Being on her own, a single mom might be looking into getting a home security system installed in her home. Read on for some basic tips of the good, the bad and different electronic alarm systems available out there.
What Kind of Home Security System is Best?
There are many different alarm options out there. People pay thousands of dollars to have a security company come in and install, maintain and provide an electronic alarm system in their homes. Others go for a do-it-yourself approach and go to a store like Home Depot, Rona or Radio Shack to get their own home security system that they install and maintain for a more affordable price.
Others still decide not to have an electronic alarm system, but do their best to make their homes as safe as possible from burglars and other unwanted guests.
Home Alarm Systems and Peace of Mind
A good alarm system lets homeowners know when an intruder is in the home and that can make a single mom feel better about her safety and the safety of her children. Some alarm companies provide stickers to be put on the windows to let anyone who comes to house see that the house has an alarm, providing a deterrent to possible burglars. A better option is an alarm system that has a red electronic signal that moves across the door when there is one.
Noise Alarms Versus Silent Alarms
Some home alarm systems make a loud noise when they are activated, while others are silent. Activation can be tripped by different things ranging from noises, movement, breaking of a mechanism or pressure. If the family has a dog or cat, it is good to find out how sensitive the system will be, choose one that is pet-friendly.
Depending on what kind of alarm system is chosen, it can simply be the noise that goes off or it can be one (both silent and noise alarm) that lets a security company know that the something has set the alarm off. Some security companies will send their own security guards down, while others notify the police that the alarm has gone off in a residence.
Different Kinds of Noise Alarms
Some noise alarms go off outside the house and some go off inside. The good thing about the ones that go off outside is that it gets neighbors’ attention right away. The down side of this is that if someone’s alarm goes off a lot due to malfunction or other such reason, the alarms become less effective because neighbors just learn to get used to it going off and don’t think to call the police.
If a burglar is in the house, an inside alarm screeching at his ears is more likely to get him to drop his bag and run from the house. Also, when shopping for an alarm, make sure that it is a loud and offensive noise, so it can scare a burglar and get people’s attention.
Shop Around for Home Security System
Talk to friends and family about systems they have had and what they like and don’t like about them. Visit or call different hardware stores and ask what system they recommend and what system is the most popular and least popular and why.
To find out what home alarm security companies exist in town, check the phonebook or Internet. Depending on where a mom lives, she might be able to have a police officer come to her home to offer tips on how to make her home safer, or she may be able to get advice on security systems by dropping by or making a call to the police department.
No matter what alarm system a person chooses, even if it is the most expensive with all the bells and whistles, no home can be 100 per cent guaranteed safe from criminals. At the same time, most burglars are looking for the easiest place to get into, so a single mom’s best bet is to make her home as protected as possible to keep thieves out.
Find this article useful? Read also Home Security Tips and the Single Mom, Single Mom and Counseling, and How to Get a Break a Single Parent Needs.
Reference:
Anderson, Joan. The Single Mother’s Book: A Practical Guide to Managing Your Children, Career, Home, Finances and Everything Else. Atlanta, Georgia: Peachtree Publishing, 2004.
Tami Nicholson - Tami is the Topic Editor for Parenting Methods at Suite101. She is a mother of two with a background in education and journalism.
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