Top 10 Reasons to Install a Home Security System - Prudential Alarm

Take a look at the top ten reasons to install a home security system or upgrade your existing home alarm system.

2. Protect Your Home and Family from Fires

The mention of home security systems tends to bring to mind home intrusion scenarios; however, these alarm systems also provide additional protection barriers for homeowners. While many homeowners rely upon smoke alarms to warn them of a fire outbreak, home security systems offer an early warning system. Monitored home alarm systems will not only warn home occupants of the presence of smoke in the home but also warn of sources of heat and contact authorities. The saying goes, where there is smoke, there is fire, but it is also true that where there is heat, there could be a fire building, so it is essential to incorporate heat detectors into a fire prevention technique. While heat detectors can be purchased without installing a home security system, using a heat detector alone will not signal authorities.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, in just thirty seconds, a small flame can turn into a full-blown fire. In just minutes of a fire breaking out, the home will be filled with thick black smoke, making it impossible for family members to breathe. These two facts alone reinforce the importance of a home security system that will signal authorities to respond to a house fire. Time is the most significant factor in any emergency, but in the case of fire, time is of the essence. A few seconds of a fire safety concern could mean death or the destruction of a home and its contents.

3. Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by a colorless and odorless gas in combustion fumes. Within the home, carbon monoxide can be released from stoves, burning wood or charcoal, heating systems, and gas ranges, among other things. Since carbon monoxide is undetectable by the human senses, individuals are often blindsided by carbon monoxide poisoning that has been building up over time. Red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide much more rapidly than oxygen in the human body. As these blood cells release carbon monoxide into the blood, it begins to replace oxygen, preventing tissues and organs from receiving necessary oxygen. The most severe cases of carbon monoxide poisoning can result in death. Other symptoms may include dizziness, headache, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and confusion.

Carbon monoxide leaks can be discovered via carbon monoxide detectors. These small devices resemble smoke detectors and can be purchased alone or as part of a home security system. Similar to a home alarm-monitored smoke detector, the benefit of having these devices installed as part of a home security system is that it provides emergency service dispatch and calls paramedics able to treat symptoms of CO poisoning. The faster individuals are able to leave home and receive medical treatment, the less severe CO poisoning symptoms will be.

5. Protect Your Valuables

Throughout our lifetimes, we collect and purchase many items that have meaning to us. From sentimental inheritances to big-ticket purchases, these represent who we are and our accomplishments. When burglars enter our homes, however, our feelings towards our possessions are the furthest thing from their minds, as they focus on the retail value of what they are taking. Each year it is estimated that there are some two and a half million burglaries across the United States. These burglaries cost homeowners $3.1 billion, with the average loss per burglary at around $1,700. For most homeowners, a home alarm system is enough to deter burglars, but it serves an additional function when it is not. As well as signaling authorities that the home has been robbed and increasing the chances that intruders will be caught, the cameras installed with many modern alarm systems catch the intruders in the act. Visual documentation of the home intrusion increases the likelihood that the burglar will be identified for the crime. Video footage also helps homeowners record what has been taken from their homes during a burglary.

6. Having Someone Else to Monitor Your Home

One of the most significant benefits of having a monitored home security system is that it provides constant monitoring even when you cannot do so yourself. Leaving town for business or vacationing can be nerve-wracking, even with a home security alarm. Still, with monitoring services, there is always someone to respond to emergencies. These services do not act like house sitters, but they do track significant events and dispatch emergency personnel when needed. Home security systems can respond to alarms triggered due to a house fire, a carbon monoxide leak, a significant temperature drop or increase, an intruder, or a natural disaster such as a flood. Without the watchful eye of a monitoring company, the damage caused by these tragic events could be much worse than it otherwise would be.

7. Save on Homeowners Insurance

A house alarm will save you money on your homeowner’s insurance policy homeowners insurance is a mandatory part of becoming a homeowner in most circumstances. The cost of this type of insurance coverage varies on location, coverage, payment plans, insurance company, type of house, and a few other factors. Some people see homeowners insurance as a waste of money, but those who have ever had to use it (or wish that they had had it to use) will disagree.

