Why Pay For Monitored Home Security?
June 24, 2010 by LJ
Filed under Monitored Home Security
For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, monitored home security refers to a home alarm system that is connected with a particular company’s office. This company is alerted on their computer monitors if your alarm is ever tripped, or if you hit a panic button on the keypad or console. Typically they will first call you to confirm the emergency and ask for a password if you say that everything is fine. If the home security monitoring company cannot reach you or does not get the right password, they alert police, fire, or emergency medical personnel.
Obviously there needs to be a connection between your home’s keypad and the alarm company or else monitored home security is useless. These types of alarm used to be connected by phone lines, but of course it’s just too easy for a thief or burglar to cut phone lines before striking their target. Most monitored home security companies now use cellular signals on secured lines, much like your own cell phone but with a highly protected signal.
Advantages of a Monitored Home Security System
Having an alarm in your home can provide a great deal of peace of mind to any homeowner or family head. They are also a deterrent to most thieves who are more than willing to move on to another target when they see your keypad or when the alarm is tripped. But more than just a standard burglar alarm, a home security monitoring system has an actual person on one end of a computer monitor that will be there in times of emergency. If for example there is a medical emergency, an individual can simply hit the panic button on the keypad, and the home security monitoring company will contact rescue personnel. The person does not need to get to their phone and fumble with trying to dial an emergency number.
A home security monitoring company can also be a great choice for people who have a tendency to panic in cases of emergency. Some years ago, it was decided that the emergency number “911″ should be said as 9-1-1, rather than 9-11, because far too many people were actually looking for the “eleven” button on their phone during an emergency situation. It may sound silly, but when you’re panicked and afraid, your mind does have a tendency to go blank and it’s easy for anyone to not be thinking clearly during this type of situation.
Cost of a Monitored Home Security Package
Of course it depends on the company you choose, but most packages are around $30 for their monthly fee. For many families, this is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Additionally, having a home security monitoring package may also reduce your homeowner’s insurance by up to 20%. So for you and your family, you may want to seriously consider such an option, and remind yourself that spending money on all those fancy electronics will be worthless if they all get stolen one day!