What is the best security system?

The best security system is the one that best suits your home and your lifestyle.

There are several quality security providers, each with their own range of top security system solutions and monitoring options. Before deciding which home security system is best, you'll want to know the answer to several questions about your situation and your needs.

Simply looking at your home will help you narrow down the best security system equipment. Do you own your home or rent? Do you have a landline or use your mobile phone? Is your home pre-wired for a security system or do you need to have hardware installed? Would you prefer to have a professional take care of the installation or do it yourself?

Answering these questions will help you determine whether your best alarm system choices include wired or wireless equipment, which also makes a big difference in the complexity of installation. The best home security system may be one that you can do yourself, including wireless systems that even the least handy user can install and uninstall, if you move or decide to upgrade in the future. Or you may prefer instead to have a security professional assess your floor plan and install hardwired equipment that will potentially raise the value of your home.

Perhaps the most important questions have less to do with the equipment and everything to do with control, monitoring, and what your options are should an emergency ever occur. Would you prefer a basic alarm and control panel that you can access when you're at home, or mobile monitoring and control from your smartphone? Would you rather have 24/7 monitoring and emergency response from professionals?

Most likely, the best home alarm system for you will be the perfect mix of control and monitoring options. With mobile apps to access your system, you can arm and disarm the alarm, get important system information at a glance, and even, with advanced automation features, set your thermostat and make sure your doors are locked. With a monitoring service, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that an emergency will bring the police, fire department or medical assistance to your home (whether you're there or not).

Are you looking for basic protection of your windows and doors, more advanced features such as motion or flood detectors, a surveillance-based system with indoor and outdoor cameras, or a fully-automated home that not only provides a top security system with remote door locks but also smart temperature and lighting control?

Don't get overwhelmed with the options. As you research the packages provided by the best home security system providers, you'll undoubtedly see some features that are a must-have, and others that are optional or less attractive to you. To some, the best alarm system is going to be the most expensive one with all of the latest high-tech gadgets. To others, the best security system is one that provides solid basic protection on a budget. For most of us, the best security system is somewhere in between, with the features that you need most for the right price.