After purchasing a house, keeping it safe remains a priority — this is why several homeowners invest in a home security system. A home security system provides you with the essentials you need for safeguarding your property. While there are some positives of having a security system in place, there are some limitations too that you need to be aware of. Let us take a look at the pros and cons of a home security system:

The benefits of installing a home security system

1. Peace of mind

An advantage of having a security system in place is that it takes a huge load off your mind. You basically pay a provider to take the responsibility of keeping an eye on your home 24/7 and to make sure you and your family are secure. If you are at work or traveling, you can rest assured that there is a professional who ensures that there is no suspicious activity around the house, and if at all, you will be immediately informed. Security systems are now equipped with features that allow you to make emergency calls to the police nearby if any unwanted activity is recorded.

There is also a feature for medical emergencies, which is especially helpful for those who have seniors, kids, or those who are differently-abled living in the house and need immediate attention to their health. With just a phone call or a switch of a button, help will be on the way while you try to take hold of the situation.

2. Protection from burglary, carbon monoxide, fire alarms

According to the FBI, a burglary occurs every 13seconds. As per a 2018 report by the country’s fire department, there were around 355,400 home structure fires per year between 2011-2016. A home security system gives you the advantage to equip your house with features that alarm you before any mishap. Heat detectors in the devices constantly keep a check on the temperature and alarm the homeowner of any change in the heat temperature that could lead to a fire. Any attempt at break-in is stopped by blaring alarms that will startle the burglar, thus giving you the time to make an emergency 911 call. Houses also come with devices that have combustible gas in their pipes, like if you have a heating system, or stove among other things. This combustible gas is odorless and colorless, making it difficult to know if there has been any leak; this is where a home security system can be helpful. Some systems come equipped with the feature to detect this gas and inform the homeowner immediately.

3. DIY home security systems

Did you know that you don’t always have to hire a professional’s service for your home security system? There are many companies in the market that are selling DIY kits, and the advantages of this home security system is that they can be highly affordable. These kits usually come with hubs and wireless router and cameras that you can install at home. You can even purchase other devices for any special requirements, but make sure that all these devices can be synced to work uniformly, or you’ll be wasting money. There are some hassles with installing the device all by yourself, but these kits also come with guidelines that are easy to follow.

4. Cheaper home insurance

Every homeowner has to buy home insurance after buying his/her house; this is something that goes unsaid. The advantage of a home security system is that it helps you lower your cost of premiums; a lot of insurance companies agree to lower the premiums on the insurance if they know you already have a home security system. Insurance can be a costly affair, so having this system not only gives you security, but also a discount.

Disadvantages of home security systems

1. Everyday activation

One of the disadvantages or limitations of a home security system is that it has to be activated every time before you leave the house. If you forget to activate the device, there’s no way you can be alerted of any mishap. An ideal place to install your device would be next to the door of course so that you are always reminded to activate the device as you step out of the house, or perhaps a sticky note reminder could work too!

2. Setting it up

If you have a house that does not come with a home security system, you will have to call for professional help. While that takes the load off you, there are some logistical problems that may arise during installation, related to wiring and routing of all the devices. If you opt for the DIY instead of professional installation , the set up becomes even more difficult because the onus of making all of it work is purely on you, and dealing with these technicalities might be an uphill task for some.

3. False alarms

There is a possibility of false alarms, which leads to a fee being charged if the incident keeps occurring. It is possible to trigger the alarm accidentally or taking too long to put it off if it goes off, or forgetting the code, or just being absent-minded. This can be difficult to deal with because if the alarm goes off it also means that the law enforcement will be dispatched to your place assuming there is a burglary. So, to save yourself some trouble and embarrassment, it is always advisable to be mindful about this.

4. Costly affair

Another disadvantage of a home security system is that they are costly. Apart from the equipment, you also have to pay a monthly fee and a surveillance fee that will cost you a lot of money.

Getting a home security system is an important decision, and it is advisable to speak to multiple providers before you choose a home security system that works best for your requirement and whether it suits your budget.