Residential Security: Why Install a Home Security System?
Burglary is something that is very common in many residential areas around the world. Whether you consider your neighborhood to be safe, one can never be too sure when it comes to the safety of your family and the protection of your possessions. With all the smart alarm devices on the market, you will find that some do more than just scare the thieves away. Yes, installing a home security system in your home might be costly, but not doing so can cost you even more. Like the saying goes “better safe than sorry.” Potential burglary, on the other hand, is not the only reason for installing a home security system. It also serves to protect the property and its residents from potential tragedies, such as fires or CO poisoning, and similar. If you are not too sure whether your home needs protection, here are some reasons why you should consider installing a home security system or upgrading your old alarm system.
Protections Against Intruders
According to the latest statistics, home burglary in the U.S. happens every 13 seconds. Home intrusions make up almost 88% of all committed burglaries, and around two million of them are reported every year in the United States. Protecting one’s family against intruders and potential home invasions might be the first and most important reason for homeowners to install a security system on their property. In some cases, the mere presence of a security system can be enough to make the thief rethink the robbery. Burglars might also enter a home thinking it is empty, and the shock of finding the owners inside might facilitate aggressive behavior. When you have an alarm system to warn you, on the other hand, the members will know to be on guard and find a safe location while the security system contacts the local police. In some cases, the trigger of the alarm will get the intruder running.
Fire Protection and Prevention
Home security systems do more than just spot intruders and prevent burglaries. Important additional protection such as fire warnings and carbon monoxide detections are implemented in some of those systems. When it comes to fires, time is of the essence, and minutes are enough for things to turn very tragic. A small flame develops into a full-blown fire in a matter of seconds, and within minutes it fills the house with dangerous, thick black smoke that makes it impossible to breathe. While some people still rely on the traditional smoke alarms, a home security system can offer early warning signs when smoke or an unusual source of heat is detected. While smoke has always been the number one indicator of possible fires, heat is right behind it, or even as indicative as smoke. That is why heat detectors are an important feature of security systems. They provide you with advanced notice and enough time to determine the unusual heat or smoke source, find out if a fire is building somewhere on the property, and prevent it on time. Apart from that, it will also contact the appropriate authorities. Protection from Carbon Monoxide Leaks and Poisoning Carbon monoxide is called a silent killer for a reason. The residents in the house cannot sense or notice it because it is both odorless and colorless. It develops from combustion fumes, builds up slowly over time, and has dangerous effects on the human body, sometimes even resulting in death. Some of the most common sources of the combustion fumes are stoves, heating systems, burning wood and charcoal, and gas ranges, among others, and some of the usual symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are dizziness, nausea, headaches, confusion, vomiting and chest pains. Even though there are standalone carbon monoxide detectors on the market, your home security system and alarm can double as a carbon monoxide detector as well. The benefit of having this detection in your alarm system is that it can provide you with an emergency service dispatch. Paramedics will be notified, and medical help will come in time to treat the person with symptoms of CO poisoning. Just like with smoke, heat, and fire, early detection of CO is also very important. The fewer time people spend exposed to this gas, the better their chances are of successful medical intervention and recovery.
Peace of Mind
For all homeowners and families, especially those with children, having a home security system helps to sleep easier at night. Knowing that the system will alarm you of any potential danger, whether from home invasion or fires and similar catastrophes, is reassuring for most people. Seniors and people with disabilities are especially vulnerable groups, some of the most vulnerable ones in our society, so having these comprehensive security systems helps them, and their families, have some piece of mind as well. The elderly and people with disabilities may be incapacitated or simply not agile enough to leave the house on time in case of emergencies, so the system can dispatch the necessary assistance and authorities to help them. Leaving them, as well as children home alone makes it safer for them, and easier on the working or frequently absent family members.
Medical Assistance
Closely related to the previous section about the elderly and incapacitated family members, smart home security systems can also provide certain medical assistance and monitoring. This medical assistance usually comes in the form of medical alert pendants that are connected to the home monitoring system. They are portable and designed to be worn on the person, usually by the elderly, the ill, children, incapacitated people or those with disabilities and special needs. They work on a very simple principle – at the press of a button, or the pull of a cord, the appropriate authorities and emergency services are called and dispatched.
