For some, life in inner city New York is a dream come true. Yet others like the hustle and bustle of the city now and then, but prefer to live in the more tranquil suburbs. And yet others actively seek a much quieter lifestyle, one where they don’t have to rub elbows with anybody unless they choose to. But that decision shouldn’t be taken lightly. Living in remote areas, far from the maddening crowd, can be a dream come true – but before you turn your dream into reality, you need to put some real thought into your home security system.

Home Security System Challenges

If you live outside of any city, town, or village, and your closest neighbors are five miles away, you’ll need to be extremely self-sufficient when it comes to your home security system. You’re further away from emergency services like ambulances, fire departments, and police stations, so in the event of an emergency, you’ll have to factor in a longer response time than if you live in a town or city. The same usually goes for a direct response from a home security company monitoring team. In addition, even if you have less street exposure than in an urban area, the downside is that there’s a smaller chance of your neighbors noticing if anything’s amiss.

Self-Sufficient Home Security System

When you know what the challenges to your home security system are, you can take precautions to make it self-sufficient. First of all, contact your local emergency services to make them aware you’ve moved to the area, and to find out how long their average response time is in the event that you call 911. If you sign a contract with a home security system company, do the same. Always make sure you have an extensive first-aid kit readily available in case you need to wait longer than usual for help to arrive. You should also invest in working smoke and fire alarms, as well as fire extinguishers at strategic points on your property. Secure all perimeters with a high fence and an electric gate, and install a good home security system that covers both the exterior of your property and the vulnerable points inside. Consider keeping at least one guard dog on the property to scare intruders off. And last, but not least, make sure you have a generator as a back up source of energy in the event of power failures and interruptions.

Buying a new home is exciting. Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to raise your family, or finally relocating to a small cottage in Maine for your retirement, the move can open up new horizons and change your life for the better. And when you’re looking at new homes, it’s important to realize that there are many aspects to consider that determine the actual financial commitment to your new home. The one aspect to never overlook is the cost of a home security system.

Homeowners Insurance Often Require Home Security Systems

If you’re like most homeowners, you’re aware of the fact that a home security system is a great protection for your home, your loved ones, and your possessions. But it’s also a requirement for many homeowners insurance policies. Oftentimes, the better and more comprehensive your home security system, the lower your homeowners insurance premiums and deductible. But before making such a large investment, it’s wise to find out what your insurance carrier’s requirements are for your security system. It’s also essential to take a good look at the property you’re interested in buying and make a realistic assessment of its security needs.

Home Security System Considerations

The best way to make a thorough evaluation of your home security needs and costs is to schedule an appointment with a security professional to do a walk-through of the property so he or she can provide you with a quote. However, it’s highly unusual to do this before you’ve signed the sales contract. What you can do is request a checklist from the home security company you have in mind and do a walk through yourself. Questions to consider are whether you need extensive perimeter security, how large the property is, and how many vulnerable areas there are, such large windows and glass doors. It’s clear that a mansion on a lake will need much more security measures than a condo in a secure apartment complex. Consider what types of locks you want on the doors, and whether they’re approved by your insurance carrier. Also consider whether you need as system that provides temperature and flood alerts, and even additional exterior flood protection. Additionally, you can take a look at integrating your home security with your household’s energy management, and choosing remote access to the entire system. Once you have a comprehensive list of all your requirements, you can make budget your home security costs and calculate how they offset your homeowners insurance premiums. No matter what your home security needs, investing in a good home security system is always a smart choice for your new home.

Click. You turn your computer on…. and nothing happens. You try again, and this time your computer makes a humming noise and the screen flickers, but it still won’t start up. Maybe it’s due to a virus, maybe there’s been too much wear and tear on the system – but you can’t access your personal files anymore. Even worse, your computer can be damaged in a fire or stolen in a burglary. No matter how good your anti-virus and firewall software is, or how good your home security system, viruses are ever evolving, and accidents and burglaries happen, causing you to lose all your files. So how can you protect yourself from scenarios like this?

Protecting Your Personal Files with Carbonite.

