28 Reasons for getting a Home Security System

No More Excuses, Time to add Security to Your Home

There’s dozens of reasons to be persuaded into buying a home security system.  Door to door salesman may use fear and exclusivity to close the deal.  You may not even know why you are having the desire to spend money on one and that is why we here at Alarm Reviews created the ’28 Reasons to Buy a Home Security System’.

Ready to find out what your hot button is?  Lets go.

1 – Peace of Mind

Not just some cheesy ad slogan

There is one thing you can’t get back (at least easily) after being involved in a home invasion or burglary.  And that is peace of mind.  Knowing that someone has been watching your home, broke in or even attempted quickly turns a home from a secure haven to danger zone.  In coming months sleep is lost. Listening senses are heightened during that night. Soldiers feel it after warfare in dealing with PTSD and there is PTSD after being a part of a home burglary.

If you ask any victim of a home break-in, a common answer is not feeling safe at home anymore. Why not take precautions beforehand and prevent one to the best of your abilities.

2 – You don’t actually want to kill someone

Guns are good, but how many of us will actually pull the trigger when faced with the choice?

A common excuse for not buying an alarm system is because ‘I have a gun.’  Fair enough, guns are a great source of security. However, the majority of break-ins happen during hours of 10am-1pm when owners are at work.

Second, many people actually sleep through the person coming into their home and then it’s too late to retrieve the gun as they come face to face with the criminal.  An alarm system can be the device that alerts the owner someone of an intruder and give the time needed to lock and load.

Last of all; how many of us actually want to kill someone? Sure most husbands are tough guys and say they will shoot anyone that comes in the door. But is that really something they can deal with the rest of their life? There is heavy guilt upon those that this has happened too, reporting to be unbearable at times. Also, what husband wants their wife and kids to be a part of that event or a witness to murder?

Most people don’t think of the actual events unfolding, having a dead person in their house and then the possible years of court rulings after to determine if it was in self defense or not. What’s an easier route?  Get a home alarm system which will notify you of an intruder so you aren’t faced with a deathly ultimatum.

3 – Get over it, they ARE affordable

Conserve on one thing, blow it on another. Good ‘ol money.

Paying $30-50 a month on home security monitoring isn’t exciting. Neither is paying for insurance, health bills or internet.  If security is a priority; most can find a way to skimp in a few areas to afford the costs.  There are several alarm systems that have $0 installation or activation costs.  You may not be able to afford the nicest home automation system but you can definitely get something that’s connected to the police for under $50 a month.

Comparing home security bill of $50/mo to others utility bills starts to make good people look bad when they say “I can’t afford it.”

• Average cable bill is $78/mo
• Netflix, Hulu or other app subscriptions $18/mo
• Internet $70/mo
• Cell phone(s) $60+ per phone line

Can’t and don’t want to are different things.  Home security isn’t sexy and yeah going out to eat is going to be more fun.  But look at the things people are placing as priorities over their families safety by saying no.

4 – Crime in Area

Don’t let your home turn into a crime scene

It doesn’t take a detective to find out if there is crime happening in your area. Many people live in a crime ridden area and are numb to it.  The ‘it won’t happen to me’ effect takes place.  Crime can and does happen anywhere.  If you aren’t sure about where you live there are tools such as Family Watchdog, Spotcrime or our local zip code tool that can help you see recent police reports.  Don’t be another statistic for the cities crime report.  Get security in place and be a positive force in your city.

5 – Extra Crime Deterrent

Commonplace Home Security Sign (ADT’s shown)

People like having security signs in front of their doors.  Almost a little too much.  Every year thousands of signs go missing in America as home owners who aren’t willing to pay for a security system but want it too look like they have one. The yard sign is used for most sales reps pitches to get home owners to ‘advertise for them in exchange for a free security system.’

Yard signs do act as a deterrent as well as stickers.  Crime deterrents are an industry of their own.  There are even companies that make fake security cameras.

Make sure to keep the sign current.  Many companies go out of business and smart criminals know who’s who.  This should be the cherry on top but not sole reason of buying a security system.

6 – Away from Home Often

Home away from home?

Whether it’s vacation or work – maybe you are just never home.  An extra pair of eyes around the home would be nice and that’s what a security system will do.  Gone are the days of ‘home sitting’ for others.  Frankly, who wants to be a home sitter?!  What kind of a title and obligations does that even include?

For less than it is to check a bag, you can connect to live feed security cameras 24/7 from where-ever you are in the world (assuming you have decent internet connection). If there is a break in, you won’t have to wait days or weeks to come home and find out.  The monitoring company will call dispatch and emergency contacts.

We live in a time where traveling is at an all time high due to social media.  If you are going to show off where you are at, make sure to have your home base covered.

7 – Live at Residence Alone

Only adult at home? 

