Security Zones

Draw a map of your house with each floor on a separate page. Consider the traffic areas between rooms and how a person must travel to get from one point to another.

One issue you must decide upon is whether to allow your bedroom windows to be opened at night while everyone is sleeping. As you've no doubt heard in the news, children have been abducted through their bedroom windows. Since most people do need to allow their bedroom windows to be open at times, you will need an alarm that can monitor an open window.

Consider how people move between floors. There are key spots in the home where an intruder would have to travel to get from room to room, or floor to floor. Sometimes an alarm can do double duty by protecting an exterior door and a stairway if they're located in close proximity.

Count the number of windows in each room while being aware that you may be able to use one sensor to guard all the windows in that room. Take note of whether there is carpeting and drapery as these may affect the operation of certain types of security sensors, especially motion sensors that use microwave radio frequency signals.

Consider your family pets and their possible behavior while you're away from the house. Does your cat like to climb on furniture and countertops? Is your dog larger than 60 pounds? Their movement may set off certain types of motion sensors.