The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Security (Paperback)

~ Lorna Gentry Tom Davidson (Author) "If your home security system is made up of a telephone and a smoke detector, it's a good thing you're reading this book..." (more)
Key Phrases: home security plan, security system components, temporary theft, Not-So-Anonymous Tip, Security Password, Sound the Alarm (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (January 1, 2001)
• ISBN-10: 0028639510
• ISBN-13: 978-0028639512
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #489,538 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Book really is on risk assessment, NOT on alarm systems, October 23, 2003

By	Phil Lee (Minneapolis, Minn, Silicon Tundra, USA) - See all my reviews

I tried consulting this book to design and install a security system for small business. I was surprised to see so few books on the subject in Amazon and in the public library. More than half the book goes into the risk assessment and no cost loss prevention. Fine...but the cover claims that the reader can design a security system and install camera surveillance.

The first author may be a wise policeman and attorney, but a systems designer for a home / small business security system he is not. The co-author is just a writer, has very little experience in the security field and has obviously not designed, installed, and armed a security system herself. There is a lot of common-sense discussion and fluff on alarm components in the book.

But when the rubber hits the road, this book runs out of gas. The DIY section of the book is Chap 17 and covers 21 measly pages. There is no typical bill-of-materials, budgetary costs, or national or regional sources and part numbers for popular items. Where is the beef?

Honeywell is a national provider of security components and systems; the authors don't discuss the security industry suppliers, not even Radio Shack. I'd recommend going to an on-line catalog that the Pros use at ADILink dot com. It doesn't even go into the popular X-10 components for home automation; except in the last paragraph in Appendix B.

The overall organization of the book with tips and sidebars are very distracting. Overall this is a disappointing book that I read at the public library.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Annoying amount of common sense, June 30, 2005

By	Parker McWilliams (Tyler, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home security is a well written general overview of risk assessment (from fire/crime). It provides some interesting facts with common sense solutions to eliminating higher risk behavior/vulnerabilities.

The books greatest downfall is the fact that most of those readers interested enough in home security to purchase and then read manuals of this sort are paranoid enough that little presented in this text is something they won't have already considered and probably implemented. If your seriously interested in home security this book may not be enough for you.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No thanks, March 23, 2005

By	br_mom - See all my reviews

I bought this book because I was wanting to design my own home security system, and was completely disappointed. This book does not give information on how to install a video surveillance system, motion detectors, or alarm systems. It gives a lot of tips on how to avoid doing things that put you at more risk; but to me they're no-brainers. I live way out in the country and the advice he gives for security in the country is laughable. "Make sure your farm buildings are well-lit". What difference would that make? Nobody's around at night to see anyone out there trying to steal something, whether it's lit or not.