History of Home Security

Home security products date back much farther than many think. Kings and nobles who lived in castles in England during medieval times had home security systems. Armed guards would patrol their premises and they would often have moats dug around the castle to make it more difficult for intruders to attack them. They were not as high-tech and advanced technologically as they are today, but they were still very effective. Unfortunately, these two options would just be ridiculous in today's society no matter how awesome having a moat dug around a two bedroom ranch house would be. Home security equipment has evolved greatly over time, especially with the discovery of electricity.

In 1853 the first patent on electro-magnetic alarms was granted to a man in Massachusetts named Augustus R. Pope. His designs were then used by businesses at the time in the more wealthy homes of New York City residents. The design was simple by today's standards but groundbreaking at the time. Magnetic contacts were installed on the windows and doors of homes. When they were tripped they would send a signal through the electromagnetic wiring and sound an alarm that was in the house. They could not contact the local authorities like home security systems can today, but they were still effective in deterring break-ins from occurring and "prevention" is the name of the game in security. These rudimentary systems were very popular with the wealthy residents of New York City at the time.

Later, more advanced electromagnetic alarm systems were developed and installed in businesses that had a large amount of valuables like jewelry. Some of these businesses even had safes installed that had alarms with a direct connection to the nearest police department. These were the first instances of systems that could alert authorities to intruders in a place of business. They were later installed in homes of the extremely rich and other homes as they became more and more affordable. This is a far cry from the wireless connections that >security systems have today to alert the proper authorities of break-ins or fires in homes in just seconds. Response time has increased greatly since then, and police and fire departments can now respond in minutes to any problem in your home or place of business.

As time went on, the technology for home security devices improved greatly. The invention of the telephone was a great boost for the industry. The communication system could be used to help increase the speed in which the local authorities could be contacted to respond to a call. The invention of the home security camera was an even bigger boost for the industry.

Technology in home security saw its biggest jump in the 1980s. According to DisasterCenter.com, Home break-ins became more prevalent during the last half of the 20th century, and more and more middle class homeowners sought a way to help protect their home. Security companies that specialized in protecting businesses responded to this call and designed systems that were less ornate than the systems that they used for businesses that would still be effective in homes. They also made them much more affordable.

Today having a home security system is practically a necessity for any homeowner who wishes to help protect their home and their belongings effectively. If you have not taken the steps to help protect your home yet you should contact us to have a home security system designed that will fit your needs and your budget.