to our readers but we realized that the majority of our audience is looking for something a little different. So, to help those of you who would rather rely on a professional home alarm system with 24/7 monitoring and quick response we researched the market to find four options which won’t break your wallet and are provided by companies with great reputation. Below are our choices for Top Home Alarm Systems – as available in 2013!

#	Product	Pricing Information	Learn More
1.	P: 888-978-2211 Lifeshield provides alarm monitoring, fire & smoke, carbon monoxide, medical and even environmental monitoring.	Their services cost as little as 29.99 per month with no installation fee. You get a free home security system!	Some of the benefits that you can get with Lifeshield are free mobile monitor and their home automation technology which allows you to control your home’s appliances remotely.
2.	P: 855-827-3944 ADT offers burglar, fire, medical, carbon monoxide, and flood monitoring.	The price of monitoring starts at 35.99 per month. If you pay $99 for the installation you get a free security system!	ADT has a long history of providing excellent service to its clients. They have agents responding to any situation 24/7. The technology available at ADT includes touchpads, remote controls, entry sensors, motion detectors, sirens as well as autonomous power supply.
3.	P: 888-589-4144 FrontPoint offers burglar and intrusion monitoring, fire, environmental and life safety monitoring.	The plan starts at 34.99 per month and comes with a variety of sensors as well as awesome home automation technology.	One interesting feature that FrontPoint offers is sms alerts sent directly to your mobile phone in case of intrusion or another situation that might require your attention.
4.	P: 888-896-5778 Protect America has an interesting set of features including police, fire and medical response, land line or broadband monitoring, two-way voice monitoring as well as GPS vehicle tracking.	Their home alarm plans start at 29.99 per month and come with a lifetime warranty and part replacement policy.	You can start with a free system from Protect America however upgrades like cellular monitoring come with additional cost. All of the price perks are available only for people who choose their long-term contract option.
5.	Vivint offers a safeguard against theft, fire, and intrusion.	Their home security service starts at 49.99 per month and comes with their Go!Control, 3 door/window sensors, and 1 motion detector, key fob, and yard sign.	What makes Vivint stand out from the crowd is the fact that their entire alarm system is wireless. No phone lines that can be cut, further ensuring it’s reliability even through the worst of possible scenarios.

Electronic Door Locks – Are They Really Safe?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

When remodeling, replacing a door or simply reinforcing your home’s security, you now have another option in door locks, the electronic or digital lock. After generations have trusted manual locks for keeping their homes secure, the next generation of electronic locks use varying types of technology. However, how safe are these locks compared to our trusted mechanical locks?

Keyless locks are the product of advances in technology and improvements in security. Security risks with keyed locks include lost keys, copied keys, picked locks, lock “bumping,” or forced entry, which iseasier with a mechanical lock.

Some of the biggest safety advantages of electronic locks are simply that they do not require a key. They are also harder to pick or bump since they do not Continue reading →

Home Office Security – Staying Safe While Working from Home

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Angie Tucker

Today, more people are working from home than ever. Whether you’re telecommuting a few days a week or running a home business, don’t forget to plan for your safety.

It’s easy to take your home office security for granted during working hours; it’s light outside and there’s activity on your street. But, did you know that 62 percent of burglaries happen during the hours of 9 am and 3 pm? That’s when a burglar suspects no one is home.

Burglaries aren’t your only risk. Securing business assets and customer information is critical. Above all, ensuring your personal safety is paramount. While your clients may be your first priority, be sure to take these simple precautions to avoid becoming a victim while in your home office.

Keep doors and windows locked. Burglars are looking for an easy way in. If your home office is in the back or upstairs, you may not hear or Continue reading →

7-Ways to Make Your Home Less Appealing to Burglars

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Angie Tucker

Does your home have appeal? Is your home among the most attractive on the block to a would-be burglar? Did you know home security starts at the curb?

By taking a thief’s view of your home, you can easily spot areas of potential trouble. A prowler casing your neighborhood is looking for some very specific things that will help him get in and get out fast. These include:

Overgrown landscape
No lighting
Open or unlocked windows and doors
No visible security sign or window stickers
No outdoor Continue reading →

Incorporating Good Design into Your Home Security

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Kate

I’d like to thank Kate for this wonderful guest post that she wrote for HomeAlarmSystems.com! With a passion for design and a DIY addiction, Kate is one of the best people to talk to about DIY home improvements that will not only save you money but also impress your guests! Read on to see what Kate has to say about incorporating design and home security and check our her blog at CentsationalGirl.com!

A home is built to be functional and serve the needs of its residents. We also love our homes to be beautiful, but one of the most important tasks of home ownership is ensuring its security. Incorporating smart home security solutions into your interior and exterior design takes a little thought, but they are important considerations for all who seek to protect loved ones, hard earned belongings, and family heirlooms.

Consider opaque instead of clear garage and front doors. Clear glass will give an intruder an idea of what’s inside your home and make it a potential target. Rather than replacing windows, there are products you can buy at home improvement stores to add Continue reading →

Home Alarm System Components

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

Building a home alarm system that will protect you and your family means picking the right components for your home and your needs. There are plenty of options out there, and not all of them are necessary for every home. Before you invest in a home alarm system, understand the kinds of components you can get and figure out which ones make the most sense for your situation.

