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No matter how beautiful your house is and no matter
how well it fits your lifestyle, without a sense of
safety and security there, your enjoyment of it will
be less. A coordinated home security monitoring, safety
and security plan will not only make you more comfortable,
it may very well save you money by reducing your Insurance
premiums.
Home security monitoring tips. Protect yourself using
these tips for home security monitoring. All about security
alarm, camera, and other home security system products.
Some basic (and inexpensive) security measures that
every house should be equipped with:
- Dead bolt locks on all exterior
doors (including those leading to basements and garages).
Cost: $20-$50 per lock, self installed.
- Photoelectric or motion detector security
lights on the exterior of the house. Photoelectric
lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn. Motion detector
lights turn on whenever motion is sensed in the light's
range. Usually one in the front and one in the rear
is sufficient.
Depending on coverage, though, you may want to light
the side yard(s). Cost: $20-$75 per light, self installed.
- Window locks come in several varieties,
depending on the type of window to be protected. They
make entry through a window much more difficult. Cost:
$5-$10 per lock, self installed.
Home security alarm systems can provide 3 benefits:
1) Protect your home from intruders
2) Provide you with additional peace of mind
3) May lower your insurance premiums
When considering a home security monitoring system
for your house, you will want to get at least three
different estimates, since costs can vary a good deal.
Make certain that any comparisons are for the same type
of coverage: all doors and windows and with or without
motion detection. Compare the total cost, which includes
the installation and set-up cost as well as the monthly
maintenance fees. It is a good idea to ask for at least
2 references of other homeowners from each company who
gives you an estimate. Call the references and see how
the installation quality was as well as the service
that has been offered.
Inexpensive but effective safety measures
Smoke Detectors can save the life
of you and your family. They should be installed on
every floor of your home and their operation checked
frequently. A sensible maintenance plan for battery
operated smoke detectors is to replace the battery every
6 months. Cost: $8-40.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors are similar
in appearance to Smoke Detectors but instead of detecting
smoke in the air, detect the presence of carbon monoxide,
which is a deadly (and odorless) gas. Especially important
in any house that is heated with a fossil fuel--gas,
oil or coal--that can give off carbon monoxide due to
improper fuel burning. Cost: $35-$80. Home security
is not complete without one of these.
Fire Extinguishers can prevent a minor
fire from becoming a catastrophe. At a minimum, placement
should be in the kitchen and near any fireplace or woodstove.
Have each member of the family get familiar with the
location and operation of any fire extinguishers in
the home. Can be purchased in both rechargeable and
disposable versions. Cost: Variable. Every home security
monitoring plan should inlcude multiple fire extingquishers.
A handy extingquisher can mean saved possessions, saved
lives and less home damage.
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