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Are you considering getting a security system for your home? Choosing a local home security company can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are the top three local alarm companies we recommend in Massachusetts

Alarm New England

Alarm New England is one of the security industry’s best-kept secrets. This local fire alarm company is a family-owned business.

What sets it apart from the competition?
The company works with Alarm.com and Qolsys, two of the most reliable security equipment suppliers in the country. Homeowners can trust Alarm New England to keep their families safe.

Price

We appreciate the payment flexibility of this local alarm company. Customers can opt for a monthly plan or sign a three-year contract.

Alarm New England offers a satisfaction guarantee for 100 days or a full refund. It has six packages to choose from, ranging from $26.99 to $51.99 per month.

Features and Equipment

Alarm New England has everything you would expect in a modern home security system. This includes remote access, home integration, a UL-approved monitoring station, and all of the latest features. It is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Z-Wave.

Your Alarm New England security system can be installed by yourself or with the help of professionals.The Qolsys hardware used in Alarm New England’s equipment can accommodate any apartment or property. Homeowners appreciate the IQ Panel 2’s easy-to-use interface. This award-winning technology has a 7-inch HD touchscreen, wireless radios, and a built-in 5-megapixel camera. It also works on a variety of smart devices in your home. We love the touchless disarming feature and glass break detector.

Going beyond monitoring your home, this local alarm company also offers environmental protection. Alarm New England’s hardware can detect temperature change, the presence of carbon monoxide, smoke and flooding.

In case of an emergency, there is a panic button to ensure your personal safety. This gives homeowners peace of mind.

Another advantage of choosing Alarm New England is the ability to reallocate your security system if you change service providers or move away.

Customer Service

Homeowners across various platforms agree that Alarm New England delivers outstanding customer service. They are responsive to user questions and emergency situations.

They also welcome customer feedback so they can provide a positive user experience.

Pros

• Excellent customer service
• The option between professional installation or self-installation
• Monthly options available
• Plans start at $26.99 per month
• The ability to reuse existing equipment

Cons

• Available only in New England
• Can only service properties smaller than 10,000 square feet

Wayne Alarm

Wayne Alarm serves homes and businesses in the North Shore and is also a popular choice in Lynn and Salem. Wayne Alarm does both the designing and the installation of its alarm systems.
Many Massachusetts locals can benefit from their services, whether for residential or commercial use.

However, if you rent or plan on moving, you might want to shop elsewhere because Wayne Alarm doesn’t provide national coverage.

Price

Homeowners who are shopping for local alarm companies in Massachusetts can’t access Wayne Alarm’s pricing information online—customers must call for a quote. Some clients may be unsatisfied with the lack of important information that’s made readily available to them. Clients need to know key factors such as warranties and return policies before making an informed decision.

The monthly fee, however, ranges from $33.95 to $52.95, with three available packages. A contract with Wayne Alarm lasts 36 months.

Features and Equipment

This local alarm company offers home security with a variety of features, including alarm systems, security cameras, and smoke detectors, that can be tailored to all of your monitoring needs.

Wayne Alarm uses what’s generally considered to be reputable security hardware like Honeywell, DSC, First Alert, and Ademco.

The advantage of choosing Wayne Alarm is the ability to reallocate your security system within the neighborhoods that the company serves.

Homeowners and local businesses can benefit from intrusion protection as well as environmental protection and video surveillance. Sensors are wireless, and a siren or alarm is triggered when movement is detected around your home. The user interface is clean and easy to use.

Some security companies outsource monitoring assistance to other companies. But with Wayne Alarm, you will get help from their trained operators within 30 seconds. That is half of the standard response time in the security industry, and it’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Monitoring technology is also available over cellular and broadband. Superior technology integration also allows for mobile access and alerts in real time.

Customer Service

Wayne Alarm has been serving the community for over 50 years. The customer service team has many positive reviews online for its product knowledge and helpfulness.

Pros

• Great for both residential and commercial use
• Excellent customer service
• Quick response time
• Professional installation
• Customized security systems

Cons

• Absence of pricing and other important information online
• Only available within the state of Massachusetts

American Alarm

American Alarm is a UL-listed and CSAA certified security company that offers customers 24-hour monitoring. It is the biggest independent security company in New England and serves parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Price

American Alarm doesn’t offer much information on their website about pricing. However, according to user reports, consumers can expect to pay between $27 and $80 a month. This amount varies depending on the equipment used, the size of your property, and the package you choose.

