Do You Have A False Sense Of Security?
There is no debating that in today’s age there is a greater awareness and need for burglar alarm systems than ever before. Just thirty or so years ago, less than 10 percent of homeowners owned or had any interest in owning a security system. For many of those who owned a security system, having it monitored by a central station was not desirable because in those days you could actually connect a pre-recorded tape dialer that would call the police department directly in the case of actual alarm activation. Most homeowners preferred invest in better locks for their doors as well as better lighting on the exterior of their homes rather than spend their money on a security system. Although most homeowners in those days would have liked to own a burglar alarm, the high price of a system was a deterrent.
Changing Technology for Changing Threats
Even though it seems as though prices in those days were excessively high, it was primarily due to the high cost of the equipment as well as the labor time involved in protecting a home. The average installation in those days took two men several days to complete. Glass break sensors did not exist thirty years ago, so the older method to protect window panes or glass on sliding doors was using an aluminum strip of tape, or “foil,” that was nowhere near as effective as one hoped. Worse yet, wireless systems were not widely available, and the ones that existed were of an extremely poor quality. In order to wire a two or three story house, or a house that did not have an attic, you would have to glue wires around the entire house at each level placed directly over the baseboards.
Improvements for Your Safety
The home alarm industry has certainly come a long way since then. Better yet, with today’s modern advances in technology, equipment cost is at an all time low and labor times are a fraction of what they used to be. One thing still remains an issue in the industry, not involving a homeowner in the decision making process. An alarm contractor was considered an expert in the field of security and nothing less than total protection of your home was up for discussion. Homes security systems would be designed in a way where if any door or window were opened, or if any piece of glass anywhere in the home were shattered by an intruder an instant sounding alarm would activate inside as well as outside the home, giving immediate feedback. Motion sensors were installed as a back up device, in case a crafty intruder found a way to enter the premise without being detected. Protecting a home was either done completely or not at all, but the methods were not entirely effective, too costly and only left the homeowner with the vague idea that their home was “safe.”
It’s About Safety, Not Cost
At Home Security Concepts, we see a very different picture than companies that have come and gone since the early days of alarm systems and home security. Most security providers have one objective in mind, and that objective is to gain a monitoring contract even if it means providing a sub-standard security system. Homeowners are persuaded to install a basic system with only 2 or three door sensors and 1 motion sensor which leaves all of their windows in the house unprotected, making it easy for a burglar to enter through any window and exit through the same window completely undetected. Salespersons in today’s market are reluctant to explain the need for such devices as glass break sensors, back-up cellular radio, exterior sirens and window contacts for fear of losing the opportunity to gain a new monitoring contract. This creates a great false sense of security for uninformed customers and doesn’t provide a full understanding of what would work best for their safety and particular system.
Don’t Feel Overwhelmed
Do you fully understand your home security options? Do you have a nagging fear that may be overshadowed by a false sense of security? Take the appropriate steps to make sure that you and your loved ones can confidently rely on your security system if an intrusion occurs. Ask your security provider to go step by step around the house, showing you what devices have been or will be installed to assure you have full perimeter and interior protection and more importantly understand your home’s protection. Make sure if the system goes off that the siren loudness is adequate inside and out. Also, ask if a cellular back-up radio is installed to ensure communication to the central monitoring station in the event of a cut or down phone line. Prevention is key, don’t wait to be a victim to find out that blind spots and inaction led to a false sense of security.
