Copyright (c) 2006, Dow Jones & Company Inc. Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.YOUR HOME IS YOUR CASTLE. But these days you might need more than a moat to keep out intruders.
A range of options for securing your home are available from nationwide security companies, local monitoring services and even neighborhood locksmiths. Some offer elaborate systems with closed- circuit television cameras and service contracts for round-the-clock surveillance. Others recommend motion detectors and door and window sensors. For low-tech solutions, some security experts suggest simply changing the tumbler in a door lock.
Professionally installed home-security systems have become increasingly popular in recent years. The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association says Americans spent $23.2 billion on electronic security systems and services last year, up 24% since just 2001. Residential systems made up roughly a third of that total. The average cost of a system is $571, the NBFAA says, although that number can be misleading because it factors in everything from a 20-room mansion to a one-bedroom apartment.
Because there is no formula for homeowners to figure out exactly how much security is necessary, common sense plays a role in deciding. Bars on the windows may be wise for some areas of big cities, but may make less sense in smaller towns where unlocked doors can be the norm. But a locked door and an active security system never hurts. The NBFAA cites a study showing that 12% of burglaries occurred when doors were unlocked. And when homes with alarms were burglarized, 41% of the time it happened when the security system wasn't turned on.
To find out what kind of advice home-security consultants give out, and how it might differ based on whether homeowners live in a small apartment or a three-bedroom house, we tested several national chains and one local locksmith. They all gave free estimates, and told us how to best combat security risks in five dwellings in five cities across the country. Each location had its own challenges, resulting in varying installation fees, monthly monitoring fees and multiple solutions offered.
Prompt arrival for appointments, security-industry knowledge and instructions for self-installed security products impressed our testers. Some consultants pointed out that better security could lower our insurance premiums. On the other hand, we found some consultants perhaps too eager to sell security systems that were more elaborate -- and expensive -- than testers wanted.
For a Chicago condo, an ADT consultant recommended a system requiring a $668 installation and monthly monitoring fees. But there was practical advice as well: another deadbolt on the back door that opens up to a dark staircase near an alley, and putting out a water bowl with a "beware of dog" sign.
At a Los Angeles bungalow, another ADT representative pointed out security risks in three sliding doors whose locks could be jimmied, and an eight-foot-high fence that could give cover to burglars. Still, when offered a $499 wireless system with features including a key- chain remote, our tester held her ground, opting for the $349 package he had also mentioned. And she didn't cave in to the hard sell and the urgency to get a contract signed on the spot.
Our Detroit homeowner had a visit from a Brinks consultant, who found ways to work around the current security system -- the family dog. The consultant pointed to windows in the back of the early 1930s house and basement as most vulnerable. A standard package cost $214, with a $230 price tag for a premium system, including a more user- friendly keypad and more zone coverage for doors. Brinks suggested do- it-yourself metal bars over basement windows versus window sensors at $75 each, and a glass-break detector instead of a motion sensor, to accommodate the dog moving at night.
Additional glass-break sensors and wireless contacts on windows were recommended by a Protection One consultant for the Connecticut colonial, with plenty of 1915-vintage windows, and cats roaming the house. The place came with a security system and monitoring contract with a regional provider. A basic Protection One package would run $299, and includes reprogramming the control panel. A $530 system covers swapping out the panel. When asked, the consultant went room to room, delivering a plan with an install price in the thousands of dollars.
Our New York City tester found a security consultant through a locksmith in the neighborhood. The consultant recommended against a video-monitoring system for the small, eight-unit apartment building, saying it would be overkill, but did suggest low-cost ways to secure the trap door to the basement and the fire escape to the roof.
Our Detroit tester was the most likely to sign up for a home- security contract. Given the big discount on home insurance, she would be tempted to hire Brinks. But the dog stays.
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Janet Adamy, Karen Lundegaard and Sarah McBride contributed to this article.
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Write to: cranky@wsj.com.
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CONSULTANT/LOCATION: ADT, condominium, Chicago
FEE/TIME: Free estimate; 35 minutes
SECURITY RISK: Rear entry to condo may be vulnerable to break-ins.
RECOMMENDATIONS/COST ESTIMATE: Install ADT system to monitor for intruders
($668 for setup and hardware, $46.99/month for monitoring service); add
second deadbolt to make back door secure ($100).
COMMENTS: Consultant offered low-cost alternatives to ADT products and
identified extra discount for the security system based on homeowners'
insurance guidelines.
CONSULTANT/LOCATION: ADT, One-story bungalow, Los Angeles
FEE/TIME: Free estimate; 40 minutes
SECURITY RISK: Property fence and three sliding doors were found to be
vulnerable.
RECOMMENDATIONS/COST ESTIMATE: One motion detector and two door or window
sensors wired in ($349); option to buy a third door sensor ($70). Monthly
fee of $32.99 and two-year contract.
COMMENTS: If customers sign up via insurer USAA, ADT pays $500 toward
deductible if house is broken into while the alarm is turned on.
CONSULTANT/LOCATION: Brinks, Colonial home, Detroit
FEE/TIME: Free estimate; one hour 20 minutes
SECURITY RISK: Windows in back and entry to the basement.
RECOMMENDATIONS/COST ESTIMATE: Sensors on all doors and a detector for
breaking glass, remote control. Standard: $214. Premium: $230. $27.99
monthly monitoring fee.
COMMENTS: Discounts on home insurance cover the monthly monitoring fee, so,
after installation, cost would be $1 a year.
CONSULTANT/LOCATION: Protection One, Dutch colonial home, Wilton, Conn.
FEE/TIME: Free estimate; 45 minutes
SECURITY RISK: Motion detector does not jibe with pets in house. Many
windows to protect.
RECOMMENDATIONS/COST ESTIMATE: Reprogram existing control box and cellular
backup ($299 for basic plan). If panel needs changing: $530. $37.95 monthly
charge.
COMMENTS: A thorough, no-nonsense analysis.Consultant gave custom solution
that included a written estimate and complete walk-through.
CONSULTANT/LOCATION: A J A Locksmith, Co-op apartment in New York City
FEE/TIME: Free estimate; 10 minutes.
SECURITY RISK: No lock on exterior trap door; broken lock on interior
basement door.
RECOMMENDATIONS/COST ESTIMATE: Install a padlock on the inside of the trap
door to the basement; replace cylinder on the basement entry door.
COMMENTS: Security consultant said an alarm was required on the fire
escape, a recommendation that the fire department said wasn't necessary.
My Research