All other pricing information, such as warranties and policies, are undisclosed. American Alarm is more expensive than other local alarm companies.

Features and Equipment

American Alarm offers an extensive list of security systems for both residential and commercial use. Alarm and security systems are tailored to customers’ needs, and you can choose between a cellular or landline system.

However, the company uses DMP equipment, and not many other security companies are willing to take over this outdated system, so it’s tough to switch to a new security company. It is also likely that you will need to update American Alarm’s DMP equipment in the next few years.

As for American Alarm’s technology integration, the local home security company uses Virtual Keyboard software. It is accessible through mobile apps, and it’s compatible with Amazon’s Ring doorbell, Z-Wave, and NVRs.

Customer Service

This company has an A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Although American Alarm has an average reputation, it scores poorly with customer service.

Customers don’t like the outdated technology, and some aren’t keen on the large upfront investment that comes with choosing American Alarm.

Pros

• Local monitoring station
• 40 years of experience
• Professional video surveillance installation

Cons

• Difficult to switch security companies due to outdated DMP systems
• No discounted systems for purchase
• Poor customer satisfaction

With winter on its way, now is the time to prepare your home. The season brings with it cold winds, below zero temperatures, and snow.

The United States, and other parts of the world, are experiencing more extreme weather conditions due to climate change. Over the last decade, even areas in our southern regions which do not typically get extreme cold or the threat of snow have dipped into the single digits.

While other cities have recorded colder than ever temperatures, one evening Chicago was colder than the South Pole.

We’re all guilty of neglecting important home maintenance tasks, failing to prepare your home for winter can be costly.

This simple home maintenance checklist will help you easily ready your house before winter hits.

Interior

Check and service your fireplace or chimney

Ridding your chimney of soot and debris is an easy DIY job and will save you having to pay for a cleaning service. However, if there is a buildup of creosote present, you’ll need a licensed contractor to remove it.

Run the tip of a fireplace poker along the interior of the chimney wall. If you find a thick, shiny, tar-like buildup it’s best to call a professional. At least once a year a regular, wood or coal burning fireplace should be serviced.

Once the fireplace is cleaned, consider installing a fireplace plug (also called chimney pillow). This inflatable device prevents cold air entering the house and heat from escaping. One homeowner in Marylandsaved around 13% on consumption costs after using a fireplace plug to block heat loss.

Reverse the ceiling fans

By changing the direction that the blades spin, hot air is forced downwards, keeping the heat in the bottom half of the house. By reversing the motor and running the fan on low-speed during the winter, you can achieve more noticeable warmth.

According to Apartment Therapy, adjusting your thermostat and running the fan as above can save close to 10% on heating costs.

Most modern ceiling fans have a remote control where the direction can be adjusted, or you can locate the exterior switch located on the fan motor to manually change it.

Check and replace batteries of detectors and alarms

An annual average of45,900 heating-related fires occurred between in the U.S. between 2013 and 2015. And heating was the second largest contributor to fires in residential buildings.

With the temperatures dipping, it will put your mind at ease knowing that the detectors and alarms are all in good working condition.

It is also crucial to ensure your fire and carbon monoxide monitoring systems are working. If a fire breaks out, or there is a gas leak, the detection systems need to be functioning correctly in order to notice it immediately. Take the time to conduct a test on each alarm or detector and replace the batteries before winter.

Prevent pipes from freezing

Water has the unique property of expanding as it freezes. This can cause the pipes the water is contained in to burst. Whether the pipe is plastic or metal, it can easily break from this expansion.

Pipes most at risk are ones that are exposed to the severe cold, like those that run along the exterior of the house or in the pool. Pipes inside the house are at risk too, especially those in unheated areas like the basement or attic. According to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, burst pipes because of freezing can result in damages that can cost a homeowner well over $5000.

But it’s easy to prevent.

Pipe insulation is cheap and effective. Insulate all pipes that are exposed to the cold weather, including those in the garage and basements.

Consider heating cables or tape as another long-term solution.

Faucets and pipes located outside of the house need to be drained completely and turned off. If pipes do not have a shut-off valve, you will need to leave the cold water tap dripping to prevent water from freezing.

