The security of our home is a very important part of our lives because in addition to providing safety for family members, valuables and property, it can actually reduce the amount of insurance premium that we pay out. Security systems galore of every type, size and sophistication are available on shop shelves these days. Nevertheless perhaps because of its lower price tag and suitable effectiveness, motion detectors have proven to be very popular with home owners. Why? Because they:

• Possess so much versatility and flexibility they can be connected to any other system
• Can be installed into many different sites of your house
• Can be used to activate a myriad of devices to go into motion in protecting your home
• Are able to be used in many different ways for addressing security issues

The most common use to which motion detectors have been deployed is in exposing the presence of intruders who are hiding themselves under the cover of darkness. In combination with lights connected to them, motion detectors are able to activate the lights when the movements of would be intruders register on the detector and automatically triggers a mechanism that turns the connected light on. Many home owners have also experienced the merit of installing a motion detector at their home when they themselves try to enter their own domain. The detectors instantly capture their movements and automatically turn the lights on providing them with light for finding their way to the main door.

You can also use motion detectors inside your own house to achieve the following:

• You have an instant alarm system that can alert you to the presence of intruders.
• You can save on the amount of utility bill you have to pay simply because you don’t need to leave your porch lights on all night.
• You may also increase your electricity bill by forgetting to flip the switch and turn off the lights.
• The lights working in consort with your detectors mean that they will only come on when movement is detected and automatically shut down after the timer delay has run out.
• You won’t be consuming so much electricity after you install a motion detector system.

Motion detectors have now added another feature to their surveillance capabilities – cameras – which are newcomers to the security scene. The cameras can be installed is a particular area to capture action but can also be hidden inside objects (such as a teddy bear or other stuffed animal and moved from place to place whenever needed.  But the assistance of a security expert may be needed to install and operate the more technologically advanced motion detector system with cameras.

Fires in the home can prove to be very dangerous incidents that can cause untold damage and injury to both property and occupants alike. But for all their destruction, fires are different from natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. Unlike other natural disasters, at least preparations can be made to prevent the occurrence of fires and mitigate the damage they cause even if they can’t be put out entirely.

Some very important facts about fire related incidents should be kept in mind so that damage can be kept to a minimum. Such facts will include but are not limited to the following:

• Once a fire starts, it will spread out much more quickly than most people can imagine.
• Contact should be made to the fire department the moment the start of a fire is identified
• Immediate evacuation by everyone in the house should be processed as quickly as possible.
• Everything should be done to keep the fire from spreading to the whole building
• A matter of only a few minutes is all that it takes for a fire to cause minimal or maximum damage to a house.

Since the need to detect the start of a fire as early as possible is a critical phase, the ability to monitor the home environment at all times is critical for preventing a fire or minimizing potential damage or injuries. This is where the difference between a smoke detector and a fire alarm can be a critical choice. For now, a fire alarm system is watched by a monitoring inbuilt service 24/7 which can immediately notify the local fire department. This is the ideal solution for minimizing damage and possibly saving lives.

Alarm systems used by commercial and industrial companies are usually of the high-end types with rather high price tags. You can however dispense with some of the accessories attached to the systems such as bells and whistles and procure an affordable alarm system that provides the right solution for your security problems. You may even opt for a CCTV surveillance system to really boost your security situation but you must choose one that will effectively address your security needs.

You will find that you can dispense with some of the add on gadgetry and devices that alarm or camera systems feature these days. Although they may make the system work better and more efficiently, you can achieve your own security goals by opting to purchase a more basic system with lesser attachments. For instance, you can do without that attached water sprinkler to an alarm system since you can perform the action yourself after being alerted by your basic alarm system.

So it’s not really how sophisticated an alarm or camera system can be but how effective a basic alarm, camera or access point can perform in pointing out the danger!