
As we researched this topic and security systems in general, we reached out to Jamie Vos, vice president of the Electronic Security Association ESA for his thoughts on DIY systems. He emphasized professional monitoring for security systems: “If you receive a text alert, you may not be in a condition to respond and you may not hear an alarm. At that point, you have lost valuable response time, whereas a professional monitoring station can automatically alert first responders. ”We also contacted Kirk MacDowell, a board member with the Security Industry Association SIA and president of MacGuard Security Advisors Inc. He said a security system can act as a
central heartbeat in the home. “Devices such as locks that can be opened remotely, home light control and
thermostats that can raise or lower temperature are all tied into one convenient app and then tied into the alarm, making the operation seamless.
We’ve all dealt with photos that are too dark to
make out any details.

If a burglar sees lights illuminating the door areas the chances are he will select another home to visit, lighting increases his chances of being observed. If the lights are off and the door area is in the shadows the burglar will more than likely enact his plans. Front Garden and Driveway Motion DetectorsMotion activated lights can
make your front garden a problem area for a potential burglar
removing their ability to approach your home unseen. If you are planning to use motion detectors in the front garden, you should make sure that you have tested the installation locations carefully. You will irritate neighbours and lessen the surprise lighting effect if people walking by, or children playing in the street, frequently trigger the sensors. Rear Garden ProtectionFor the exterior of your home external lighting is definitely a good investment. The rear of the house is not seen by passing traffic affording a burglar more time to try to gain entry to your home. If you have a secluded rear garden, you should always make sure that you use motion detected lights. If you have a very large garden you can always connect an alarm to the lights. This way if someone was to move through your garden, the lights would sound the alarm. Burglars do not like alarms and they will normally leave the area the instant they hear an alarm sounding.