It’s a fact of 21^st century life, you need a computer to email, browse the Internet, store professional or educational materials, as well create and keep personal files like writing, photos, videos, and music. Though none of this data is tangible, most of us consider it to be extremely valuable. And in order to keep it safe, you need to integrate your computer with the rest of your home security system. Besides regularly updating your anti-virus and firewall software, you probably use an external hard drive as a back-up system. But the risks involved with an external hard drive are that it can be stolen or damaged, or you may simply forget to perform a regular back up. This is where remote back up systems come into play. A few years ago, Apple started offering a remote back up system for Macintosh users only, called Time Machine. Due to its enormous success, other companies have been looking for more and more affordable solutions that can be used by both PCs and Macs. Most recently, Carbonite started offering just this. Carbonite remote back-up systems can be used for PCs and Macs alike, and can ever help you transfer your files from one to the other. At an affordable $54.95 a year, you get timed back ups, unlimited storage, excellent customer service, and even access to your files from an iPhone app. The only drawback to the system is that it doesn’t back up program files. For about double the price, Carbonite also offers a small business solution that’s capable of backing up files across your organization’s network. So when you realize your home computer needs even more protection than your regular home security system provides, consider Carbonite as a remote back up, so none of your files go missing – regardless of the cause.

About three years ago, Walt and his girlfriend moved out of an inner city apartment building into a nice home in the suburbs. It was set back from the road about a hundred feet, with a nice, landscaped yard all around the house. Being a resourceful guy, Walt invested in a good DIY home security system and installed it with ease. No slacker, he maintained all of his home security equipment with care and made sure to get his software updates when needed. And over time, the couple saved up enough money to make their lifelong dream a reality: just before Christmas, they bought two jet skis so they could really enjoy the nearby beaches. For lack of having a shed, Walt left them on the trailer in the driveway. Sadly, two days before they planned to go for their first ride, Walt and his girlfriend woke up one morning to find out both jet skis had been stolen out of their driveway. Of course, they reported the theft to the police and filed a claim with their insurance company. Two months on, the police still haven’t recovered the jet skis, and the insurance company is unwilling to reimburse Walt because the jet skis weren’t in a secured area of the property.

Driveway Security Systems

Though we use them every day, our driveways are oftentimes areas of our properties that we overlook when it comes to installing home security systems. However, it’s important to realize that your driveway is the first point of access to your home, and being aware of unwanted intruders on your driveway can prevent vandalism of your property, break-ins, and in the case of Walt and his jet skis, theft of vehicles or items left in the driveway. Fortunately, there are many affordable and effective driveway security systems available to consumers nowadays. Some are combined with a videophone at a fence or gate, others are triggered by motion, metal, or infrared and alert you when a vehicle or living being enters your property. More specialized driveway security systems can cover not only your driveway, but also your entire yard, and alert you with pre-recorded voice messages when something unusual occurs. With the choice of wireless or wired, as well as DIY or professionally installed driveway security systems, there’s something for every budget. Don’t wait until it’s too late: evaluate your property and choose the driveway security system that works for you.

City life has many perks, but living in an area with a high concentration of people, traffic, and businesses also results in more threats to your safety. And if you own a home with living areas on the ground floor, you’re more exposed to danger than homes on the second floor or higher. The risk of vandalism is higher, the chances of burglars looking in through the windows to see what’s worth stealing are greater, and there’s an increased danger of being attacked as you leave your home. So when you’re planning to install a home security system, you’ll need to consider all security weaknesses to your ground floor.

Protecting Your Privacy

Whether your home borders directly on the sidewalk of a busy street, or is set somewhat apart from the road, anybody can see inside your home when your windows are exposed. This results in a lack of privacy, but also a lack of security, as your valuable items are on display for potential thieves. To protect your privacy and keep your possessions from prying eyes, use blinds, or better yet, frosted or one-way glass.

Protecting Your Perimeter

Privacy isn’t the only thing to be concerned with, however. To make sure nobody tries to break a window, it’s a smart idea to mount secure grids or bars in front of all windows. There are many decorative grids available nowadays that you can have installed at a relatively low cost. This way, you don’t feel as if you’re locked behind bars; instead, you’re creating a home life for yourself beyond bars. In addition to securing your windows, make sure to install a sound home security system that includes motion-activated lights to discourage potential criminals from lurking around outside your home. Also install good security cameras, so you can see who’s outside your home at any time. Fortified doors with deadbolt locks are a sound investment when it comes to your home security system. Doors onto a street are weak spots in any home security system, so installing the strongest door with the best lock you can find will definitely reduce the risk of burglars kicking in your door. In addition, make sure you get a lock with a videophone. This way, you can see who’s ringing your doorbell and if the situation seems dangerous, you can call 911 right away.

Announce Your Security Measures

One of the most effective deterrents to burglars is signage. Simply ask your home security company for signs announcing your home is protected by one of their home security systems, or purchase a few home security signs online. Be sure to display them clearly for all to see your home is a protected area.

