So you have a security system, but is that really enough? I am frequently asked why a security system is needed. “I’ve got that sign that goes in the front yard,” I am told. While it is true that the sign is a large part of security, the belief that there is nothing else to do is the most dangerous thing you can do for your home and family.
The yard sign for a security system is arguably approximately 60% of the security of a home. It says to would-be thieves, “I hear the Millers down the street got a new TV…try them.” Just as a trained law officer knows how to spot a liar, a professional thief knows when a house is only sporting a sign and lacks a real system. Remember that vacuum salesman that was going door-to-door? He noticed that you did not have a contact on your front door and told three of his friends. When you went to the store the other day you neglected to close the drapes in the Family Room, and the guy that wants into your house got a good look at the room that has no motion or glassbreak detectors. It is easy to find this stuff out, and if someone wants in, they will find it out. Securing your home requires far more than a yard sign.
Once you have a yard sign, get a matching system. You must have something in place that makes it very uncomfortable for when an attempt to enter your home occurs. Door contacts are a must, followed up with motion or glassbreak detectors. You can get as elaborate as you are comfortable with beyond that, but remember your goal of making it difficult.
Monitoring is something I personally believe to be optional. Any security company worth anything will offer you the opportunity to buy a system and NOT monitor it. The “bigs” that offer a free or inexpensive system typically will only be LEASING you the system in return for a multiple year contract that must be entered. The monitoring signal can easily be cut, and if you live in an area considered remote (more of us than you think), response time can be dismal. Cell options are expensive, but well worth the money if you feel you must be monitored, as they are almost absolutely fool-proof. If you also have some fire devices attached to your security system (recommended highly), stop thinking about it and sign up to monitor your system. The decision to monitor for your burglar system should be made before a system is installed, and you should consider where you live and how much other security you have applied to your home.
There are several things that you can do to support a security system in the attempt to lock down a home. Door locks should be changed within the hour of purchase. This includes new homes. You have no idea who has a copy of the key that opens your door and a locksmith is cheap (usually under $100). If you have old hardware, just have the locksmith go ahead and replace it altogether. Your local hardware store sells locks and can point you to a qualified locksmith. Once you have good locks, use them. Everyone in the family should be extra careful to make sure that doors and windows are locked, and parents can make a game out of it to get kids in the act.
A system in place to keep people out, it is time to look at your valuables. It is not enough to try to keep someone out with a security system. Even a wirelessly monitored system in a downtown area will have response times by law enforcement measured in minutes…several of them, probably. That is plenty of time for a person to find and take valuable jewelry, cash, collectibles, and other high-dollar items that may not even know you have. Go ahead and take stock of your home’s items. You should be doing this for your insurance company anyway. Get a calculator and add up how much you stand to lose if someone breaks into your home. I know this can be a pain, but valuables should be locked up, even inside your locked home. Safes, lockable display shelves, key boxes, etc. should be used to supplement your security system.
Security is far more than just the sign in the yard. It should be considered tantamount to the lives of those living in the home. The items in your home represent hours, days, months, or even years of your life and the lives of other family members that should be protected at all costs. If the cash on your nightstand is stolen, you have to consider the hours of your life spent making that money as having just been taken. If someone breaks in to take your baseball card collection, think of the days (probably months) of your life spent collecting, cataloging, and just gazing at the cards and how someone just murdered that time of yours ... because you have to do it all over again. Priceless heirlooms passed down through four generations by your Great, Great Uncle Louie represent lifetimes of pride and achievement to many people and should be well preserved.
Photo courtesy of BigFoto.com
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