Anyone considering installing security equipment in today’s market understands the confusion it can cause. The sheer number of options and price points can make the decision-making process extremely tricky. Every piece of equipment literature contains inscrutable terms and specifications. After time, shopping for security equipment starts to feel like learning several new languages! Luckily, we can help you out. Over our 35-plus years in business, we’ve assisted over a thousand customers in creating and installing complete home security plans. The equipment we install provides both the security and the user experience our customers desire. In this post, we aim to show you how we can help you with evaluating your home security options.

First, we’ll share some alarm-related security advice. This section will include descriptions of the ideal security system equipment. Furthermore, we’ll also touch on choosing the best available security monitoring. From there, we’ll shift our focus to choosing the best cameras for your application. The right cameras can often prove difficult to single out amongst all of the industry offerings. Finally, we’ll show you how locks get tested and evaluated for their effectiveness. This knowledge will greatly assist you in choosing locks for your own home. Now, let’s get started with a primer on choosing the best alarm equipment for your home.

A photo of someone disarming a QOLSYS alarm system

Storing photos of users disarming the alarm system is one of the QOLSYS IQ Panel 4’s most unique security features.

Alarm-Related Security Options

When it comes to securing your home, very few measures do as good a job as a monitored security system. These alarms create a siren response upon activation that lets you — and anyone who tries to break in — know that someone’s been caught in the act. Additionally, a monitored alarm also creates a response from our central station. This means that you and anyone you want to know will receive notice of the alarm. Furthermore, our central station can dispatch the proper authorities upon activation as well. In this section, we’ll explore some options for alarm equipment and alarm monitoring.

Security Equipment Considerations

When we help customers design alarm systems, we have a several considerations in mind. First, we must choose an alarm panel that meets our customers’ security needs. For the last few years, we’ve preferred installing the very modern QOLSYS IQ Panel 4. This alarm panel provides several security and user-experience related benefits. For example, this security system comes with an easy-to-navigate touchscreen interface. Additionally, it includes a camera that takes pictrues of anyone disarming the security system. This means that if someone with a code breaches your alarm, you’ll still know who came over uninvited! As you can imagine, the vast amount of security systems on the market do not include this feature.

In addition to choosing the right alarm panel, we also want to install the latest and greatest in security sensors. For these, we generally turn to the Power G line of security products. The Power G platform of wireless receivers and security contacts allows us to install alarm devices hundreds of feet from our panels with no communication issues. This allows you to secure outdoor sheds and pool gates with no problem. Very few wireless security sensors in the industry allow for you to do this. Now, let’s look at another important apsect of alarm-related security!

Monitoring Concerns

The majority of our security system customers take advantage of our alarm monitoring services. Setting up this service involves connecting your security system to our central monitoring station. Many alarm systems utilize a customer’s existing phone lines to create this communication. Unfortunately, this often proves ineffective. For starters, traditional phone service does not provide reliable, consistent communication. Phone service can fail due to weather-related incidents or even car accidents involving telephone poles. Furthermore, burglars often cut a property’s phone lines before attempting their crimes. They do this to disable any attempts to call for help that you or your alarm system may make after a break-in.

Recently, newer technology has created the ability for better alarm monitoring. In particular, our interactive cellular monitoring service, powered by Alarm.com, provides the best security monitoring available. For starters, this service utilizes a cellular network, rather than phone lines, for monitoring. This leads to consistent central station communication regardless of your phone line’s status. Moreover, this service also allows you to control your security system with a smartphone app! Now you can arm and disarm your security system remotely from anywhere, at any time.

Interactive cell monitoring also generates customizable notifications for different security events. For example, instances such as low batteries or sensor trouble signals can create instant alerts. You can also receive notice when anyone arms or disarms your security system. As an added layer of security, you can even receive alerts if someone fails to arm or disarm the alarm by a certain time! For example, you may expect one of your kids to come home and disarm the alarm by 3pm on weekdays. If this does not happen, you will now know immediately. These extra features make Alarm.com intreractive monitoring our most highly-recommended security monitoring option. Now, let’s shift our attention to evaluating surveillance options for your home.

Surveillance Options

Over the last couple decades, the popularity of surveillance cameras has soared, and for good reason. Installing cameras provides you with a few important types of security. For starters, cameras provide you with both live and recorded footage of your property at all times. This allows you to check on things in real time, as well as after an event when needed. Cameras also act as a deterrent to crime, as people seeing cameras often decide to commit their crimes elsewhere!

A technician installing a camera.

Installing hardwired cameras provides you with a reliable security experience that doesn’t rely on an internet connection.

When picking out cameras, you have a few variables to keep in mind. For starters, you’ll want to decide between hardwired cameras — which record continuous video — and wifi-based “smart cameras” that only record motion-based clips. If you have a real security need, we highly recommend going with the first option. Of course, this will cost you some extra money. After all, you’ll need to buy a recorder and either run wiring throughout your home or hire a security company like ourselves to do so for you. On the other hand, smart cameras will save you money, but will also sacrifice security. These cameras only work when your wifi works, which means internet outages shut them down. These variables mean that you must weigh your security needs and choose the right solution for your home.

Furthermore, you should also weigh other factors when choosing cameras. Cameras that you install outdoors should have specific outdoor ratings. Additionally, they should also have strong specs for night vision capabilities. Moreover, some cameras have lenses designed to capture far-away images. As you can imagine, buying cameras that beef up your security in these aspects does drive the cost up. Therefore, we highly recommend working with a security outfit to help you find the right balance of durability, performance, and price point. Next up, let’s continue helping with evaluating your home security options by showing you how we evaluate the secuirty provided by different locks.

Finding the Right Locks for You

All of us have heard the old adage that “you get what you pay for.” This sentiment runs especially true in the locksmith industry. Many customers express surprise at how much the quality of lock hardware varies. In fact, lock hardware quality varies so much that the industry uses a three-point grading system designed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) to measure a lock’s quality!

Lock manufacturers often seek out ANSI/BHMA certification for their product lines. This certification involves putting locks through tests meant to gauge factors such as bolt strength, security, the ability to withstand impact and force, and quality of finish, among others. The ANSI website provides this helpful guide on testing methods and result scoring. The lowest-quality hardware receives a “Grade 3” designation, with the best scoring in at Grade 1. As you can probably guess, Grade 2 falls right in the middle. We always prefer installing grade 1 locks, such as our preferred lock products made by Medeco.

Unfortunately, most reidential locks fall under Grade 2 or even 3 quality standards. Burglars can easily pick these locks, or drill them to gain access to your property. Before purchasing locks, look at the packaging to see if you can determine what grade of lock you are buying. If you cannot find this information, assume that you are holding a Grade 3 lock. We recommend installing a lock that will last longer while also providing more security.

Evaluating Your Home Security Options and Formulating a Plan

We hope this post helps you see how we can help you with evaluating your home security options. Additionally, we encourage you to contact us with any questions this post may raise for you. We will happily answer any and all of your security-related inqueries. Moreover, we also invite you to take advantage of our free site survey program. We offer complimentary security audits and equipment quotes to both new and existing customers alike. During our visit, we can address your existing security concerns. Furthermore, we can make suggestions of our own based on our observations of your property. Together, we can create an efficient and effective security solution for your entire family!