Going green doesn’t have to be difficult, but when it comes to home security systems, the options for consumers have long remained restricted. Sure, there’s some solar powered home security system equipment on the market, but until recently, a fully integrated, environmentally friendly home security system that is both affordable and offers all features required in a modern home has not been available. Homeowners who wanted an environmentally friendly home usually had to find their own energy solutions for powering their home security systems, and always faced the risk of compromised home security in the event of a power outage due to a malfunctioning of the system. But with more and more innovative technologies becoming more affordable and therefore more available to consumers, it was only a matter of time before somebody came up with a fully integrated, environmentally responsible, and energy efficient home security system.

Combining Solar Power with Home Security Systems

Vivint, a home security solutions company that has been around for over a decade under the name APX Alarms, is taking action to meet the demand for green home security systems. It recently announced plans to target a broader market by offering solar powered home services, which combine energy efficient, solar powered appliances with a smart home security system. In the near future, around 16,000 homes will have solar panels installed so they are ready to use the combined energy-security solution. Vivint is optimistic about the new combined system, and expects to increase the number of homes using it to over 100,000 by the end of 2011.

Integrated System

The system is integrated so homeowners can program the settings on certain home appliances and even monitor the amount of electricity they use from their home panel, computer, or smart phone. At the same time, the home panel, phone, or computer also serve as monitors for the home security system, which includes features to program light switches and camera settings. Surprisingly, Vivint manages to keep the costs of the system reasonable, despite the expenses of setting up the solar panels. Studies have shown that, for homeowners, the costs of installing solar panels will be offset by the resulting savings on their energy bills. For the rest of the combined system, homeowners pay an initial $99 setup fee, and a monthly maintenance fee of between $44.99 and $49.99, with the energy management feature costing an additional $6.99 per month.

Everybody loves convenience, and when it comes to home security systems, product manufacturers are amping up the convenience factor every year. Just think of the smarthome apps that allow you to remotely regulate everything in your home, including the heating, lighting, and home security system, so long as you have access to your phone, laptop, or computer. But even though these apps are rapidly becoming more and more popular, one of the most basic conveniences in home security systems is still the remote control for electric fences or garage doors.

The Risks of Remote Controls

Despite their convenience, remote controls for one or more parts of your home security system do come with some risks, especially when it comes to perimeter security, such as garages and fences. One obvious risk of remote controls is that you can easily lose or misplace them, which can allow them to fall into the wrong hands while you’re dealing with the inconvenience of not being able to get into your yard or garage. Remote controls are also at risk of being stolen by burglars looking to gain easy access to your home without triggering your home security system. Of course, another risk of these types of remote controls is the delay between the garage door or electric fence fully opening and automatically closing again. If you drive off without waiting for the door or fence to close again, an intruder can easily slip onto your property without you noticing. Perhaps the greatest risk is that of criminals recording your remote control’s transmission frequency and playing it back when they want to gain access to your home. This is particularly risky, as you have no way of knowing if somebody’s recorded the frequency nor when they plan on using it.

Minimizing Remote Control Risks

Now you know the risks, it’s time to find out how to minimize them so your home security system isn’t compromised. To avoid misplacing, losing, or having your remote control stolen, hang it on the same keychain as your car keys, so you always keep your eye on it. Always make sure to wait until your garage door or electric fence is completely closed again before driving away or entering your property. This way, if any intruder tries to slip inside, you can call 911 immediately. And in order to be sure that thieves can’t record your remote control’s frequency, make sure the locking system on your garage door or electric fence is equipped with a rolling code. This means that instead of using the same code over and over again, the locking system automatically selects a new code every time you use the remote control.

No matter what type of home security system you have, its roles are clear: to deter intruders and to alert you to breaches in your home security, from burglaries to fires. Whether you have a simple, DIY home security system you monitor yourself or a state-of-the art system installed and monitored by a professional security company, it makes you aware of threats and dangers in the now. But even though this offers a certain peace of mind, when it comes to crime, it’s extremely useful to know what types of possible threats you and your loved ones could be dealing with.

Keep Abreast of Local Law Enforcement News

Crime rates vary throughout the United States, with more populated areas obviously experiencing higher crime rates than less populated, rural areas. However, crime trends change within areas, and these trends are worth knowing about. For example, a neighborhood that for years has a relatively high vandalism rate may for any number of reasons suddenly experience a spike in gang-related crimes. Or a suburban neighborhood with little to no crime might unexpectedly be plagued by muggings and break-ins. Whatever the trends in your neighborhood, it’s smart to be aware of what they are and when they change. One of the best ways to do this is by keeping abreast of your local law enforcement news. Most local police departments have websites nowadays, where you can read up on current crime trends and get information on how to be prepared. In addition, many police departments offer special educational courses for citizens who are concerned for their safety.

