A Complete Guide To A Monitored Security System and How It Works

Monitored home security systems are systems that are connected to the home security companies that installed them. Your home security company operates a monitoring centre that takes a continual feed from the system in your home – and it employs 24 hour staff to monitor that feed. If anything is wrong, or appears out of the ordinary, then your security company takes appropriate steps to prevent whatever threat or danger the system has identified.


Most home security companies that provide monitoring services have a national scope. They will take control of the installation of your home security systems, which adds a further layer to the peace of mind engendered by the purchase of your system – you will know that someone that knows what they are doing has put it in for you, tested it and is monitoring it to see that it is still working.

Monitored security systems are checked routinely to make sure everything is still functioning, as well as being monitored for intruders, fire or carbon monoxide levels (you can now buy home security systems that protect the home against all invasion, rather than just the human kind). If anything is wrong, either with your system or with your property, then the home security companies in charge of monitoring you will come out to fix things; or contact the relevant authorities on your behalf.

Whenever your system is armed, it will send signals to the monitoring centre if something is tripped, a contact is broken or movement is detected. The system is preset with different zones, which can be turned on and off either independently of each other or as one big unit. Any active (i.e. armed) zone is capable of sending signals to the home security companies monitoring your system.

When a zone is not armed, it can still be set top operate a chime or bell if a contact is broken, movement is detected or any other pre-specified condition that would usually cause an alarm is fulfilled. This can be very useful in letting you know if a door or window in another part of your property has been opened, or left open.

Monitored home security systems are centrally operated using a control panel. This can be portable or hard wired into your home. You will be able to define different zones and activate and deactivate them using the control panel.

The basic setup of your home security system is likely to follow the above descriptions. You’ll get hundred of different variations depending on the kind of equipment you have opted for, and the functionality you have specified. For example, many home security companies run a pager function, which gets in touch with your phone or pager whenever an alarm event occurs. You can also specify things like CCTV, digital video recording and light activation.

Monitored home security systems keep you and your property safe – with the peace of mind that comes with knowing there are professionals keeping an eye on your home.