Even a soft flow of water is enough to keep the pipes from freezing completely. Hose pipes should be drained and stored away.

Insulate the hot water tank and heaters

In winter, the hot water in a tank can cool quickly, which makes the boiler work more frequently to heat it up again. Wrap an insulation blanket around your water heater to reduce electricity consumption.

Also, proper maintenance one your water heater will ensure that it is functioning efficiently, and extend its life. It’s recommended to drain a water heater once a year. You could also program the hot water tank to only run during peak usage times rather than the entire day.

Seal off openings with caulking and weather-stripping

Doors are typically undercut to allow air flow to circulate into and out of the rooms. Some windows are also designed to conduct some air between them. When winter comes, and the cold, wet wind is blowing, it is wise to seal all these openings up.

Check the condition and presence of caulking on all windows and replace or install where necessary. Use waterproof caulk around windows, doors and joints to prevent rain or snow from seeping in.

The Department of Energy estimates an average home can save 20 percent on heating costs by weather-stripping all doors and openings effectively. Weather-stripping comes in different materials and grades, so pick one that bests suits your needs.

Sump pump maintenance

A sump pump keeps the foundation of your home dry by preventing water build up or flooding. It has an effective lifespan of 10 years with regular maintenance. Having a working sump pump in winter is essential.

Remove debris from the basin and conduct a manual test to see that the pump is functioning normally. Be sure to insulate the discharge hose and install a backup battery to prepare for power outages.

Cover or remove the air-conditioning unit

If you have an air conditioning unit that sits in your window , it is likely to channel cold air through it during winter. It is recommended to remove these in the cold weather season and seal up the opening.

If you have a permanent, central AC unit that sits outside the house, consider placing a wooden board on top of it, held down with bricks. This will prevent snow or other debris from collapsing onto it.

Prepare the humidifier

Make sure the drain line is clean for a whole-house humidifier. Replace the media panel if necessary, this is responsible for mixing water and hot air from the furnace together. It is typical to drain the humidifier more than once during the winter months.

Exterior

Assess the roof for leaks and check ventilation

“Ice dams” occur when snow accumulates on the roof because of trapped ice. The weight can cause the roof to collapse.

To prevent ice dams, ensure the temperature of the roof is the same as the eaves. Consider installing an ice and water shield, which acts as a barrier and helps prevent moisture seeping into the house. Install roof vents and insulate the attic.

Stock up on ice melting compounds

Purchase salt, ice melt or sand for clearing snowfall from the sidewalks and driveway. This will also make shoveling easier. It is recommended to treat your driveway or walkway before winter hits and keep shoveling throughout the season to keep snow buildup to a minimum.

Trim trees and remove leaves in the garden

Snow weighs a lot and coupled with wind may easily break off old branches or cause thinner ones to snap. Consider trimming tree branches and crowns that circle close to the house and driveway.

Plants often go dormant in winter, so pruning them will actuallybenefit their ability to withstand the season.

Give the lawn a good rake to remove old, fallen leaves from the previous season. With snow falling shortly, patches of uncollected leaves can cause the grass to blacken and even make walking in the snow unpredictable.

Clear gutters

Gutters are designed to channel water off the roof and away from the home. If your gutter system is damaged, clogged or incorrectly installed, it is likely to be ineffective and result in damage to your property.

Water accumulating on the roof can lead to a ceiling collapse, while water leaking out of a cracked or clogged gutter may result in stains or foundation erosion.

A simple inspection and cleaning of the gutters will do can prevent these types of problems. Use a ladder to check the troughs for leaves and debris. Remove anything that may have accumulated over the fall.

To check for cracks or leaks, take a hose and run water along the channel to identify any issues. You may want to consider hiring a professional gutter cleaner if the property is large, or the gutters are difficult to reach.

Gutter guards can also keep your water channels free of debris, forming a protective barrier over the top.

Inspect railings and steps (and protect entryways)

To be safe during the winter months, ensure all steps and handrails leading to the house are secure.

Make sure the tiles and paving on the steps is fastened and safe to tread on too.

Protect your entryways by placing a mat on both the inside and outside of the door. Ice and mud can quickly build up and become a hazard. Consider placing a boot tray near the door.

