The Garza family of Houston, Texas thought their home was secure. They locked their doors. They lived in a good neighborhood. What more home security should they need? But one Friday afternoon they came home to a broken window and a ransacked house. Their TV, other electronics, even the kid's bikes, were gone. “How could this happen in broad daylight?” Asks Ed Garza. “The criminals are getting braver.”

Clever Criminals

They aren't only getting braver, they're getting smarter. Criminals watch families closely to learn their habits, when they're home, when they're not. Forty percent of break-ins occur in the middle of the day while the family is at work or school. Burglars know that during the day there are likely to be fewer people around to keep an eye on the neighborhood, and they can treat homes like candy shops. Night is no longer the common criminal's only time on the job. They prowl at all hours, so your home security system must be ready and in place 24 hours a day.

Home security is moving beyond strong locks and a guard dog and requires more vigilant standards. With burglars coming out into the day time and carefully planning their not-so-random attacks, safeguarding your home with a complex home security system requires you to put as much thought into it as the burglars do.

The basics: strong locks, trimmed back bushes, and nosy neighbors, are a good start, and you should make those the foundation for your home security system. But these days, a home security system requires a comprehensive network of components working together to protect your family from burglaries, fires, and other emergencies.

How a Wired or Wireless Home Security System Works

Wired or wireless, an alarm home security system does two things: when triggered, it not only lets out a shrill noise to draw attention to your home and scare away the intruder; it also alerts security personnel to the security breach and sends help right away.

There are many kinds of alarm home security systems. You can choose an alarm home security system that detects motion or an alarm home security system that detects window breakage or door entry.

Motion Sensor Home Security System

A motion sensor home security system detects unauthorized movement in or around your home. A motion sensor home security system senses infrared energy given off by a person in a secured area. On many motion sensor home security systems, an alarm is signaled only when the sensor is armed and the viewed energy has the correct temperature, motion, and timing associated with a burglar, thus safeguarding against false alarms. This sophisticated type of home security system is pet-proof, so Fido or Fluffy won't set off a false alarm, while Bruno the Burglar will be caught in the act.

A Window Break Home Security System

The other kind of alarm home security system is the window break home security system. Burglars love to break into windows, which, compared to doors, are much less secure. But a window break home security system detects when the glass is broken or the window is open without authorization, preventing burglars from simply smashing in a window and coming inside. If the Garza family had this sort of home security alarm system, chances are the burglar would have run away before stealing anything.

This type of home security system reduces the incidence of false alarms and break-ins. Simply affix the sensor to your window and it will safeguard your home.

Benefits of Any Home Security System

When you install a home security system in your home, you will enjoy decreased home insurance rates because insurance companies like knowing you have taken active steps to prevent damage and property loss in your home. Some home security system software also monitors your home and family for protection from fire and health emergencies as well.

A home security system can be a direct line to 911 -- the police, fire department, or ambulance. In the event of a break-in or other sudden emergency while you are home, you can hit the panic button and help will be on the way, thanks to your home security system.

The benefits of installing a home security system include:

(1) Permanent, 24-hour surveillance

(2) Pet-immune" motion sensor systems available

(3) Security fits any size home

(4) Coded security power on/off puts you in control

A Wireless Security Camera Home Security System

You have alarms, now how about some extra watchful eyes to guard you? A wireless camera home security system monitors you home with video surveillance that can capture any unsavory activity that can be used in court or used to protect your family from activities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Benefits of a Wireless Security Camera Home Security System

(1) Easy to set up

(2) Cost efficient personal surveillance system

(3) Transportable, can move from room to room or house to house

(4) Send signals through walls and floors

A wireless security camera makes video surveillance easy, portable, and cost effective. Have your eyes peeled all the time with a wireless security camera.

Check out all we have in wireless security camera technology.

We also have wired security cameras for more permanent home security system surveillance.

Fire Alarm Home Security System

A home security system should include security from fires as well as from foe. Fires are a real threat to your home and family. Consider these statistics:

1) There were 1,584,500 fires in the United States in 2003,

2) Fires resulted in 3,925 deaths, 18,125 injuries, and $12.3 billion in damages,

3) Residential fires represented 25.4% of all fires and 77.4% of structural fires.

Fire alarms are a key part of your home security system. A fire alarm home security system alerts your family to danger and gets them safely out of the house. The early alert of a fire alarm home security system can also prevent a fire from actually destroying the structure of your home, protecting not only your loved ones but your house and what's inside. Home fire alarms should be a standard feature of your home security system.

Home fire alarms belong in every bedroom, plus the hallway, kitchen and den. At a very low cost, home fire alarms save thousands of lives a year. There's simply no reason for home fire alarms not to be in every home security system in America.

The Power of a Comprehensive Home Security System

This combination of fire alarm, video surveillance, and 24-hour security monitoring will ensure that your home is under the utmost protection of a complex, sophisticated home security system. The Garzas learned their lesson the hard way. Don't wait until it's too late to start fending off burglars- outwit them at their own game by preventing all of their usual tricks. A little thought goes a long way in building a successful home security system.