The findings presented in this article are based on two large surveys of residential and commercial residents in suburban localities. The areas surveyed reflect eastern U.S. communities. A total of 2,730 questionnaires were mailed in one survey of three Philadelphia suburbs, yielding a response rate of 42.23 percent. Of the 1,153 responses, 766 were residential and 387 were commercial establishments. The second survey was conducted in Greenwich, Conn. Approximately 22,000 questionnaires were mailed to all households in Greenwich at the end of 1993, yielding a return of 3,000 complete questionnaires. Findings show alarm owners to have been overwhelmingly satisfied with their alarm systems. Residential owners were the most satisfied, because they felt personally safer; commercial owners were also satisfied, because they felt their property was safer. The most desirable alarm features were private monitoring, temperature sensing, panic buttons, and radio backup. Undesirable features included complexity, lack of zones, battery power, and dependence on phone lines. Many alarm owners were also dissatisfied with alarm company service, lack of upgrades, lack of training and documentation, and verification procedures. Alarm owners would advise those considering the purchase of an alarm to get a flexible system, connecting to a central station, and selecting a reputable and reliable installer. Implications of these findings for installers are discussed. 3 figures