Single parent? College student? There are dozens of reasons why one may be living by their-self.  These are the people who need an alarm system the most! It can be terrifying to go to sleep alone especially for single mothers.  The peace of mind that an alarm system brings is irreplaceable.  It doesn’t hurt to get additional home security like dogs and cameras as well.

8 – Save on your Home Owners Insurance

Don’t let money fly out the window. Let your home owners insurance know you have a system!

Yes, users can save money by having a home security system.  The insurance companies know that home burglaries go down statistically by having one so they reward those who do.  Most home owners see a 6-20% reduction on their annual premium.  This can translate to $10-50+/mo in savings.  The percentage saved varies between companies and where one lives.  Call your home owners insurance rep today and ask them how much you would save.

9 – Come Home at Night… Fearless

No more wondering if someone else is in your house when you arrive

Every night I came home while growing up, I entered my home scared.  The lights were out and the thought of someone being in the home entered my mind.  I would take a stick and open each closet and ‘clear’ the home to achieve the peace of mind.  Don’t let kids or yourself feel this way.  With an alarm system set each time you leave; if it hasn’t gone off since you’ve been gone you can rest assured no one is in the home when you get back.

No more pulling out the knife and going room to room like a SWAT team.  No more entering your own home at your own risk.

10 – Keeping up with the ‘Jones’

It’s okay to want the latest and greatest

Lets face it. As Americans, we want to ‘keep up with the Jones’. It’s okay to have nice things.  With smart homes on the rise and trending, home security isn’t just security anymore.  Companies like Vivint or ADT Pulse offer a full automation line up.  Control your Nest thermostat, lighting automation, see live camera feed from your smart phone apps or use Alexa to turn on and off the alarm system.  All of this is possible and the monthly monitoring rate is only an additional $15-25 per month.  Run the home from a smartphone like a boss.

11 – Medical Emergencies

Med Alert available with most security systems

Tap a button and have the medics dispatched and emergency contacts called.  This is what medical alerts do and most companies offer them along with their security system. Adults love having a medical alert system for their parents who may be home alone.  They are connected through the 2 way voice panel (2Gig or GE) so if the user falls they push the button and talk through the device or panel.  This brings peace of minds to adults who can’t be their for their parents all day.  Other parents like this for handicapped children or other unforeseen terms.

12 – Fire & Flood Protectors

Monitored C02 and Smoke Sensors

The smoke detector in homes beep when there is a fire.  If the user is not at home that beep will alert no one.  Using monitored smoke detectors means the company will call you and notify the fire department.  Users can add these detectors ale cart to a security package. There are also flood sensors that detect water over 2″ in areas.  These side items can bring a lot of benefit to an alarm system and increase the value of a home.

13 – Add Additional Users on the App

Multiple users and activity shown on apps

Kids have phones? Benefits of a smart home security system include multiple user logins.  It records user activity so you can know if your kids came home from school etc.  They can have limited access and is an easy way to to turn it on and off.  You can grant access to others phones (friends or extended family) if needed while you are away.

14 – Keep track of the Kids

“Front door opened… Front door shut”

Busy household?  Some parents buy an alarm system just for the fact that it announces when the doors are opened.  This notification can get quite annoying quickly but for a parent worrying about a toddler leaving the home, it can be a lifesaver.

This feature can be turned on or off.  When on, each time a door is opened it will announce which door (front or back) was opened.

15 – Protected during Power Outages

Looting is highest during natural disasters

It’s not a hard fact to believe.  According to the Washington Post, looting and crime is most abundant after a natural disaster such as flood or tornado. This was seen most recently during the floods in Texas of 2017.  If your power goes out, each security panel has backup batteries and will continue to work for the next 7 days.

It is unlikely that the monitoring company was affected by the same disaster but if they were, most have several back up centers where your call would be routed too.  Be protected during a power outage whether its a few hours or days.  For users who have a landline, if the phone lines go down so will the alarm system in this case.

16 – Renters still like protection

Rent doesn’t mean they don’t care about what’s inside

Home alarm systems are meant to protect what’s inside of the home.  Belongings and family are two high priorities.  Criminals don’t care whether you rent or own when they break in.  Most renters assume they aren’t allowed to have a security system.  Check with your landlord and see if you can.

Home alarms are all wireless, very few holes required and users can re-locate it with them at their next home.  Rent shouldn’t mean you can’t protect what matters.  Monitoring prices don’t differ for renters. What renters often have the hardest time with is qualifying (must have 600 or better credit score).

17 – You DON’T have a Dog

Dogs make for excellent security for the home

Dogs are great and should be used hand in hand with an alarm system when possible.  However, a dog is not always an option.  Many are not allowed or don’t want to have an animal living in your residence.  Victims are shocked to find out how deep of sleepers they are after a break in has taken place.  Make sure you have something in place that will alert you in middle of the night of an intruder.