Here are some of the more common home alarm system components available today:

Sensors. There are several different kinds of sensors you can install in your home alarm system. Simple window and door sensors detect whether a window or door has been opened. Glass break sensors use a variety of methods to check and see whether a window has been compromised. Sensors are at the heart of your system, and you need to make sure there’s one for every window, door, or other point of egress in your home.
Cameras. Today’s home security cameras have greater versatility and more functionality than ever before. There are cameras that have night vision, cameras that are motion-activated, and even cameras so small that they won’t be noticed unless someone knows to look for them.
Control panels. There was a time when a home security system’s control panel was always a box on the wall. Today, however, you have more options. There are home security systems that use a remote control-type device to access system functions. There are some systems that can be entirely managed with your smartphone, as well. Pick the one that suits your lifestyle. Continue reading →

3 DIY Home Alarm System Mistakes

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

Many of today’s DIY home alarm systems install so quickly that you can be up and running in a matter of minutes. While the actual process of installation isn’t necessarily a complicated thing (what with wireless technology and lightweight components that use sticky tape, rather than screws, to hold them to the wall) there are plenty of mistakes to be made.

Here are some of the most common errors people make when installing their DIY home alarm systems:

Missing points of egress. Sure, you’ve got sensors on your doors and your first-floor windows, but do you have them on your second-floor windows, or even on your skylight? The fact of the matter is that home invaders can get very creative when it comes to getting into your home. Look at your home from the outside, and identify every possible crack, crevice, and opening that a person could use to gain access to your home.
Poor mounting. There are a couple of aspects you need to be concerned about here. First of all, you need to make sure that multi-part sensors are mounted carefully the first time. Otherwise, you’ll spend way too much time trying to get everything to match up and for the sensors to connect. This also holds true for your home security cameras; in some cases, that mounting tape isn’t really going to be enough. Consider using mounting hardware to make sure it stays in place. Continue reading →

Managing Home Alarm Systems Remotely

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

Your home alarm system is only as good as how you use it. If you don’t ever arm your system, it isn’t going to keep anyone out. Yet, it’s not always intuitive to remember to turn on your home alarm system when you leave. You’d like to be able to access your system remotely, so for example you could arm the system from the office. You wouldn’t mind having access to your system’s video cameras remotely, either.

Fortunately, today’s systems are robust, and feature a number of remote access methods. Here are some of the ways you might be able to access your home alarm system remotely:

Keychains. While these won’t help you from the office, they will let you arm or disarm your home alarm system from your car. These work great as a backup in case you simply forget to arm the system when you leave for work in the morning.
Web interface. Some home alarm systems offer you the ability to manage your home alarm system via a secure web page. Log in to the security company’s website and you can activate or deactivate your system, and in some cases even view your home security cameras remotely.
Smartphone apps. Here’s where things get really interesting. Today’ home alarm systems offer you the ability to manage their features using your smartphone. The app can do just about everything you could do from the control panel, and sometimes more. This means you can access your system from anywhere you have a data connection. Continue reading →

Easy Do-It-Yourself Home Alarm Systems

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

There was a time when installing a home alarm system meant running all sorts of wires through your walls and ceilings, mounting heavy hardware to the walls, and creating a generally ugly impact on your home’s aesthetics. Fortunately, today’s do-it-yourself home alarm systems are easier than ever to install. They go up quicker, take up less space, and have a much smaller visual impact than systems of yore.

Here are some things to look for in a do-it-yourself home alarm system that let you know installation will be quick and easy:

Wireless technology. Most of the DIY home alarm systems you find on shelves today will feature wireless technology. That said, there are some that still require a wired connection. Make sure that you pick one that runs on wireless. As an added measure, consider choosing a system that runs on its own wireless network; some will require access to your home’s wireless connection, and that may not be an option for some folks.
Lightweight components. Today, most door and window sensors can be mounted in your home using simply sticky double-sided tape. For the easiest do-it-yourself home alarm systems, look for components that are not only lightweight, but that already have the mounting tape attached. You simply peel away the paper backing, place the sensor or other component, and you’re all set. Even today’s home security cameras can be made light enough and small enough to mount reliably in this fashion. Continue reading →

House Alarm Systems vs. Apartment Alarm Systems

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Jeremy Kushner

When you own a home, you have much more in the way of options in home alarm systems. Living in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself, however. You just need to understand the constraints you have to work with, and figure out the best possible system from there.

Here are some important factors that make apartment alarms different from house alarm systems:

You can’t make structural modifications. First and foremost, that means you’re restrained from making certain types of modifications. For example, a wired house alarm system couldn’t be installed in an apartment, because you’re not going to be able to drill through walls or ceilings. Anything you install is going to have to be surface-mounted.
You’ll have fewer points of entry. This is one of the advantages of living in an apartment. Chances are you’ve got your front door and, in some cases, one or more windows. It’s possible you’ll have a back door, but you definitely don’t need to worry about things like basement windows. Identifying points of entry should be quick and easy.
You might have to deal with interference. The most common alarm systems rely on wireless technology. If you’re in an apartment, as we mentioned, wired alarm systems aren’t really an Continue reading →