Homeowner’s insurance is designed to cover private homes and possessions therein from losses or damage that can result from several devastating events. Homeowner insurance covers most events, such as fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Flood insurance is generally not included and must be purchased separately since floods are more common. The cost of homeowners insurance is generally not considered by first-time homeowners when buying their homes. Still, a significant discount is generally given to homeowners with home security systems installed. The total discount given as a result of homes having security systems differs based upon the features of the system (for instance, a system monitored by a central monitoring station should provide a more significant discount compared to one that is not monitored) and the amount of coverage purchased initially and the company offering the insurance. Homeowners generally receive a 10-20% insurance discount by installing a functioning home alarm system.

9. Get Medical Assistance When Needed

Medical conditions are a genuine concern for many homeowners, and many home alarm companies offer medical alert pendants or emergency pulls. These devices are designed so individuals can press a button or pull a cord and immediately have emergency services dispatched to their homes. Most commonly, these types of services are requested by children of elderly parents, family members of sick individuals, and those living with loved ones with special needs. One of the biggest concerns for family members of the elderly is the potential of falling; fortunately, with a medical alert feature, if an elderly person falls at home when they are alone, they can signal the authorities for help immediately. For families of sick or special needs individuals, this service can be used similarly, signaling authorities or medical professionals that assistance is needed for seizures or other medical emergencies. This feature is not standard on many home security systems but is familiar enough that it can be obtained for a fee.

10. Reduce Energy Consumption in Your Home

Home automation is a relatively new concept, and as such, it is not offered by many home security companies yet but is becoming more popular. This service allows users to access and control the lighting, thermostat, and, in some cases, small home appliances through remote access. Some homeowners utilize this feature to shut down heating and cooling when no one is home and log on to start it an hour or so before heading back to the home so they arrive at a comfortable home. Other homeowners use this feature to turn on lighting in the home before they leave their office so they do not have to enter an unlit home. This feature is also beneficial for deterring intruders since it allows homeowners to make it look like someone is home when they are not.

Additional Reasons Why You Should Install a Home Security System

• Security systems not only protect family and possessions, but they also protect pets. If a fire were to break out when no one but the family pet was home, without a home alarm system, that pet would be doomed.
• Home security systems allow homeowners to secure less frequented areas, such as the basement and the garage. This makes it more difficult for intruders to take their preferred entry methods into the home and go unnoticed.
• Home security systems mean that homeowners do not have to depend upon neighbors to watch over their homes when they are away. There is less chance of human error with alarm systems.
• Home alarm systems prevent home intruders from staying too long if they do gain access to the house since there is a higher likelihood of them being scared away when an alarm sounds loud.
• Modern wireless alarm systems are affordable and much easier to set up and maintain than the wired systems of the past.
• Having a home alarm system installed increases your home value when it comes to selling your home. As a bonus, it also protects your home throughout the selling process, where several strangers will be inside it.
• Homes with security systems installed have a quicker emergency response time because they cut out the middle man and directly contact authorities for faster dispatch.
• The majority of large home protection companies offer 24/7 monitoring and support of their alarm systems, reducing the likelihood that the alarm system will fail and your home safety will be at risk.
• Some home alarm systems equipped with outdoor cameras allow homeowners and their families to see who is at the front door without going close to it. This feature is handy for families with children of working parents who often have to leave children at home alone.

Facts to Consider

If you still have any doubts about whether or not your home or family could benefit from a home alarm system, take a look at some of the following facts:

• Approximately every twenty seconds, a home fire is reported.
• House fires are the nation’s third leading cause of fatal home injury.
• Each year, fires kill more people in the United States than all-natural disasters.
• 39% of residential fires and 52% of residential fatalities from fires occur in homes without smoke alarms.
• 70% of all burglaries occur in residential properties.
• Every 14.5 seconds, a robbery is reported.
• Most burglaries occur between 10 am and 3 pm when most homeowners are at work.
• 8% of robberies are committed with a gun, according to the FBI’s crime statistics.
• The majority of burglars gain entry to the home via the front door, back door, and first-floor windows.
• FBI crime statistics state that someone was at home during 60% of reported burglaries.
• Only 13% of reported burglaries are solved by the police.
• Only 15% of property stolen in burglaries is ever recovered by the police.
• Approximately two-thirds of home fire deaths between 2005 and 2009 resulted from fires in homes without smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.