By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

Want to keep all those new gadgets and toys that Santa just brought a little more secure?

Now is a good time for homeowners to make a New Year’s resolution to safeguard their home from break-ins.

Picking out a security system need not be a cause for alarm, according to Ron Demers, president of Fire & Security Tech in Chesterfield Township. Demers said a variety of home security devices could give customers the power to protect their belongings.

Common security setups include motion detectors, keypads and sirens. Because customers have various needs, Demers said, he adapts his company’s services and packages to each buyer’s concerns.

“What happens in the residential market is (that) it can have eight homes that are pretty much exactly the same, and eight homeowners are going to probably have eight different systems,” Demers said. “If they’re concerned about someone breaking in the window, then we want to address their concern.”

Not surprisingly, customers also look at prices when deciding the best kind of system. But Demers warned against some low offers.

“Even though you have these companies that advertised for $99 … it doesn’t mean you’re going to get a $99 system,” he said.

Overall, Demers said there haven’t been too many changes in burglar alarm systems over the last 10 years. But he said more homeowners are taking a second look at security camera installation.

Customers who seek this route should be prepared to make an investment. “Most people think they can get one camera installed ... and do all the things necessary to have a complete package for $500,” he said. “But normally speaking, anything in that area, you’re going to be looking at a couple thousand of dollars.”

Although an alarm system can alert residents when trouble strikes, the best way to protect a home is to prevent intruders from getting inside in the first place, said Edward Golda, owner of Michigan Glass Coatings in Auburn Hills.

Golda said his business retrofits windows and sells a security coating, or fragment retention film, that goes on the glass’s interior. The film holds the glass in place and makes it more difficult for a burglar to enter, he said.

“The federal government likes the products in particular,” Golda said. “After the Oklahoma City bombing, they discovered that a majority of the damage to humans is from flying glass. So they did some research and found a window film. All the embassies and all the national buildings in Washington, D.C., have been retrofitted with the product.”

Golda said his company has recently seen more residential demand for security film. The cost for security film can depend on how many the company installs, but the price typically starts at about $5 per square foot, he said.

“It’s a relatively inexpensive option for the protection that it offers,” he added.

For more information on Michigan Glass Coatings in Auburn Hills, call (800) 999-8468. To learn more about Fire & Security Tech in Chesterfield Township, call (586) 791-8600.