How Many Contact Sensors Does Your Smart Home Security System Need?
Plan one contact sensor per exterior door and accessible window, then add sensors for safes, cabinets, and the freezer. Count yours with this guide and table.
Sting Alarm blog
What to Look for in a Home Security System: A Las Vegas Homeowner Checklist
What a top-quality Las Vegas home security system includes: door and window sensors, smart locks, motion sensors, video doorbells, and video verification.
A top-quality home security system in Las Vegas protects every way into your home and tells you what is happening in real time. That means door and window sensors, motion sensors, smart locks, a video doorbell and cameras, and 24/7 professional security monitoring with video verification, all running on a reliable panel with a cellular connection and backup battery. Sting Alarm, a local, independently owned company founded in 2003, designs, installs, and monitors these systems across Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Why quality matters in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a busy, fast-growing city, and like any large metro it sees property crime in its neighborhoods. A quality system is not about the number of gadgets. It is about covering the doors, windows, garage, and porch that matter, making sure signals reach the monitoring center reliably, and giving you useful alerts without constant false alarms.
The building blocks of a quality system
A reliable panel
Everything connects to the panel. Sting Alarm's standard panel is the Qolsys IQ Panel 5, which has a built-in cellular communicator, and we install a backup battery in every panel so it stays online during a power outage. See our smart security panels for details.
Door and window sensors
Contact sensors on doors and windows are the first line of defense. They start the alarm countdown when an armed door or window opens and send app alerts when you are disarmed. Not sure how many you need? Read how many contact sensors your home needs.
Smart locks
When you rush out the door, it is easy to forget to lock up. Smart locks alert you when a door is left unlocked, let you lock it from your phone, and tell you when someone unlocks it with their own code.
Motion sensors
Motion sensors cover hallways and less-used rooms. Pet-friendly models can be set to ignore small animals, so your dog does not set off the alarm.
Video doorbells and porch protection
Package theft is a real concern in Las Vegas neighborhoods. A video doorbell with HD video, two-way audio, and person detection lets you see and speak with anyone at your door from anywhere, and infrared night vision shows the porch after dark. For more ways to stop porch pirates, see our guide on how to stop package theft.
Cameras with video verification
An outdoor camera paired with 24/7 professional security monitoring covers your driveway, porch, and yard. You can set virtual tripwires to alert you when someone crosses into an area. When your alarm is triggered, our monitoring center gets temporary access to your cameras, only while the alarm is active, so operators can see whether the threat is real. This video verification gives responders better information than an unverified alarm signal.
How to choose a home security company
Look for a local company that installs and services its own systems, explains its agreement terms clearly, and has a strong reputation with neighbors. Sting Alarm has over 1,000 five-star Google reviews and holds Nevada license C2D-0061014. For a full checklist, read our guide to choosing a home security company in Las Vegas.
Get a system built for your home
Explore our home security solutions or call (702) 737-8464 to talk with our Las Vegas team about the right setup for your home.
Frequently asked questions
What should a good home security system include?
At minimum: contact sensors on exterior doors and accessible windows, motion sensors inside, a panel with a cellular connection and backup battery, and professional security monitoring. Most Las Vegas homeowners also add a video doorbell, outdoor cameras, and smart locks.
What panel does Sting Alarm install?
Our standard panel is the Qolsys IQ Panel 5. It has a built-in cellular communicator, and we install a backup battery so the system stays online during a power outage.
What is video verification?
When an alarm goes off, our monitoring center can view your cameras to see whether the threat is real before contacting responders. It gives police more information than an unverified alarm signal.
Do I need a contract for monitored home security?
Yes. Monitored systems from Sting Alarm require a 3-year agreement.
Keep reading
Crime Prevention Month Home Security Checklist for Las Vegas and Phoenix
A Crime Prevention Month home security checklist for Las Vegas and Phoenix: doors, windows, lighting, landscaping, codes, smart locks, sensors, and cameras.
After-School Door Alerts: How Parents Stay Informed When Kids Arrive Home
Door activity alerts, smart locks, and cameras tell busy parents when kids get home and whether the door is locked, without watching a feed all afternoon.
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4.9 stars from 1,166 Google reviewsLoading the form… Prefer to call? (702) 737-8464
Recent Google reviews
4.9 stars from 1,166 Google reviews★★★★☆ Excellent service Mike! Mike, the alarm technician was professional, knowledgeable, punctual, and courteous. He took the time to diagnose the problem, explain the solution, and make sure everything was working properly before leaving. The entire process was smooth and hassle-free. Thank you for the great service!
★★★★★ Isaac and Isaac from Sting were amazing!!! They showed up on time and even got the installation done before the quoted time. Isaac explained how the system worked in detailed and set up my cameras and doorbell without any issues. I would recommend Sting to anyone looking to upgrade their security system and ask for Isaac.
★★★★★ Sting Alarm has been great to work with. Had an issue that needed a field tech to come out. Mike was dispatched and worked on the issue - quickly identifying the issue and resolving it for me. Friendly and great service!