Having home security systems might not reduce the chances of your house being robbed but it sure is a deterrent for the burglar. If the burglar knows that your house has home security system he might not try to rob your house. Even if the home security systems does not keep a burglar from breaking into your house, the burglar will stay a shorter amount of time, since the home security systems will increase the chances of him getting caught. This will obviously decrease the number of items stolen and the extent of damage done.

Most of the home security systems rely on a combination of contacts placed at doors and windows and motion sensors. Motion sensors will however not detect burglar until they he is already into the house. Motion sensors should not be used as the primary means of detection. It is best that all exterior potential points of entry have contacts that sense when they are open. Glass break sensors are also available and recommended to be used along with your home security systems.

• Control Panel: Control Panel is the most important ingredient of the home security systems . Control Panel is the device which helps you to tweak the various settings of your home security systems. This is the device where the system wiring terminates, the backup battery is located, and where it is connected to the phone lines if it is a monitored system.
• Keypad: Keypad is used to enable or disable the home security systems .
• Siren: Siren play a very important role in any home security systems. This is the device that lets you that there has been a break-in and let the intruder know that he has been detected.
• Inside Motion Detector: Motion Detectors are the devices that can detect the presence of a human being inside the house. Various types of motion detectors such as Passive infrared, microwave or photoelectric detectors sense changes in a room caused by human presence.
• Door and Window Contacts: Magnetic contacts form a circuit between a door and doorframe or a window and a sill; whenever the door or window is opened (and the system is on), the circuit is broken and sounds the alarm.
• A Central Monitoring Station: This is the company that monitors your home and in the event of an alarm, the control panel sends a message over a telephone line or internet to the Central Monitoring System, which is manned 24 hours a day. After attempting to contact the homeowner, the central monitoring station will contact the police, fire department, or medics. There is usually a monthly fee for this service.

• Smoke Detectors
• Glass Break Detectors
• Panic Buttons
• Pressure Mats
• Closed circuit TV (CCTV)
• Alarm Screens are special screens for windows that have a special wire woven in the mesh that will activate an alarm when cut or removed.

The average home security system, which includes either motion detectors inside the house or sensors around windows and doors, costs about $1,200 plus monthly monitoring fees of less than $25. Many security companies are willing to offer entire systems for free - in exchange for long-term monitoring contracts.