The bells only systems are not watched 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They operate on the premise that flashing lights and loud sirens will attract enough attention to cause the criminals to retreat structured cabling.
If you have decided that installing a home security system is the right move for you, it is time to begin to understand what your security system options are and what kind is right for you. To begin with, there are two main types of security systems. One kind is for residences and the other kind is for businesses. This choice will be easy for you to make if you are looking to protect your home. These two types do share some common technology; however, business security systems will likely need more cameras and surveillance equipment than a residence will. This is because you will probably not need equipment to monitor shoplifting.
Now that you know what major type of security system you need, you will want to differentiate your needs even further. The two main kinds of home security systems are those known as “bells only” and those that are monitored. The bells only systems are not watched 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They simply operate on the premise that flashing lights and loud sirens will attract enough attention to cause the criminal to retreat.
A monitored system, on the other hand, makes use of an off-site, third-party monitoring company watches your alarm system at all times of the day and night. This provides homeowners with an extra sense of protection because they know that someone is monitoring their home even when they can’t be there to do it themselves. When the alarm is triggered, the monitoring company is notified instantly so that emergency services can be dispatched to the home. This allows help to arrive much sooner than it would if a monitoring company wasn’t looking over the house. In addition, it means that no matter where the homeowner is, he or she can be assured that the home is in safe hands.
The final classifications include do-it-yourself systems versus installed systems and wired systems versus wireless systems. The choice of these classifications depends on your level of familiarity with installing electrical components. A hard-wired system is going to be much more difficult for you to install yourself than a wireless system, so many people choose to have this kind of system installed by a professional. The wireless home security systems can be easier to install, but they might not be as reliable as hard-wired systems. This is really a personal choice, though, as either kind of system will keep your home and family safer than not having one at all.