subject: Investing In A Top-of-the-line Home Alarm System [print this page] My first thought when our insurance agent broached purchasing a home alarm system was, Oh no! I say this for two reasons. Ill admit the first is the ostrich approach. I dont want to believe I live in a world where alarming your home is a necessity. The second is pure laziness. I dont want to disarm and reset a security system every time I enter and exit my house.
However, home invasions are on the rise. They have been since 1995. Statistics show that one in five North American homes will be broken in to in 2012. Thats two million US homes a year. Insurance companies are offering attractive incentives to those who opt to install a home security system.
So we decided. (One of us decided and the other ran out of rationalizations not to get a home security system.) That was only the beginning! Have you looked recently at the choices in home security systems?
Purchasing the Right Home Security System
There is a dizzying array of choices and price ranges in home security systems. My husband, of course, was sure we needed the Cadillac of alarm systems with all the bells and whistles. Since we do not live in The White House, I was inclined to go a little more conservative.
Some home security systems are equipped with various options. One includes: wireless auto-dial main panel with sensors on such things as: windows, doors and cupboards. In short, you can install sensors so that, if anything opens or shuts, you will know it. This home security system can be armed or disarmed from a remote location. Heck, I cant even access my answering machine messages unless I am standing right in front of it!
If you want something less intricate, you can purchase a home security system that allows surveillance of your home from a short distance. It detects motion of a human being from up to twelve hundred feet of your house. The one that always appeals to the geeks of the family is a home security system which allows you to program up to nine different numbers. And I cant remember my social security number!
The kids were particularly fond of a system which produced a deafening blast when it was violated. They begged the accommodating salesman to set it off again and again, each time delighting in its 110 decibel siren. I ruled that one out immediately realizing it would make us instantly unpopular in our quiet neighborhood.
Which One to Choose?
We left the home security system store with a handful of brochures, ringing ears and information overload. Shopping for a home alarm system is hard work! Narrowing the choices to which system best fits your familys needs is an overwhelming task. We knew we had to make a choice. A home alarm system is the best way to protect your family and your assetsand save on home insurance into the bargain.
We decided that the most efficient way to select a home security system was to make a list of the options we wanted and talk to a trusted sales representative.