Alarm System Monitoring Protects Your Home From Intruders

Did you hear the one about the burglar who decided to take a shower? A woman in Portland, Oregon, returned home from shopping one afternoon to find a burglar taking a shower in her bathroom. It sounds like the setup for a joke, but it’s true, and it’s not even the oddest and funniest story about home break ins that cross the news desk each day. In this case, the burglar made the news by calling 911 himself to report the break-in, but in the majority of home burglary cases, the burglars get away clean—and not because they take the time to shower first, say the police in Houston. Home security systems can help increase the odds of catching the thieves, and, more importantly, prevent the break-ins from happening.

Chances are that the homeowner who came home to find that a burglar had cooked himself dinner in her kitchen didn’t have a home burglar alarm or home security system installed in her home. The fact is that she’s lucky to have only lost a steak and some vegetables. In most cases, burglars get away with far more than a meal and a few gallons of water, and if they find someone at home when they break in, the consequences could include terror, injury and even death. A home security and alarm system can alert homeowners, awaken neighbors and even call the police to let them know that an intruder has attempted to break into your home.

Monitored home alarm systems offer even more security for your home and your family. Among the most popular types of home security systems available today, monitored systems are connected to a company that provides 24/7 live burglar alarm monitoring, which may include audio and video fed directly from the monitored homes. If someone breaks into your home while the alarm is armed, the system alerts the alarm monitoring company, which can then survey the situation and alert the appropriate authorities to send help.

Whole-house monitored alarm systems are a major selling point on new high-end homes in and around Houston. Home security companies are also seeing an uptick in the number of existing homeowners who are looking to upgrade to a more secure monitored home security system. Houston security companies note that monitored alarm systems and personal alarm systems can also allow elderly parents to maintain their independence while providing their adult children with peace of mind. If you’re considering installing a home security system for your home, consult the best home alarm company to learn about the advances in home alarm monitoring Houston companies and home security systems.

Home Security System Tips

In July 2010, the Houston Chronicle reported an alarming increase in home burglaries in the Houston area—an increase of 22% over the past four years. Many burglarized home owners had been hit more than once, and a few as many as four times. It’s no wonder that one of the most sought after features in new homes in Houston is a home security system. Houston law officials report that there’s a break-in somewhere in the city every 30 minutes, around the clock. You can reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a home break-in by following some basic home security tips offered by law enforcement and home security system experts.

• Case your home the way a burglar would: Look it over carefully from the street. Are there overhanging bushes that give you a place to hide while you break a window? Can you easily sneak around to the back without being seen by neighbors? Are there low windows that you can climb through? By looking for vulnerabilities in your home security, you can take steps to neutralize them.

• Lock your doors and windows: As basic as the advice seems, police report that in many cases, thieves simply opened an unlocked front or back door and walked into the house. Invest in secure locks on your doors and windows and always lock them to keep unwanted intruders out.

• Make sure that your property is well-lighted: Reduce the chance of night-time break-ins by making it harder for thieves to work under cover of darkness. Porch lights at the front and back doors are helpful, but also be sure to set up security lights to cover any dark areas of your yard. Motion-detector lights are especially useful as burglary deterrents – the sudden blast of light is often enough to drive potential burglars away and alert neighbors and home residents that someone is trying to break in.

• Install a home security system: Home security systems tilt the odds in two ways. The very presence of an alarm system monitor package will scare off many burglars, reducing your chances of being burglarized. If you choose a monitored alarm system, especially one with video or camera, you’ll increase the chances of tracking down the perpetrators if you are burglarized.

• If you choose a wired home security system, make sure that all wires are concealed: Experienced burglars often look for exposed or visible home alarm wires so that they can disconnect or cut the wires and disable the security system. Newer home security systems, particularly monitored home alarm systems, will send out an alarm if the system is disabled that way.

A Houston home security specialist can evaluate your home and suggest other measures you can take to prevent burglaries and home invasions, as well as suggesting home security systems that best suit your needs.