Home security and home safety have been the most highly addressed question but also the lastly addressed question. The majority of homeowners are quick to decide which house to purchase, which BBQ equipment or the latest entertainment set but never consider which security system should be installed, or matter of fact even consider a security system for the home at all.

Home security should be any homeowner's first priority. You can be in your home, thinking that you're safe, but the chance of a burglar breaking in an empty home verses occupied home is the same! So what leverage do you have to deter burglars? Here are just some of "excuses" for not having any alarm system:

• Too expensive
• Too complicated
• Don't have the time to install

Most alarm systems come in Do-It-Yourself kit. Although they are inexpensive and quick to start, how reliable is this kit? When you have a professional security system installer come and install the system for you there's no worry how effective and reliable alarm monitor would be. They are guaranteed. Professional installers are trained to install the best alarm systems therefore, they will do the professional job. And there's no need to question the complexity of your alarm equipment because the professional installer will handle any complex system. Most of installation are finished within just few hours. And since it is installed at your own convenient available time, there's no time wasted or waiting to do it on your weekend.

So why are alarm systems give home security and safety? All highly rated alarm systems are monitored by central station that constantly receives reports by installed security system from each and every home. And since it's a centralized monitoring system they are also connected to your local emergency respond services, such as fire, police, ambulance and sometimes life line for medical alert customers. Even your home might be vacant during your vacation the alarm system constantly reports back to the central station--it's like having invisible eyes that watch over your house even when you're not there. Three biggest disasters for vacationers are: fire, break-in and flood.

Many homeowners report that their homes were either caught on fire, windows smashed and burglarized or water over-flow that caused flooding on any level of the home. These and other unforeseen disasters can be prevented if they were connected to a centralized station that kept monitoring these homes. At the first sign of smoke, breaking of glass or sump-pump or washer water line breakage, an alarm monitoring system could have sent an emergency signal to the central station. Then the central station would immediately notify your local emergency respond services to take the next appropriate action.

Installing reliable home security system benefits you and your home. Here are some of tips to home security and safety while you are away:

• turn off water valve to washing machine & gas line to dryer if applicable
• install sump-pump backup system (or have central station monitoring system installed for extra protection)
• notify your neighbors that you will be away--request for unchecked mail pickup* or keep an eye on your place
• *you can request your post office to temporarily hold your mail for duration of vacationing
• unplug all unnecessary electrical devices for they could cause electrical fire when unattended
• install timer to a lamp to simulate someone is present in the house at night
• install timer to a radio to simulate someone is present in the house

Or, if you have central monitoring alarm system installed you can just call the mail service to be on hold and arm your security system. As the choice is clear that having central monitoring alarm system is A-B-C of home security and safety.

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That's a nice write-up Buff. I'd add that rural vs urban living will dictate what kind of security system you have. We bought a less expensive and much lower quality wireless system that is all monitored by a central monitor that's connected to a phone line. The command center is programed to my cell phone to call me if a sensor is tripped. If we bring the cats with us on a longer trip the motion sensors can be active as well as all the door sensors. When the phone rings I can turn around and call a neighbor and ask them to investigate or if it's a bad time I can call the county sheriff and ask a deputy be dispatched but that's typically 45 minutes to an hour response time. We put lights on timers and things like that too. But, in my mind, criminals who've got you in their sites will be looking for unusual activity, and the lights will certainly be unusual. There are several key weaknesses in our "security" system:

(Actually, I'm not going to list the weaknesses here. You can't be too careful...

We always turn off the main water supply and relieve the pressure from all the pipes by opening all the faucets when we'll be gone for a few days or more. I'll actually empty water heater tanks and turn off the heaters when we expect to be gone for longer then a couple weeks. Most houses don't like you to leave for longer then that though. Things stop working when you're gone too long! We've got a surveillance system with four cameras attached to our internet connection that can be monitored real-time or reviewed at our leisure from the internet anywhere we go too. Cameras scare people off, even when other things don't. I highly recommend them.