Additional home winter tips

• Stock up on a survival kit and supplies
• Consider purchasing a generator if you live in an area prone to power outages
• Take out and inspect your shovels and snow blowers
• Inspect outdoor lighting
• Use rugs inside rooms for trapping heat and to keep your home warmer
• Clear window weep holes of debris
• Stock up on enough fuel for your motors and appliances
• Maintain an average room temperature of no less than 55 degrees to keep the inside of the walls and pipes warm
• Leave doors of unoccupied rooms open for even flow of heat
• Protect outdoor furniture or consider storing them inside
• Know how to shut off the water supply and where your pipes are located
• Ditch the gas space heater for an electric one
• Have a list of phone numbers for emergencies and repairs

Be ready this winter

Adequate preparation can save you from costly damage and frustration that can occur during the extreme weather of the winter months. Stay warm and be safe during the winter.

Whatever your reason for wanting to know how to rent your house out, you no doubt want the entire process to run smoothly and to find tenants who will take care of your property.

Knowing how to rent your house out and the procedures to follow can mean the difference between finding reliable tenants and your apartment standing open, or even worse – having tenants who do not pay.

There is quite a bit to think about, and being adequately prepared from the beginning will set you up for success in the long run. An important question to ask yourself is whether or not to use a realtor or property manager as they will typically take care of some of the services we mention in this article.

While it can make life easy, you do pay for the convenience and can expect a realtor’s services to cost you about 10% of the monthly rent, as well as 50% of the first month’s rent once a tenant is secured. The other option is to find out how to rent your house out yourself and then manage your property on your own to save some money.

We have put together seven tips on how to rent your house out to remove a lot of the guesswork and layout the steps to renting out a house.

Our Top Tips On How To Rent Your House Out

Initial Phase – Advertising & Screening

Establishing Your Rental Price

The first tip on how to rent your house out is related to the rental price. Your rental price will be determined mainly by the price that the market is willing to pay, and not by the amount that you want to receive as income.

To determine how to rent your house out at a price the market is willing to pay, take a look online or in newspapers, or speak to the neighbors or local realtors to find out what other properties in the area are going for. This will give you an idea of what you can ask for yours.

Advertising Your Property

Once you have established a rental price, you need to advertise your property. Knowing where and how to put your house up for rent as an advertisement to reach the right potential tenants is important. Take photos of the house with furniture in it as this gives a better indication of the actual space available.

Ideally, advertise your house for rent on the same platforms you used to determine the rental income. Considering these platforms contain the information on the area, they are relevant and likely being seen by people interested in renting in the area.

Pre-screen Potential Tenants

How to rent your house out in the most efficient way begins here. You may think pre-screening is a duplication of what you will go through when examining the applications, but in actual fact, it will help you to remove unsuitable candidates early on and save you time in the long run.

Ask the interested applicants who respond to your advert for some basic information over the phone and use this to immediately qualify or disqualify them from viewing your house. You may want to ask them:

• their employment status
• for references you can contact
• their credit history
• if they have any prior convictions

Let them know the number of people who can stay in the house (usually two per room)

Middle Phase – Showing & Applications

Showing The Property

Organize one property viewing at a designated time for your pre-screened applicants to see the house. This way you can get it over and done with in one go, and should you have current tenants in there already, it will be less of a disturbance for them.

Ask your spouse, partner, family member or friend to come along and help you out with the viewing if you have a large number of people who want to see the place.

Make sure you have ample application forms with you to hand out to prospective tenants and ask those interested to fill it out while they are there. Most will want to take it home to fill out and send back to you, but it’s worth trying to speed up the process by creating a sense of urgency.

Applications and Background Checks

This phase of how to rent your house out is crucial. Combing through the applications and performing background and credit checks on your potential tenants will identify the right person for your property. Obtain a release of information from the applicant on the application form, and make sure you do these things:

• Verify the applicant’s monthly income
• Speak to two or three previous landlords provided as references
• Perform a credit and criminal check

Final Phase – Signing The Lease Agreement & Key Handover

The Lease Agreement

Once you have approved a tenant, it is time to sign the lease agreement. Either your attorney can draw up a basic lease agreement for you, or you can find free formats available to download off the internet. Alternatively, stationery/paper stores often have lease agreement templates available for purchase too.

This is also the point where you collect your safety deposit from your new tenant. Make sure you have a separate, interest-bearing bank account to deposit these funds into as required by law.

