Houston Home Security System Tips

It’s spring, and while a young man’s fancy may turn to thoughts of love, those with a larcenous bent turn their thoughts to something a bit less fanciful. According to the Houston crime map and related statistics, you can expect burglary and home break-ins to accelerate during the spring and summer months each year. In fact, the April stats for burglary increased to an alarming 1,201 break-ins, an increase of more than 4 percent over March’s 950 incidents. Theft and robbery stats showed a similar increase in month-to-month stats, emphasizing the importance of installing and using a Houston home security system to protect your home and family from loss.

Statistics show that homes without a home security system or burglar alarm are far more likely to be targeted by thieves than those with installed home security systems. The most important tip for securing your home is to find a Houston home security firm and have a burglar alarm installed. Don’t just go for any burglar system, either – many people are so inured to the sirens of car and home alarm systems that they typically ignore them. Instead, invest in a home security system that’s monitored or connected to a central station to ensure that someone responds if there’s a break-in at your property.

If you’re moving into a home with an existing alarm system, contact the installer and alarm monitoring provider to switch the service to your name, and to discuss upgrade possibilities. The home security system industry has made incredible advances in technology over the past few years, and any alarm system installed more than two to three years ago may not offer the protections that your family needs. Most notably, with so many people opting for VoIP and cell phones instead of traditional telephone systems, you’ll need to be sure that your home security system is compatible with your choice of phone system. You should also inquire about new services available through smart phone apps that will allow you to arm and disarm your security system remotely, change key codes on the fly and monitor those that enter and leave your property when you’re not home.

Make sure that your security system is comprehensive. It should encompass all windows and doors that are accessible to burglars. Your security plan should also look beyond alarms and alarm monitoring to other security-conscious choices. For example, install motion-sensitive lights on your property to illuminate any dark corners whenever someone approaches them. In many cases, the mere presence of a security light will scare burglars away.

High-end alarm systems include individual window alarms activated by vibration, panic buttons to alert authorities in case of a home invasion and motion sensors in rooms to detect intruders once they’ve penetrated your home’s perimeter.

If you have no burglar alarm or if your home security system is more than a few years old, contact a top-notch Houston home security company to learn about the upgrades available today.