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By: Christine Loxley
There are a lot of low-tech methods of home security. Neighborhood
watch programs, bright street lights and basic deadlocks on
the doors can all be effective ways of discouraging intruders.
But electronic means are more reliable and less prone to human
error, which is why many people have turned to burglar alarms
or other home security systems.
As crime rates rise and the days of leaving your doors unlocked
recede into the distant past, home security becomes an increasingly
vital concern. The marketplace has been flooded with a variety
of methods for keeping one's home safe from intruders and
to protect oneself against theft.
A basic burglar alarm relies on sensors on the doors and
windows. When the alarm system is active, any attempt to get
into the house will trip the sensors and raise the alarm.
What happens from there depends on the type of home security
system you have. The most expensive systems send a message
directly to the police. However, because of the cost, today
it is primarily businesses and other institutions that use
this method. Most consumer systems send the alarm to an agency
that will quickly try to determine if the alarm is genuine
(by calling the homeowner or property manager) and if it is,
notify the police.
Some alarm companies also have personnel who patrol neighborhoods
and may respond to alarms. These personnel are not police
officers and generally avoid engaging intruders. Their purpose,
rather, is to frighten off burglars, who rely on the cover
of darkness and don't want to be caught by anyone, police
officer or otherwise.
One useful feature of many home security systems is a motion-sensitive
spotlight. These have sensors that detect movement, and so
anytime someone passes in front of it, a bright beam of light
comes on. Not only does this remove a burglar's favorite tool
-- darkness -- it may even trick an intruder into thinking
someone is home. Anything you can do to thwart a would-be
thief is worth looking into.
About The Author
Christine Loxley writes for http://www.securitypavillion.com
a website packed with home security articles and intruder
alarm resources.
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