Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Choosing A Security System for Your Home and Office

Over the last few years, many home security companies have started to combination plans that will cover your home and your business. This can let you deal with a single company for all your security needs - both home and office.

In the past, it may have been necessary to deal with two different companies or at least two different accounts at a single company - one for your home and one for your office.

It wasn't so much a matter of needing different types of alarm systems as it was a matter of policy. Most security companies treated business security different than home security. By combining the two into a single plan, it simplifies things for the customer and it simplifies monitoring for the security outfit.

The basic security requirements are not really any different between a home and a business. The alarm system can be wired or wireless, monitored or stand-alone. These are decisions that you would make for either your home or your office, depending on your budget and your needs.

The difference between home and office systems lies mainly in the way the monitoring is handled. Both home and office systems offer central monitoring so the alarm company can alert you and the authorities in case of an alarm. Office systems are handled a little differently though.

Many businesses have security guards that keep track of things after hours - either hired by the business directly or supplied by the building management in rental offices. The alarm company can work with these security guards in case of an alarm, which is not something that is common in the case of home alarms.

Office alarms generally cover more than just break-ins too. They often include fire and smoke detection and the alarm company can alert the fire department in case of a fire.