The Elements of a Home Security System
What makes a home security system effective? The answer varies depending on the layout and size of your home. Regardless of the characteristics that make your home unique, any reliable home security system will include a mix of different components and services. At Smith Thompson Home Security, our Dallas home security team can help you devise the best solution to secure your home against future threats. Here are some of the elements that you can expect from a Smith Thompson home security system.
- Door Sensors: Many people equate security
with cameras and surveillance. While some companies depend on home security cameras,
Smith Thompson doesn’t. We know that some customers just aren’t comfortable
with the idea of home security cameras. Rather than relying on that type of
surveillance, we’ve built our systems on a foundation of robust sensors. Door
sensors are a crucial part of home security as they monitor when a door closes
and becomes secure and when it opens. If you are going out of town, for
instance, you can set your system up so that any open door triggers the alarm
and sends you an instant text notification.
- Window sensors: These detectors work in the same way as door sensors, triggering the alarm if a window opens.
- Motion Sensors: Motion sensors can work in a variety of different ways depending on where you place them and what you want them to do. For instance, many home security systems incorporate motion sensors in your yard that cause lights to turn on if they detect motion. You can also set up motion sensors that trigger alarms.
- Glassbreak Sensors: A broken window is usually a clear sign that someone is attempting to gain entry to your home. Linked to an alarm, glassbreak sensors monitor frequencies of sound. If the sensor detects the frequency of shattering glass, it activates the alarm.
- LCD or touchscreen hub: Every home security system should include either a wall-mounted LCD keypad or a touchscreen security hub. This hub allows you to control your home security system, including arming and disarming it.
- Cellular wireless transmitter: A home security system, in many cases, is only useful if it can alert someone outside the house that there is a threat. If you aren’t home, you need to know that someone is monitoring your system for alarm activations. At Smith Thompson, we maintain a 24-hour dispatch center where we monitor each client’s alarm system. If your alarm activates, we will contact the authorities immediately.
- Home security app: Smartphones changed home security for the better by giving customers a way to monitor and control their security systems from outside their homes. Smartphone control is optional with Smith Thompson. If you want to be able to control your system from your phone, we can provide that capability. Our home security app lets you arm or disarm your system on the go, receive email or text notifications if an alarm triggers, see which zone of your home or security system triggered the alarm, view event history, and more.
- Yard signs and window stickers: While not technically a part of your security system, yard signs and window stickers that warn would-be burglars about your security system can play an important role. These elements serve as useful deterrents: someone interested in gaining entry to your home might think the better of it if they know that the property is protected by a security system.
Your security system will incorporate all the necessary hardware to configure these components into a working whole, including a master control panel and a wireless receiver module.
Where to Start
One of the first questions that we tend to get at Smith Thompson Home Security is, “Where should I start?” Customers often wonder which equipment or sensors to purchase first. The best home security systems aren’t one piece of equipment but multiple components working in concert to protect your home. As such, we usually recommend a full-system package, which incorporates all necessary equipment as well as ongoing system monitoring.
We offer three core packages. Determining which one is ideal for you will depend in part on the size of your home and what you want out of your security system. If you aren’t sure, we can always stop by your house to offer a recommendation and a quote.
Why You Need Monitoring
No matter what you decide to invest in for your home security system, make sure that you are receiving ongoing monitoring with the package that you choose. Being able to monitor and control your system from afar with a home security app is useful, but there’s no substitute for someone keeping an eye on your system at all times and contacting the police if there is an alarm activation. Monthly monitoring fees are reasonable and will give you a peace of mind that home security equipment alone can’t.
Secure Your Home Today
Perhaps there have been a few break-ins around your neighborhood recently, or maybe you are going out of town and want to be able to keep an eye on your house. Either way, if you are looking for a Dallas home security company, we hope that you will give us a call at Smith Thompson Home Security. We will work to give your house the protection that it deserves.
