The security system will keep your loved ones and property safe, as well as give you peace of mind. The FBI reports that although property crime has dropped more than 5% -- the sixteenth consecutive year it has declined -- there is still a natural instinct to guard what we love no matter what the statistics say. In addition to serving as a hub for home automation systems, today's home security systems can also increase convenience and energy savings.
A home security system offers the following benefits:
- Providing protection
- Intruders are deterred
- Mind at ease
- Energy savings and convenience
- The cost of home insurance has decreased
How Do Home Security Systems Benefit You?
Protection
First and foremost, a home surveillance system aims to protect your property and those inside it from burglary, home intrusion, fire, and other environmental disasters such as burst pipes. Professional home security companies do this whether you're aware of the problem or not, and they can also help in a medical emergency. A security system may be an expensive investment, but a burglary costs an average of $2,551 per victim per year in 2020, not to mention the psychological toll it takes.
Intruders are deterred
Scientific evidence shows that displays such as stickers, yard signs, and outdoor cameras deter potential burglars. Burglars are often motivated by opportunism in their crimes. The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Florida conducted a study that found more than 58% of burglars planned their break-in less than 24 hours before they attempted to commit it. Additionally, 75% searched for alarms first, and more than half did not persist if they found one.
Peace of Mind
You can feel more at ease knowing that when you're away or sleeping, your house is protected with a home security system. A modern wireless security system connected to the Internet also allows you to check in on the system regardless of where you are.
Energy savings and convenience
The added cost of a home security system can be justified by the convenience of home automation and the energy savings it provides. Internet-connected lights and thermostats that are linked to a security system are programmed to conserve electricity during operation, while smart door locks and internet-enabled garage door openers provide a convenient way to get in and out of your house.
The cost of home insurance has decreased
Many homeowners insurance companies offer a premium discount of 10% to 15% if you have a professionally monitored security system installed. It is normally the systems that include fire detection, smoke detection, and water damage detection, as well as intrusion detection, that qualify for the highest discounts. The cost of professional systems may not be covered by this initially, but it will help keep it affordable at the end of the day. If you have video surveillance cameras, you can also use video footage when submitting an insurance claim.
Can homes and families be adequately protected by home security systems?
Home security companies are primarily responsible for protecting your family and home. While this includes detecting burglary, a security system also detects several other threats, including smoke, fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and moisture damage. The system will let you know if there are dangers anywhere in your home, regardless of whether you monitor it yourself or pay for professional monitoring. You can rely on an alarm system that will call emergency services regardless of whether you are home, away, or asleep, and a smoke or flood sensor is activated. If you want professional monitoring of smoke and water sensors, you will need to invest in the equipment of home security companies, which is not covered by the standard package and requires an extra charge.
You can keep tabs on your family and pets by using a smartphone app that works with a wireless home security system. For example, the motion and door sensors that assist you in alerting you to suspicious activities on your property, tell you whether your home is secure after your kid gets home from school, or tell you whether your elderly mother woke up before you did.
Are there any features that Home Security Companies Should Include?
If you don't have anyone monitoring your security system, you should consider professional monitoring. The cheapest option for monitoring your home's security system is to do it yourself, but it may not be the most effective. Smoke alarms may not have sounded when you were away, or your home might have been burglarized while you were away.
If you receive the alert, will you know what to do? Would you call 911 in Los Angeles for something that has happened at your Philadelphia home if you were on vacation in New York? "Professional monitoring takes the onus off the consumer and puts response procedures into the hands of trained professionals.”
For home security, it is also important to understand how well-designed the equipment is and how easily it can be used. The base station, sometimes referred to as a hub, is at the heart of a home security system. You can use a wall-mounted touchscreen, a box that you put in the cupboard, or a device with an intuitive keypad you keep in the open. Regardless of how many extra features it may have, its main function is to act as a central point of communication between your security sensors. Frequently, it also acts as an indoor siren.
The following features should be considered:
- In case of a power outage, the system has a battery backup
- With a cellular radio, you won't need to rely on Wi-Fi because, in the absence of power, it won't work, either.
- A wide variety of communication protocols is built-in, so you can expand your system as your home automation needs grow.
For more comprehensive security, you will need to invest in additional hardware beyond the standard hub, motion/contact sensors, and siren. In addition, the protection against water and fire damage consists of environmental safety measures – smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and leak sensors. While you may be hesitant to install security cameras due to privacy concerns, note that some municipalities require video verification of an alarm before they dispatch emergency responders if there's no one on the property to confirm the threat. Video surveillance integrated into your alarm system allows your alarm company to view a clip of the event and confirm the need for help to the dispatcher.
Wireless security systems' most useful feature is that they can be accessed anywhere. All of the systems in our ratings come with a smartphone app that allows you to arm, disarm, monitor, and manage your home's security system.
Conclusion
Especially in today's world of fast-paced technology and globalization, security is of the utmost importance. The security industry is experiencing rapid growth around the globe. Almost every day, one hears about damage or loss occurring due to security lapses or a lack of security on the news.
Even the term security is not just limited to physical security nowadays. Electronic data and e-data, such as an individual's personal information or documents from the government, have value even if they are unseen. The role of home security companies is crucial to ensuring the security of physical or electronic assets. Monitoring and protecting assets as well as promoting a sense of deterrence are the main objectives.
The bottom line for security companies is that they can utilize the skills and expertise they have developed in warehouses and use it at different locations, such as at a mall or a bank. Security companies can also provide more than security in each of the above settings. Say, for example, hotel security personnel are able to be hospitable to hotel guests by pointing them in the right direction within buildings. Whatever method of security is implemented, it will never be possible to provide 100% security. Home security companies help stop and reduce theft, prevent violent crimes, as well as provide customer service; therefore, they suppress and mitigate the criminal activity.