18 – Person of Interest

Have a sketchy relative or friend?

Over 50% of home burglaries happen from someone you know.  It can be old friends, cousins, aunts or uncles.  The person has often been in the home and knows where the valuables are stored.  While this is a hard statistic to believe it is smart do a mental list of family and friends.  The possibilities are endless why they need some quick cash but a home security system is there to protect you from the bad guys that appear to be good.

19 – Family First

Ahhhh… the perfect family (if it exists?)

Like a mother bear over her cubs, there is nothing one wouldn’t do to protect their family.  Except maybe when it comes to buying an alarm system… So why bend just to save $50 a month?  Don’t be the guy that will buy every tech gadget except for an alarm system.  If family comes first then this is a no-brainer.

20 – Paranoia 

Does every little sound at night prevent you from sleeping?

Do you go to bed holding onto the pillow for dear life?  If every little jolt, squeek and squeal that the house makes wakes you up, turn on your alarm system each night and enjoy some sleep.  Users who do this can train their minds to only listen for the alarm siren.  If it doesn’t go off; then they can know whatever other sound heard is not something scary.

21 – Smart Phone Addict

Screenshot of Frontpoints Security app shown

Constantly checking the phone?  Then add a top security app so you can see live status of what’s going on in the home.  The top companies that have their own apps are ADT and Vivint.  Most others use Alarm(dot)com’s white-label service.

Connect into security camera feed for live viewing at any time.  Turn on notifications to see when the alarm was set or disabled and from what user.  For parents who have a second job, this is a lifesaver too feel connected to whats going on at home.  Most of us admittedly use smart devices too much. Now you can justify what you are looking at matters.

22 – Landlord

Worlds best landlord?

If you are a landlord; why not spend some extra money and protect your units?  Most companies will offer bulk discount on security equipment and monitoring.  Benefits include:

• Tendants are & feel safer
• Save on your insurance
• Increase the rental rate to cover the monitoring fees
• Prevent break-ins

Putting money back into a business is always a smart idea.  Landlords can do this with security systems and write off the expense on their taxes.

23 – Have a Vacation Home

What’s going on while you’re not there?

If you are one of the lucky ones out there who has the ‘problem’ of worrying about multiple homes, well then get a security system put in.  With cell units in each panel, most vacation homes get good enough service for a monitored system.  With one in place, users don’t have to go into their vacation units wondering if some creep has made it their own home while away.

24 – Security Freak

Looking to turn the house into a Castle?

Doomsday prepper?  Self defense nut?  There’s nothing wrong with planning for the worse.  For those looking to fortify the home a checklist could include:

• Video doorbell cameras
• Motion sensors
• Most advanced home security system (we recommend ADT Pulse)
• Security cameras
• First aid and food storage
• Guard dogs
• Guns & safes
• Safe room

25 – Better Safe than Sorry

“Can we just go back to where we were before it all happened?”

Wouldn’t it be nice to go back and prevent a bad thing from happening?  Nothing in life is sure.  Crime happens anywhere and anytime.  While having a remote to rewind and try again would be nice, that’s not how life works.  A home security system is for anyone who wants to be better safe than sorry.

26 – Home came with one already installed

Move into a home with a security system already in place?

Many people move into a home with an alarm system already in place and that’s what makes them consider activating it. It is common policy to leave behind the full security system when moving.  Companies then hope the new tenants will call and connect it with them.  For those who have never considered buying one before; this adds a convenience of having it already up and going.

Beware of old equipment!  If it is a hardwired system with a giant panel, it is most likely more than 10 years old.  Most companies can take over majority of equipment with a device called a translator.  If they need to replace any motions or door sensors this is usually free.  Take advantage of what is already there.

27 – Know somebody who has been involved in a home burglary before

Nothing you want to come home too

No quicker way to be sold on the idea then to hear a friend or family member talk about their experience with a home invasion.  They will talk you into it quicker than the sales agent on the other line.  It is a horrifying experience and can leave a lifetime of insecurities.  If you don’t think you need one, find someone who has been involved with a burglary before and get their opinion.

28 – You give a damn

Why? Well because you actually care

Last of all what did we come up for #28 on the list?  Short and simple, because you give a damn.  You care about those you love including yourself.  Securing oneself and family shouldn’t be taken lightly and a couple bucks isn’t stopping you.  For those who care about their kids, parents or roommates safety, get a home security system.  It only takes a little bit of reading on Ted Bundy to realize dozens of those suspects could’ve been saved by a security system in place.

Concluding

There it is.  Our top 28 reasons to purchase a home security system.  We also have a list of 28 reasons why NOT to buy one here. Have other benefits you would like to add to the list?  Please do below and let us know which ones you did or did not relate with.

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