Is My Home Security System Up-to-Date?
Like you, I put emphasis on keeping my family and home safe. Like me, this is probably why you made the decision to install a home security system. After spending several years in the home security business, I come to value the peace of mind that a top quality system can provide. Today’s prices on residential systems are affordable and getting an estimate without obligation or cost is pretty much standard fare nowadays.
Evaluating Your Setup
Your home should be your sanctuary. It should be the one place where you and your family can go to feel safe and secure. If you plan to install an alarm system or check into costs in the near future, it helps to evaluate your setup. If your current system is made up of a barking dog and a can of pepper spray, you may want to think about upgrading after reading through system reviews to determine which system is right for you.
Assessing Your Security Needs
Assessing your needs involves looking at what today’s home security systems can do for you, and which services that are offered meet your needs and address your concerns. A basic system will monitor for unauthorized entry into your home in the event of burglary or robbery, fire, and carbon monoxide. Your system can be more complex or less complex depending on your needs.
When assessing your current setup for burglary risks, ask yourself if your system has sufficient and abundant warning sensors for doors and windows. Look for areas of the home where thieves are most likely to break in, and be sure a sensor is installed at every possibly weak point. Not surprisingly, the front door is the first place that thieves will try to penetrate, usually by kicking the door in or forcing it open. Likewise, the backdoor is a target for would-be bad guys, and so are the windows on the first floor of your home. Check other places, too, like the garage and basement, and consider sensors for these entrances as well.
Does your system monitor for fire and carbon monoxide? Either can be equally devastating. Both can be fatal. Most systems today monitor for the presence of heat, smoke, and carbon monoxide, but if yours does not, it is definitely time for a change.
If you have a person living in the home that requires specialized medical care, has difficulty getting around, or is elderly, then you can install a home security alarm for medical monitoring. This type of service usually features a device that the person can activate to summon emergency medical services or some other indicated number if they were to fall or experience a medical emergency.
When assessing the viability of your current system, consider upgrading to a wireless system. The classic horror movie scenario of having your telephone wires cut is a real possibility, and criminals can also cut your security system lines if you have a hard-wired system. You won’t have that fear with a wireless system.
New “Smart” Systems
Finally, is your current system a “smart” system? Today’s systems can be programmed and controlled from a computer or mobile phone. This means that no matter where you roam, you can check on your home and ensure the safety of your loved ones.
Do-it-yourself systems can be a cheap alternative, but the truth is that prices for alarms that are installed by a professional are fairly reasonable when you consider the value that it adds to your home and the peace of mind an alarm system can provide.
