By Bob Gatton
If you're building even mid-priced homes, you should consider offering at least basic security systems. They have been around for a long time, but they aren't routinely offered in new construction. The cost of installation is very low if you do it during construction. The security companies make their profit from the recurring revenues of the contracts with the homeowners for central-station monitoring, and that's not money out of your pocket.
While a security system is not a big expense, it can make a huge impression on potential buyers, who may view the system as a sign that you care about your buyers enough to take this extra step to protect them, or that details are important to you. It certainly will be a good way to make your houses stand out in their minds.
In most homes, basic security systems include:
- Door and window contacts,
- Motion detectors,
- Maybe a camera or two,
- And a central control that will call a monitoring company if there is a break-in. The monitoring company then calls law enforcement.
These systems work very well, but they are just the beginning. After all, a burglar is just one threat to a home. What about fire or water damage? Or if the homeowners are traveling, wouldn't it be great if the system not only notified the monitoring service, but also contacted the homeowners if there was a water leak or break in?
Here are a few options that are now available for home security systems:
Moisture sensors are usually installed one floor below water-using appliances and fixtures. Some inexpensive sensors sound an alarm when they become wet, while more sophisticated sensors often tie into the security system and notify the monitoring company when they detect moisture. Some will also automatically shut off the main water valve in case of a leak. Fire sensors can also be tied into the system. When smoke or fire is detected, an alarm is sounded and the monitoring system is contacted.
Cell phone options for the security system helps protect its ability to contact the central monitoring station. Many thieves have learned to cut the telephone line when they want to break into a home. The alarm will still go off, but the system will not call the monitoring company, which in turn will call law enforcement. With a cell phone option, though, there is no telephone line to cut; the cell phone will automatically call the monitoring company and get the good guys on the way to the house.
Security cameras have been around for a long time, but never before have they been as inexpensive, small and as sensitive in low light, such as at night. And in the last few years, the "time lapse" VCRs have been replaced by DVRs—almost like a TiVo for security cameras. Many systems have the option of storing the video from the security cameras on a home PC.
Biometric entrance control may seem a bit like science fiction. These door locks use your family members' thumb or fingerprints to unlock them instead of a conventional key. Some people might consider biometric controls more of a convenience or gimmick than a security item.
However, biometric controls are much safer than keys. They can't be lost or duplicated, and many of these locks allow the homeowner to give someone conditional access to the home—perhaps one-time access for a repair when no one is home. The repairman can enter the home to make the repair but cannot return later to help himself to the home's contents. Or the lock can be set up to only open for the people from a cleaning service on a particular day of the week. They won't be able to get in any other day.
Depending on the type of home being built, expanding the security options that you offer can differentiate your homes from the competition—and help build customer loyalty.
Bob Gatton is a Knoxville, Tenn.-based home-theater and -electronics consultant and writer.
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