Key Handover

Use the key handover as an opportunity to also fill out the move-in condition report with your new tenant. Run through the house together; make notes and take photographs of its condition so that there are no conflicts when the tenants move out your property in future.

Our tips do not only apply to renting out your house, and can be taken to indicate how to rent out an apartment too. Whatever the case, we leave you with a final bonus tip on how to rent your house out – that is not to forget to take out a rental home insurance policy that covers you in the case of any unfortunate events such as fire or flooding that may result in loss of rental income.

A security system key fob is a remote device used to arm or disarm your home security system, or trigger a panic alert that is sent to a alarm monitoring service in the event of a break in or emergency at home.

The key fob security system works like a wireless remote does for your car to lock and unlock it, and create an alert should someone trigger one of the alarm sensors.

Why Use A Key Fob Security System

Improved accessibility

A security system key fob remote gives you more freedom and accessibility to control the alarm system in your home and provides an extra layer of security.

While some larger home may have more than one control panel located on the different floors or near different entrances, most houses only have one. Having the portable key fob gives you another way to control your alarm system from different areas in the house.

Convenience

Unfortunately, security breaches or home emergencies do not always happen at a convenient time when you can access the control panel to hit a panic button and send an alert to the monitoring company, or quickly arm the system.

By using a key fob security system, your ability to quickly activate your alarm while you are at home is greatly improved because you can carry it with you to activate.

Portability

You can place the remote on your bedside table when you go to sleep every night or take it outside with you when going into the backyard to do some gardening. That way, should an emergency or security situation arise, you will have quick and easy access to press the button and activate your alarm or panic alert.

Time-Saving

While your security control panel can often be accessed from your smartphone through an app, a key fob is faster. While smartphones and the accompanying apps are great for monitoring your home and controlling your system when you’re away, having a key fob while you’re in the house makes it possible to quickly activate the system or sound the panic button.

Ease of Use

Because they are easy to use, key fobs remotes are also handy to give to your children, grandparents, or neighbors who may need to arm or disarm the system. They eliminate the problem of having to remember a code to control the security system. As we mentioned earlier, the key fob security system offers a simple solution to arming and disarming the alarm for people who are not as savvy with security systems or may have trouble remembering your code.

Flexibility

Most security systems will allow you to program a number of key fobs into your security system. This makes it easy for you to grant access to the people who need it without having to divulge your alarm code.

When there are a number of people who need to access your home and alarm system, there is less risk of someone failing to set or disarm the system because all it requires is the push of a single button. It also relieves the stress of trying to remember and enter a code in a panic if an alarm is accidentally triggered.

How Do Key Fobs Work?

Key fob remotes are compact and wireless. They generally run on long-life lithium batteries which can last up to five years, and are easy to replace without a professional.

The newer remotes also have a battery warning light to alert you when batteries are low and need to be replaced.

The key fobs usually have an LED indicator light on them to confirm that the button has been pressed and communicated with the security system.

Key fobs only work within a certain range and physical structures such as walls or buildings may affect how well the key fob communicates with the control panel.

Will a Key Fob Work With a Wired or Wireless Home Security System?

Key fob security systems often come standard with both wired and wireless home security system installations.

Benefits of Using a Key Fob Security System

To summarize, a key fob offers you many benefits and flexibility to provide:

• Provide quick and easy access to arm, disarm, or trigger panic alert
• Portability so it can be used anywhere in or around your the home
• Limited access to your alarm code
• Versatility to distribute a number of key fobs to those who need to access your home

When installing your security system, should you invest in a motion sensor or a window sensor? In many situations you should consider both, but that doesn’t mean you might not have specific areas that have a unique requirement.

Most security systems include two pieces of equipment designed for intrusion detection: motion sensors and window sensors.

It’s not immediately clear what the difference is between these two devices, so here’s a quick guide to explain:

• How motion detectors and window contacts work
• The advantages and disadvantages of both

Motion Sensors

Motion sensors are built to detect when someone is moving around in your residence. Primarily, a motion sensor works by sensing movement and body heat when a person passes near it or walks through the range of its radar.

These days, most motion sensors are small in size and wireless. That means that you can easily install them anywhere in your home without distracting from your decor or having contractors drill holes in your walls to run wire everywhere.

