Nowhere is prevention the better cure than in the realm of protecting a home.
Rather than attempt to file police reports, repair broken windows, and chase down priceless family heirlooms, it's better to beef up on security and figure out how to make a house the least desirable target on the block.
But after diligently installing stronger windows with impenetrable locks, making sure that everyone in the house knows to close and lock all doors and windows before leaving even for a little while, and sweeping the perimeter to make it so there's no shady place for burglars to hide in the shadows, it's time to take things a step further.
Yes, after all of that, it is time to choose the best home alarm system.
The good news for homeowners concerned with home security is that picking the best system is significantly easier than all of the time and effort put into increased security measures around the house.
In fact, just making sure to do a few different things will maximize the effectiveness of the investment, and keep your home and everything in it a whole lot safer.
First, consider the occupants of your home.
Are there small children and elderly family members? If so, you would greatly benefit from additional home monitoring and one-touch response.
The most important part of one-touch response is that if an older relative has moved in with you because it's a little more dangerous for them to be left alone, the simple pressing of a button can have the EMTs and the fire department there, meaning that you can go to the store or work without worrying, and your father or mother or grandparent can still enjoy freedom and feel capable.
Another important part of considering the occupants of your home is factoring in pets.
Are they going to be scampering about? Let the installation company know this, so that you can make sure that all of the motion sensing technology takes that into account, and you don't end up with a hair-trigger home alarm system that constantly has false alarms just because your dog or cats likes to roam.
After that, consider your home itself: how many stories? How many windows? Are you more likely to use the front or back door when getting home? This is important because installation costs vary depending on the space being covered.
Figure out where you want alarm panels installed.
If there's a two story house, consider having another alarm panel installed upstairs.
In case of a break-in, you can still manage to trigger the alarm and have the police called without picking up the phone just by pressing a button.
Next, actually listen.
Most responsible home security companies (you can talk to the local police to recommend one) will give you excellent feedback about what you need your system to do, and will help you out with the best ways to keep it in working order.
Spend a little extra on the lights for your motion activated outdoor lights, so you don't have to keep changing them.
Learn what kind of batteries your home alarm panels take, and find out if you can change them on your own.
Once installation is complete, above all other things, don't forget to turn the whole thing on! Otherwise, it's a waste of your time and money.