In the last decade, fear of crime has fueled a
brisk demand for home security systems.
The National Burglar and Fire Alarm
Association (NBFAA, 7101 Wisconsin Ave.,
Bethesda, MD 29814; 301/907-3202), which
represents security systems dealers and
installers, estimates that 1 in 6 American
homes is electronically protected — a nearly
40% increase over the last five years — and
expects that number to increase to 1 in 5 by
1997. Meanwhile, the cost of an installed system
has dropped by nearly a third.
For builders who have no experience with
home security systems, the variety of available
detection equipment and features may be overwhelming.
To complicate matters, most
installers are also dealers for one or