Keeping Valuables Safe
The most common valuables stolen from residential homes are cash and electronics such as laptops, smartphones, and iPads, costing homeowners around $ 3 billion every year, and around $1,700 per burglary. Even though the safety of the residents is the most important thing during a burglary, we tend to feel a certain loss when our valuable items get stolen from us. Whether these are sentimental items, expensive electronic devices or valuable jewelry, having an alarm system might just scare the thieves away and alert the authorities in time so that they can be caught. Security systems come with video security cameras that are sometimes able to catch the burglar in action. This way, the police might be able to create the needed identification profile to track down the perpetrator. Additionally, these systems can also help us keep track of what was taken so that one can make the correct and needed insurance claims.
Home Insurance Discount
When it comes to insurance for homes, it is good to know that a security system can even help you get a discount on your homeowner's insurance. This insurance is an obligatory part of purchasing a home, and its prices vary depending on many different aspects such as location, insurance company, coverage, type of house, payment plans, and others. Many see it as just another unnecessary cost imposed on them, but those who have had experience with home invasions, thefts, damages from fires or hurricanes, know that it is worth having, since it covers those and other similar events. Having a home security system, properly installed and functioning, can provide homeowners with a discount on the insurance as high as 10 to 20 percent. The amount also varies depending on different aspects, such as its scope and main features, but in any case, it is another great reason for having a security system.
Safe Home While Away
With the constant technological upgrades and developments, smart technology has made it possible to connect your security system to the internet and with your smartphones, tablets, computer, etc. This allows you to keep an eye on your home remotely, wherever you are. When you are in the office or away on vacation, a smart security system will allow you to take control of your home security system and monitor it remotely. You can arm and disarm it, check the security cameras, and even control other aspects of the house, such as the lights and the heating. Additionally, you can receive instant messages and alarms if anything suspicious is happening. Even if you are not doing the monitoring, you will feel more at ease knowing that the proper authorities and emergency services will be dispatched and will respond if an emergency is detected.
Managing Energy Consumption
An additional and very useful benefit of having a home security system is that you can use it to monitor your energy consumption and reduce it. We often forget to turn off the lights, lower the thermostat setting, and similar things that seem trivial. They are, however, everything but trivial. They can amount to some serious wasted energy, as well as high utility bills. There now smart security systems on the market that come with features allowing you to remotely control your lighting, air conditioning, and even some appliances. This kind of automated home system can be used to turn your heating or cooling off remotely when nobody’s home, as well as turn it back on just before you come back to make it nice and comfortable. This way it will not run unnecessarily in an empty house and waste your energy. The same principle can be applied to the lighting, but with some additional security tips. When you are away for longer periods of time, you can turn your lights on in the evenings to make it look like someone’s home. This can deter burglars and prevent home invasions.
Home Monitoring Services
What most of these reasons and aspects of a home security system come down to, is that there is always someone monitoring your home. Monitoring companies that offer these security systems provide you with 24/7 supervision, both when you’re at home and away. They have dispatchers in charge of every house, whose job is to respond to all suspicious behavior or events that may occur in your home. They are the ones who contact the authorities and emergency services and send them to your house when needed. Whether you’re home or away, and whether you are monitoring your house personally or not, there is always someone who will respond to the triggered alarm, and act to prevent damages and losses to your home and family members.
Additional Considerations
Apart from these big and most important reasons that go in favor of acquiring a home security system, here are a few smaller ones that can also be found useful in making your decision.
- Apart from the residents, valuables and the home itself, security systems are there to protect your pets as well. If a pet were to be alone in the house when a disaster happens, it could end tragically. But with a home security system in place, their lives can be saved as well.
- Some intruders prefer to enter your home through the less frequented and secured areas such as garages and basements. But with home security systems, even those areas are efficiently secured, making the intruder’s job much more difficult.
- The latest and modern security systems are much more affordable than the older and dated wired ones because they are wireless, and therefore much easier to set up as well.
- Modern, properly installed and functioning home security systems also increase the value of your home, which is good to keep in mind when selling it. Additionally, it will also keep your home safe during the process of selling, when you have an open house and a lot of strangers will inevitably be inside it.
- With the constant monitoring of your security providing companies, as well as their 24/7 technical and customer support, the chances of your security system malfunctioning are significantly decreased.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays, modern wireless security systems are widely available, they come in many forms, with an array of different features, and they are easy to set up and operate. Apart from being a popular trend, turning your home into a smart home and adding a home security system is also a smart idea. You will significantly increase the safety of your home, of your valuable possessions, and above all, of its residents, your family members. With additional benefits of remotely controlling your home, decreasing energy consumption, and increasing your home’s value, there are very few reasons against acquiring such a system. It is an invaluable home safety addition that will not cost you a lot of time or money. This post is brought to you by the team at Harper Special Services, general contractor in Savannah, GA.