• Home security systems offer buyers many different options. The right system can keep a person's home and belongings secure while providing piece of mind. The wrong system can create unnecessary expenses and involve equipment that is complicated to use. Although many peripherals are available for home security systems, some add-ons are recommended to provide greater safety, regardless of individual circumstances.
  
  

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Although many homes have smoke detectors and almost all apartments are required by law to provide them, carbon monoxide detectors provide an equal benefit. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas that can emanate from your stove, water heater, furnace or garage. Extended exposure can be lethal, but even mild inhalation produces side effects that can range from shortness of breath to headaches to nausea. Most smoke detectors will not detect carbon monoxide, and a specific carbon monoxide detector is the best way to prevent accidents from happening. If the detector continues to go off whenever an appliance or furnace is running, the appliance needs to be serviced as soon as possible.
  
  

Security Lighting

• Lighting is a very good deterrent to burglars, who generally prefer darkness when breaking into a home. Lighting devices added to the outside of the house that are either on a timer or a motion sensor can deter would-be thieves from attempting to break into your house. It becomes harder for thieves to know if anyone is home because the lights activate even when no one is at home. The garage is a favorite entry point for burglars since homeowners frequently overestimate the amount of security a garage door provides. Adding lighting around the garage, as well as around back doors or entrances that are hidden from the street, can be an effective deterrent
  
  

Panic Buttons

• Most security systems will have either a central hub in the home where everything is controlled or multiple panels throughout the house where the system can be turned on and off. Panic buttons are one-touch alarm activators that can immediately dispatch the police or fire department to your residence. If someone in your home has a medical condition that could require immediate attention, a panic button can be programmed to notify an ambulance if the condition flares up. Panic buttons can save valuable time in the event of a genuine emergency. Households with small children, however, may want to think twice about adding them in the event the child dispatches emergency services by accident.