Motion sensors use a number of technologies to determine whether someone is currently in motion inside of your home. At its most basic, a motion detector is simply going to compare the previous status of a room to its current status. So when developing your home security plan it is critical to understand the strengths and weaknesses of motion sensors and how that factors into your home security.

Below are some of the pros and cons of motion detectors:

Pros:

• A single motion sensor can cover a wide radius (typically an entire room), so it doesn’t matter how the intruder enters the house. Once he passes within the range of the sensor’s infra-red beam, he’s immediately detected.
• Motion sensors are proven to be effective at leading to apprehensions. With the aid of motion sensors, police are much better able to capture burglars red-handed inside residences.
• Most motion sensors come wireless and can be installed in a variety of locations with relative ease.
• Motion sensors can be more cost-effective for rooms with many windows that would require several sensors to protect.
• A motion detector can alert you immediately if there is movement is detected.

Cons:

• Motion sensors are only triggered when an intruder crosses their sensor range. If not set up correctly, the motion sensor may have blind spots.
• When a motion sensor is set up incorrectly or uses low-quality parts, there’s a higher risk of false alarms. So they often have the highest number of false positives, which can be frustrating and lead to reduced sensitivity to potential threats.
• Some motion sensors only detect motion at certain intervals. So because it does this at intervals, it can sometimes miss things.
• Pets in general make motion sensors a liability. Even pet-immune motion sensors aren’t totally pet immune. Cats are especially known to climb onto raised furniture, appearing to the sensor to be much larger than they really are.

What are window sensors?

Window sensors are for protecting windows from unauthorized entry. With the aid of a circuit between a magnet and a sensor, they detect when windows are opened (but not broken, as that is best handled by a glassbreak detector).

Windows can be an area of your home that presents the greatest risk. Often locking doors is top of mind but securing windows can be tedious and be forgotten and a necessary precaution.

Protecting your windows is essential because intruders tend to try windows next after testing the strength of your doors.

Pros:

• Window sensors function with high levels of accuracy, provided they are correctly installed, meaning fewer cases of false alarms.
• Window sensors are cheaper on a per-part basis.
• When used with other types of home security, window alarm sensors provide an essential piece of securing your homes perimeter.

Cons:

• A secured window has to be opened before the alarm can be activated. It will not activate if a burglar smashes through the window or gains entry through another means.
• Securing each and every window with a window sensor can be costly for larger houses.
• Loud sounds or someone slamming a door can set off a window alarm with a false alarm.

When should I use motion detectors?

Motion sensors are excellent at detecting when an intruder is already inside the house. They should be placed in parts of the house that an intruder would have to pass through to get to other parts of your house, especially in areas where there are no movements such as a whirring fan or rustling curtains. Due to their sensitivity, they need to be placed in carefully designated locations to prevent false alarms.

If there are pets in the house, it is better to get motion sensors that are adequately calibrated for pets, so their movements won’t set it off. Bedrooms, living rooms, lobbies, and hallways are apt locations to install motion sensors.

When is it more appropriate to use window sensors?

Window sensors discourage opportunistic burglars from gaining entry without resorting to smashing your windows, which can alert people in the vicinity to their presence. They are more fitting for houses where there is motion in the house when you’re not in it (e.g. pets or children).

Large dogs or cats of any size are a good enough reason to opt for window sensors, but they’re also ideal if you arm your system at night before going to bed. Family members will want to have the freedom to walk around the house at night without the risk of tripping any alarms.

Window sensors should be installed at every ground-floor window and any upper-floor windows in the house if there are adjacent trees or buildings that would grant them easy access.

If you’re only using window sensors, you should also add glassbreak detectors as well for added protection, as window sensors don’t go off when someone hurls a brick through the windowpane. For large windows or sliding glass doors, glassbreak sensors are a must-have.

Carefully consider the type of window you’re trying to protect so that your sensors that will best fit what you’re looking for.

Conclusion

As property crime rates continue to go up year-to-year, so will demand for new and improved ways to protect our homes. Home security devices are one of many things homeowners can do to improve their peace of mind.

As you build a comprehensive security system that is integrated into your home automation, you should use different types of sensors and detectors in different areas. Your hallways, bedrooms, and living rooms might have motion detectors installed, while your outer windows may have both contact sensors and glass breaking sensors installed.

To learn more about what you can do, check out the Ultimate Guide to Home Security.