Step One, understand the basics. The information in this site will give you the basics of home security systems.
Step Two, determine your goals: for example, to protect your home when no one is there, protect your family at night, or protect your family while one spouse is out of town. (Most buyers have multiple goals.)
Step Three, assess the priority areas to be covered. For example, a Temple University study that indicates 60% of intruders enter through a door; therefore, alarming all doors should be a high priority. In the same study it was also revealed that 79% of burglaries in three communities near Philadelphia, the burglar entered through the first floor. The front door, back door, and first floor windows were the most common means of entry.