Making the Choice to Install an Alarm

You have sturdy locks, even deadbolts on your home. Why do you need an alarm system, too? Living in a safe neighborhood, it can seem silly to invest money into this level of protection. Yet every day, robberies and break-ins occur, even in communities with low crime rates.

Security systems protect property and lives. Alarms deter criminals; seeing an alarm advertising sign in the window of a business, or on a front lawn, often discourages would-be thieves. Though some may be brazen enough to enter, most thieves would rather find a location without protection. It saves them the risk, and it saves your business.

• Alarms capture thieves before they have a chance to do harm to your property or loved ones.
• Alarms provide an early warning for numerous dangers, including fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and trespassers. Depending on the system, numerous safety features are possible.
• Alarms reduce risks to property. By minimizing the amount of time it takes to get police or fire services to the scene, there could be a reduction in the value of lost or damaged property.
• Alarms save lives. Though the investment into this type of system can seem like merely a protection for the actual building, it is an even bigger benefit when it reduces the risk of loss of life. Imagine a person injured in a fire, trapped and unable to reach a phone. That individual could get help sooner because of an alarm that dispatches professional firefighters and EMS.

Decisions

Before investing in an alarm, you must reconcile the benefits of installing one with the price. The cost of installing a system into your home may seem high at first. However, many insurance companies reward consumers who choose a professional alarm monitoring service, often offering a 10 to 20 percent discount on your homeowner's insurance by installing an alarm on the home.

You can never completely rule out the risk of an attack or fire, so going without an alarm can put your family, property and business in danger. Almost 40 percent of American kids are at home alone at some point during the week. If your children come home before you do, you may feel more secure with a professional home security system installed. A professional alarm system can alert you when the kids get home, and some even provide two-way voice communication and remote monitoring to give parents more control. Elderly folks accounted for almost 20 million visits to the emergency room in 2008. Even a minor fall or accident can result in death or serious injury if immediate care is not available. A home alarm system allows you to call for help from anywhere in the home.