Who Will Monitor Your Residential Security System?
If you are in the process of choosing a security system for your home, you will find you have many different systems to choose from. Some systems are more expensive than others, and some come with more options. Choosing the right system can often be overwhelming. The first thing you must decide is how your system will be monitored. Will you do it yourself, or will you have someone else do it for you? Once you choose this, you can then add the bells and whistles to your system.
Will You Self Monitor?
The FBI estimates that approximately 2,222,200 burglaries occur each year in the United States. Of this number, approximately 70% of them occur in someone's home between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, when the homeowners are expected to be at work. The burglars bank on the fact that your home is unprotected during this time.
One of the first things you will have to decide when you are choosing your security system is how you want your system to be monitored. You basically have two choices. These are:
- Unmonitored/Self -monitoring Systems
- Monitored Systems
With an unmonitored, or self-monitored system, you can choose to monitor your system yourself, through bells, alarms, or even video. If your system is triggered, bells and alarms will sound in an effort to scare off your intruders. There is even technology on the market which will allow your system to send alerts directly to your cell phone, tablet, or computer if the system senses something is wrong.
The beauty of self monitoring is that you will not have to commit to a contract or have a monthly fee for a security company to monitor your system for you. Once you purchase your components, you will not incur any additional cost.
The downside to self monitoring is that the average burglary only last approximately 90 seconds. This means that if you are not paying attention to your phone or your computer, someone may be in and out of your home before you know it. This can delay the time it will take for law enforcement to be on the way since you will be the one responsible for ensuring that law enforcement is called.
Will You Allow Someone Else To Monitor For You?
On the other hand, a monitored system is connected to a company that will provide your monitoring services for you. This has been done in the past, by your system being connected to a landline. This has now changed. Since monitoring companies are aware that many homeowners are getting away from landlines, they are now also offering systems that can be monitored through both cellular and broadband connections.
Both systems offer advantages over traditional landline monitoring.
- Cellular monitoring is more reliable than the traditional landline monitoring due to the fact the lines cannot be cut.
- Broadband or internet connections are faster than a landline connection, as well as less expensive.
No matter which method you choose, the company who is responsible for your monitoring will notify you, as well as the authorities, if any of your sensors are tripped. This will often allow for law enforcement to respond quicker in the event of a break-in, or any other breach of your sensors.
What Will You Add To Your System?
When it comes to adding bells and whistles, there is not much difference between what is available for both monitored and unmonitored systems. They can both be set up with numerous cameras inside as well as outside of your home. These camera systems will allow you to have video fed directly to your cell phone or your computer. You can also install detectors that will sense:
- Motion
- Smoke
- Fire
- Carbon Monoxide, and more
Both systems can be installed wired or wireless and set with such sensitivity that they can be set to differentiate between your pet's movement and the movement of others. Your decision basically boils down to how much control you want to have over your system.
For more information about your options, contact a local security company like Tele-Plus.
Share