by Francis Jock

Created on: August 08, 2008   Last Updated: October 23, 2008

Whether you live in an apartment or a condominium, security and safety have become important concerns these days. Your apartment is your home, your refuge and shelter from the pressures of living in a crowded and busy world. You should not be fearful coming or going to your apartment and you should definitely not be fearful while living there. Your family and your own well-being need to feel safe and secure, and a well-designed apartment security system will make a huge difference. Here are a few safety tips to help you decide what kind of apartment security system is right for you.

Apartment or condo security systems are not very different from a typical home security system. The major difference is in the landlord installed security systems and your personal security system.

What should your security considerations be when renting apartment? First, how about your safety and security? These two items go together, with safety concerns including such mundane things as fire and smoke alarms, GFI receptacles, sound stairways and adequate lighting in hallways, entryways and around the exterior of the building. Lighting should be considered as very important, especially in parking areas, laundry rooms and stairwells.

A good place to start security concerns is renting an apartment with an on-site manager. An on-site manager knows the tenants, the visitors and the security issues, if any. Be sure to ask many questions about the tenants and their social habits. Ask if the building is equipped with security alarms that alert the apartment manager when triggered.

Be on guard for any signs of gang activity or drug trafficking. Spend some time in the lobby, if the building has one, observing the coming and going of people. The signs of undesirable behavior will be unmistakable. Moving on, the next consideration should be given to the presence of wireless security cameras in laundry rooms, public areas and garages. In these areas, you are pretty much on your own, so use your head and be aware of what is going on around you at all times.

Home security systems and alarms include door alarms, burglar alarms, fire and smoke alarms, and window alarms. Motions sensors and automatic alerts sent to home security monitoring companies such as Brinks, ADT, and GE home security systems provide home security monitoring for a reasonable monthly fee. In more elaborate and expensive monitoring systems, video security system provides external as well as internal home security surveillance.

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