Creators Syndicate

FIGHT BACK!  BY DAVID HOROWITZ 

Guarding the Castle 
         
        If there is one issue on which most Americans agree,  it's the
need to control crime. And it is that concern that  is driving up sales
of home-security devices. In spite of the  fact that residential
burglaries have actually declined,  nationwide sales of burglar alarms
have jumped 40 percent in  the past five years. 
        One reason is that alarm systems are more affordable  than ever
before. You can install one yourself for as little  as $99. A
professionally installed system will cost around  $1,200 -- plus $20 to
$25 a month for monitoring that system.  Some home-security companies
are now discounting the cost of  installing alarms in order to sign up
homeowners for the  monthly monitoring service. More sophisticated
units combine  intrusion alarms with smoke, fire and carbon-monoxide 
detectors, medic alerts and panic buttons. 
        Choosing the right system involves a number of choices. 
Hard-wired alarms are generally considered the most reliable,  but they
are also more expensive to install than wireless  systems, which rely
on radio transmissions. A system that  protects the entire property,
including yards and fencing, is  obviously going to be more elaborate
and expensive than one  that protects just the home and its points of
entry. 
        Most security experts recommend a combination of  electronic
sensors with simple anti-theft devices like timers  on lights,
motion-sensitive exterior flood lights and stout  deadbolt locks.
Beyond that, the system can be enhanced with  audible alarm bells and
sirens, hand-held remote lighting  controls and even private security
patrols. 
        Another important consideration is the reliability of  the
system. Police departments all over the country report a  huge increase
in residential false alarms -- as high as 90  percent false in some
cities. Most of these false alarms are  triggered accidentally by the
homeowners themselves. 
        Many cities are now tightening regulations governing  home
alarm systems. Los Angeles allows four false alarms, and  then it
imposes an $80 penalty for each one after that. In  Portland, Ore.,
fines for false alarms go up with each  additional incidence. Dallas
police now require alarm  companies to train subscribers in the proper
operation of  their security systems. With more and more cities
enacting  such ordinances, you obviously don't want a system that is 
prone to false alarms or is so complicated you can't get into  your own
home without setting it off. 
        You should also check out the alarm company itself. Like  many
growth industries, home security has attracted its share  of fast-buck
operators. They often target elderly people,  playing on their fears of
being burglarized or assaulted in  their homes. Some claim to be
authorized dealers for  nationally known manufacturers like AT&T, when
in fact, they  have no real connections with those companies at all.
They  over-sell the protective capabilities of their systems, and  then
they disappear with the money when those systems fail to  perform as
promised. 
        Home security should be treated like any other home-
improvement contract. Get at least three bids from different 
companies. Ask questions. Compare different types of systems,  their
capabilities and their costs. Then, decide how much  protection it will
take to make you feel secure in your own  home. 
        If you have any questions or comments, please write to  David
Horowitz in the Consumer Forum+ (go FIGHTBACK). COPYRIGHT 1994 CREATORS
SYNDICATE, INC.