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Step 1
Determine your budget. You will pay a certain price upfront for the system itself, and then pay a monthly payment for the monitoring. The system itself may cost up to $1000 or more, depending on what you get. The monitoring could run as little as $10 per month up to $50.
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Step 2
Choose an alarm system that is easy to use. The instructions should be simple. Avoid a system that requires multiple codes that must be remembered and multiple passwords.
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Step 3
Make sure the monitoring service for the alarm system has 24 hour customer service. If you have a problem in the middle of the night, you want to be able to reach someone. For example, you might forget your password on the way home from a concert at 2 a.m., and not be able to get inside of your house without setting off the alarms.
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Step 4
Be certain that installation is included in your package. You don't want to run the risk that you'll hook something up wrong and it won't work properly. Trained professionals should set up the system.
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Step 5
Determine whether you want an indoor or an outdoor alarm system. The outdoor system will detect motion outside, whereas an indoor system can detect motion and contact to a window or door.
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Step 6
Figure out what you want included in your alarm system. You may simply want motion detectors in one or two key rooms in the house near doors. You may also wish to have door and window contacts that trigger if someone tries to open a door or window. Panic buttons can be set off by you if you think someone is trying to break in or you see someone outside of your home.
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Step 7
Decide on any extra features you want. A surveillance camera lets you see if anyone is outside once the alarm system sounds. An alarm alerts you that there is motion detected or an attempt at a break in. You may even want an option of a barking alarm to make it sound like a dog is there, ready to attack intruders.
