About Monitored Home Security Systems

Significance

• In today's world of crime and violence on every street in every neighborhood, choosing the right home security system can make the difference between life and death. Gone are the days of leaving car doors and even houses unlocked; these are the times when people are driven to burglarize, vandalize, and commit unspeakable acts for little to no reason. Home security systems are a great deterrent, one that should not be overlooked when considering home protection.

Types

• Although various home security systems provide a multitude of features and options, there are two basic types available on the market today: monitored and unmonitored. Unmonitored security systems alert the homeowner and neighbors of an intruder in the hopes that authorities will be called. Monitored security systems alert the homeowner, neighbor, security company and the police department so that there can be no question.

Effects

• While a simple security sticker in the window can be a great crime deterrent in and of itself, home invaders can sometimes already be familiar with a home and whether or not a security system is really in place. The dissuading effect that a real alarm sounding will have on most home invaders is a much better alternative. But the safest solution by far is to have the monitored system which will use an alarm and automatically get the police involved after the security company listens in to determine if the trip was accidental. No matter how determined an invader is, the local police are effectively able to deal with the problem.

Considerations

• In comparison, unmonitored security systems are much safer than no system at all, but still leave the question as to whether the neighbors will call the local authorities. Monitored systems quickly solve this problem by alerting local authorities, but also charge a monthly fee for their services, which can become costly in the long term. An important question for homeowners to ask themselves when deciding on a security system is: what can I do in the event that there is an intruder who doesn't go away?

Expert Insight

• No matter what kind of security system homeowners have, there are some essential aspects to owning them. First, homeowners should choose one highly trusted person to share their code with for alarm trips when the homeowner is away. Second, homeowners should never share details about their security system, even with close friends. The problem with this is that even friends with the best of intentions can let such information slip around the wrong people, which can quickly result in someone knowing exactly how to enter the home and disable the system.