Tailoring Your Home Security System to Local Crime Trends

Ideally, when you install a home security system, you make sure you have every threat covered, from carbon monoxide and smoke to floods and burglaries. But you can also tailor your home security system to crime trends in your area without sacrificing coverage of other threats. For example, if vandalism is rampant in your neighborhood, installing a number of motion-activated floodlights can be a powerful deterrent. If thieves have been scamming their way into peoples’ homes by coming to the front door pretending to be a salesperson or maintenance man, it’s a good idea to install a high resolution video door phone so you can always see who’s outside. Talk to your local law enforcement officers to find out what types of crime are prevalent in your area, and how you can most effectively protect yourself and your property.

Do you know how to fix a leaking drain under your bathroom sink? Or how to install a new HVAC? How about programming a new code into your home security system? If you’ve answered “yes” to all of these question, you’re pretty much a modern genius. However, most of us don’t have the skills to perform all the upkeep necessary around the house, even if we have the time. And with landscaping, window cleaning, appliance-upkeep, maintaining home security system equipment, and more being absolute requirements to keep our homes in good repair, many of us are regularly visited by maintenance personnel from various companies.

How Maintenance Personnel can be a Home Security Risk

In most cases, maintenance personnel are just what they appear to be: well-trained, hardworking individuals who come to your home to do a job and do it well. But there are always criminals who will try to pose as maintenance personnel in order to breach your home security system. There are even criminals who purposely get a position with, for example, a landscaping company so they can easily access multiple homes. And then there are those who, though they’ve never committed a crime before, give into the temptation of stealing from a home they’re working at. On occasion, maintenance personnel can also pose a risk to your home security system purely by misunderstanding or forgetting instructions about closing or locking doors and gates.

Dealing with Maintenance Personnel Responsibly

Though all this information may seem a bit intimidating, there’s no reason to start taking DIY carpentry classes or firing your window cleaner. All it takes to deal with your maintenance personnel responsibly is a bit of patience and an extra phone call or two. Before you hire a certain company, check to see if their license is valid, and check online for reviews from other customers. Any time you schedule a maintenance visit to your home, make sure to enquire about the name of the maintenance person coming and ask for a set time. When the person arrives, ask to see their ID, as well as a copy of the company’s license. If anything seems amiss, for example, if the person turns up hours late, or on a completely different day, always check with the company before you let him or her in. If the maintenance company cannot verify that that particular person is scheduled to be at your home at that time, don’t let him or her in. Instead, alert the police and let them deal with the situation before you have to call them to report a burglary or worse.

When it comes to your home security system, there will always be one basic rule you must adhere to in order to keep your home secured: lock all exterior doors when you leave, or when you go to sleep. And it used to be, when you left your house, you needed those all-important keys to both lock up behind you, and unlock your doors upon your return. In those days, who you trusted with your key ring equaled who you trusted with your home security. But with all the new developments in home security systems and the types of locks readily available to consumers nowadays, the choice of what types of locks work best for you and your home security system can be confusing. What follows focuses on two of the most popular choices: conventional keys and keypads.

Conventional locks, including deadbolts, are relatively easy to install. Many homeowners prefer them because they can mount them in the door themselves instead of having to call in a locksmith to do this for them. Furthermore, conventional locks come with a set of keys – something most of us carry with us as if it were second nature. Nearly all of us were taught by our parents to lock the door behind us when we leave the home, and for those who appreciate the ritual of turning the key in the lock and checking to see if it’s secure, keys can be perfect. Keys are easy to replace when they’re lost, and they’re the one item you think twice about before lending them to somebody. However, keys can also easily be misplaced, so for the scatterbrained geniuses amongst us, they might not be the best option.

Keypads, on the other hand, require a bit more expertise to install, and most homeowners prefer not to do this themselves. However, once installed, keypads are a great addition to your home security system, because after the door falls shut behind you, it’s locked and can only be opened with your personal code. Additionally, keypads only require you to remember a code – usually a series of numbers – so if you have a memory for numbers, a keypad might be just the thing for you. Additionally, if there are a number of people in your household, a keypad can offer the advantage of allowing access without having to make multiple sets of keys, as well as allowing you to regularly reset access codes for added security.

In short, the choice whether to use keypads or conventional locks is entirely personal. Before you commit to one or the other option for your home security system, evaluate your household’s needs and choose what works best for you.