Selecting Home Security System: Wired or Wireless? to Monitor or Not?

With the economy sinking, unemployment rising and times getting tougher, it should come as no surprise that crime is on the rise. In metropolitan areas, such as Charlotte, NC, property crime has increased by as much as 7.5% since last year. In the face of increasing criminal activity, more and more homeowners are turning to home security for added protection. A drive through almost any randomly selected subdivision will reveal myriad "Protected By" yard signs with names ranging from home security giants ADT and Brinks to small players such as Monitronics and even including a few do-it-yourself kits personally monitored by the residents. With so many options, how do you know which home security solution is right for you? For help making this decision, there are several considerations to take into account:

Wired versus Wireless: Do you own your home?
Home security systems generally work by installing several sensors around the house (generally on doors, windows, etc) which must all communicate with a central "brain" (the portion of the system which monitors the sensor's status and determines if the alarm should be sounded). With sensors widely disbursed throughout the property, a considerable amount of wiring is in order to get all of these sensors talking to one another.

For homeowners who are comfortably planted and have no plans to move in the foreseeable future, the less expensive, more stable and somewhat permanent solution is a "wired" system, one that links each of the sensors in the home to the main console via physical wires installed in the walls and flooring. These systems are often less expensive than their wireless cousins and, because the sensors draw power from the central unit, there is no need to occasionally replace batteries.

Wired systems are not favorable for people who move frequently, though, and drilling holes in walls and baseboards may be outright forbidden for renters. For the more nomadic resident, wireless home security systems are an attractive and viable alternative. The sensors in these systems rely on encrypted wireless signals to periodically "check in" with the system's console. If a check-in is missed or if the sensor detects a problem, the console notifies the owner. Despite the lack of physical wiring, wireless systems have become highly stable and quite reliable. New sensors make use of emerging energy-efficient technologies to maximize battery life, stretching the time a sensor can survive on a single battery up to half a decade.

Cameras and motion sensors: Do you want your system to "see?"
Whether the selected system is wired or wireless, home systems have become significantly more advanced with increasingly sophisticated features. One of these features is the motion sensor, a radar-activated box that constantly looks for motion in its domain. If the box is "armed" by the console (usually by leaving the security system in an "away" mode) and it detects motion, a signal is sent from the sensor to the console and the alarm sounds, scaring away whatever burglar, intruder or house cat that triggered the alarm.

Another interesting-and increasingly popular--option for security systems is the presence of recorded video cameras. As prices for quality video cameras have declined and technology has improved to allow storage of massive amounts of video on a personal computer, security cameras have become a near-ubiquitous option for home alarm systems. Although only the top-end cameras actually sound the alarm, this passive monitoring method is a serious detriment to would-be criminals who do not want to appear on the evening news. Coincidentally, police occasionally release video of crimes captured on such cameras to the public in an effort to apprehend perpetrators and deter potential thieves. Several home intruders have been caught after having their image broadcast to thousands of news viewers.

To monitor or not to monitor?
Monitoring is an important consideration when choosing a home security system, and monitoring proponents insist that 24-hour monitoring is the very essence of home security. With price tags topping $50 per month, though, the decision to have a security system monitored can be difficult. While the peace of mind that comes with knowing help will be summoned by dedicated staff in a serious emergency is comforting, the recurring cost is anything but.

For this reason, some alarm manufacturers now offer the opportunity to monitor your own home security system. Monitoring works-in essence-by dialing predetermined telephone numbers when the alarm is activated, usually across a landline telephone (though some cellular-based systems also exist). More advanced systems report the type of alarm to the monitoring company, indicating whether the alarm was triggered by an intruder, for example, or by the smoke detector. The monitoring center agent then attempts to verify whether the alarm is legitimate and dispatch the appropriate authorities.

The self monitoring option removes the monitoring agent from the process flow, directly notifying the homeowner of an active alarm. For a savings of nearly $50 each month, this arrangement may seem ideal to some, though others recognize that meetings, noisy restaurants, theaters and even simply forgetting a cell phone can mean the difference between being protected and being victimized.

Summary
In general, security systems are a wise investment that can go as far as to reduce homeowners insurance costs and raise property values. Both wired and wireless configurations offer their own distinctive benefits, with no "one-size-fits-all" solution. While a security system is usually a wise choice, buyers should perform due diligence to ensure their individual needs are met.