You may have heard your grandparents talk about not having to lock their doors at night when they were children. People leaving their doors unlocked today is unthinkable. Criminal experts agree that installing a home security system is the best way for you to deter intruders. However, not all systems are created equal. Is your home security system being monitored? Here are five reasons for having a monitored system:
Security when you are not home
Just imagine that you are on vacation and someone tries to break into your home. If the system is not monitored, who is going to call the police? A burglar may realize that no one is home and can run off with your valuables before anyone hears the alarm. With a monitored system, the alarm will alert your 24/7 monitoring station. They will quickly dispatch the authorities.
Your health alert button is monitored
If you are a senior or disabled person living alone, you could get hurt without anyone realizing it. Monitored systems have emergency button options where homeowners wear a button as a bracelet or necklace.
What if you were in an urgent medical situation and could not reach your phone? Just press the button, and an ambulance will come right to your door. Unmonitored systems may not have this option.
Fire safety
You are wise to have smoke detectors on every level of your home, and beside each bedroom door. Even without a monitoring system, smoke detectors can save your life in the event of a fire. What if you are unconscious because of smoke or are not at home? Your neighbors may not notice the fire until it is too late. When you have a monitored system, your monitoring center will alert local firefighters.
Emergencies that unmonitored systems do not cover
If you and your family are asleep or away on vacation, how would you know if your basement is flooding? If your fridge or freezer goes out, hundreds of dollars of food can be ruined. Many home security systems have specialized gadgets that monitor your water pipes (in case of flooding or freezing) and your appliances. If they are tripped, the monitoring center will notify you right away.
Differentiating Emergencies
If you depend on your neighbors to monitor your alarm system, you could be sorry. If they hear your alarms go off, they may not do call anybody until they are frustrated with the noise. It may be too late by that time. They do not even know what type of emergency is happening in your house. A monitoring system knows each alarm and the right authorities to call.
Having a home security system is wonderful. Companies like ADT installs home alarm systems in homes of all sizes. If you want the most benefits from it, you should consider a company to monitor it. While it is an investment, it can save money, your property, and your very life. It is a decision that you will be glad you made.