Intrusion Control

Feel safe in your own home

Intrusion control is a smart home technology that electronically controls who enters your home. It deters people from breaking in, alerts your household, neighbors, and/or law enforcement if they try—and can even capture intruder images on video.

These simple but effective technologies will automatically protect your family and your possessions. Designing and installing systems to deter intrusion can be simple or complex, depending on your specific household needs, the layout of your home, and the level of local threats.

Full security requires that all windows and exterior doors on the first floor be alarmed, along with all entry points on upper floors that might be reached from trees, decks, ladders, rooftops, or other surrounding structures. Don’t underestimate how far an intruder might go to gain access to your home—even through an unlocked window or door on a balcony or next to a tree limb.

For an urban get-away in a secure high-rise building, a basic system probably will suffice—including sensors and motion detectors at the front and back doors. To protect jewelry or other valuables, a more complex approach may be needed. And for a sprawling ranch home on a multi-acre site, with young grandchildren and original artwork to protect, a thoughtful, comprehensive approach may be required.

Experienced alarm companies have the knowledge, skill, and special products needed to design and install a system that can fully protect your home and your family. Unfortunately, the changing competitive landscape in the home security industry have motivated some companies to cut corners, by offering just a pair of motion detectors for a low monthly fee—rather than comprehensive door and window sensors at all points of entry. See Detectors; Security Cameras; and Alerts & Alarms.

Inadequate intrusion control means increased risk for your family, and less than full protection for your valuables. To get a security system that best fits your situation:

Deal with an established alarm company who knows your area, and has experience with your type of home and the kinds of security your family needs.
Insist on a walk-through inspection and thorough security analysis before you decide what you want to do.
Ask about alternative means of protecting critical areas or valuable collections, and learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Understand the trade-offs before you sign a contract.

Don’t cut corners, especially when the stakes are high. With Intrusion Control, a false sense of security may be worse than no security at all.