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There are over 6,000 reported home robberies a day in the United States. That translates to 240 burglaries every hour and around four every minute. These statistics may matter more than you realize when setting up protective measures for loved ones at home.
Hi Tech Home Protector recommends having a home security system installed to deter home break-ins, which heavily factor into the occurrence of a burglary.
Numbers and break-in trepidations aside, only a small percentage of the American population has a home alarm and monitoring system. With the steady increase of crime rates in recent years, including robberies, it would make a lot of sense to no longer delay a security system investment.
What Do the Numbers Say?
Statistics sketch a fascinating blueprint of home security and alarm systems’ influence on acts of crime. Close to 60 percent of home burglaries occur in the light of day when most residents are not at home. This happens to gated properties often concealed by trees and other vegetation.
On average, July and August are when most break-ins take place, and February is when they barely occur. Forced break-ins happen almost 95 percent of the time. These usually involve the picking or breaking of a lock or the shattering of a window. Home alarm systems can prevent residences from being lumped into these statistics.
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The Good and Bad of a Security System
To deter home crimes in the form of burglaries, kidnappings, and invasions is the main reason to invest in a security system. Statistics easily support this decision, reporting nine out of 10 thieves backing out of their plans upon encountering an alarm or monitoring system.
It further backs this up by indicating that security-system-less homes are almost four times more likely to be burglarized than ones with security systems set up.
So, aside from locks and deadbolts, you’ll want to have a security system installed to keep your home and its inhabitants safe. The upfront costs and monthly fees might make you apprehensive about the whole thing, and that’s completely understandable.
You may not think the cost of acquiring, installing, and maintaining these systems is worth its benefits, given your particular circumstance.
The Good and Bad of Alarm Monitoring
Boosting home protective measures even further are alarm monitoring systems. Because it links your home to a monitoring company, this installation does more than just protect your home. At the same time, it also makes certain the right people are alerted of a break-in. This can be the police, fire department, another emergency service company, or all three.
Alarm monitoring also helps protect the home itself by incorporating features such as smoke and fire detection. It also alerts you to increased levels of carbon monoxide within the home. Electrical issues and cooking mishaps could so easily result in a fire, gas leak, and other hazardous chemical leakages not immediately detectable by smell.
More than potentially burning your home down, a fire can put you and your loved ones’ lives in danger. Toxic gas leaks are the same thing, so you will want to protect yourself from such with equal measure.
Like security installations, alarm monitoring systems can cause feelings of uncertainty due to their cost. Given the installation costs and monthly fees you’re expected to pay for a specific package, you’d want to be able to take advantage of all its services and features. Unfortunately, the high chance of that not happening could be a deal-breaker for you.
How Much Can You Save With a Security System?
Upfront costs and monthly fees of security systems can vary from company to company and from package to package. That said, the cost would mostly be around the $250 to $1,000 range. Things can get confusing, depending on how you view savings versus costs for security systems.
It is said that the average burglary will cost you around $1,700 and could have a one in a four chance of taking place, depending on your area. In short, there’s a 25 percent chance a homeowner could lose $1,700 annually.
Regardless of varying monthly fees, a basic security plan doesn’t come close to costing as much as the average home robbery. Also, your policy could grant up to a 20 percent discount on home insurance due to your security system setup.
Ultimately, a security system should be worth it when you consider all the potential losses it saves you from. You can do the math and convert this to the potential savings you could have over the security system’s operational years.
So, Do You Need a Home Security System?
Yes, you do, but make sure it’s the right one. As mentioned, companies offer a range of home security plans, which vary in features and services, depending on your needs. If, upon assessment of your security needs, a basic package seems sufficient, consider going for it.
Then again, uncertainties abound, and the only way you may ever feel completely secure is when you have all the security bases covered with an advanced plan.
