When you’re considering buying a home security system, you want to know that the equipment you choose can successfully protect your property. Your system should deter crime as well as help you identify any burglars that do target your home.
But how well do home security systems deter crime exactly, and how can the right one effectively protect your home?
Security Systems and Burglaries: The Statistics
To determine how the presence of security equipment affected burglary rates, a study from the University of North Carolina focused on inmates convicted of committing residential burglaries. The study revealed that 83% of criminals would pass by a home that had security equipment and instead search for an unarmed home.
The study also found that generally, neighborhoods with a high number of protected homes have lower property crime rates. This means that burglaries and home invasions are more common in areas where there is a higher likelihood of unprotected homes.
How Security Systems Effectively Protect Your Home
A home security system can protect your home in a variety of ways — and against a range of different threats.
Identify Burglars and Recover Your Property
Even the best home security system won’t deter a persistent burglar. In this situation, the burglar has seen something that makes your home an extremely desirable target. Alternatively, there might be a personal motive, such as targeting the home of a former employer.
Cameras can capture the identity of a burglar — which can, in turn, help you recover your property — while alarms can interrupt any criminal activity.
Keep an Eye on Your Property While You’re Away
In modern security systems, everything from security camera feeds to indoor motion detectors can connect to a mobile app. You can access the app on any computer, tablet, or smartphone, regardless of your location. This makes it easier to monitor your home’s security from work or while you’re away on vacation.
If you take an unexpected business trip while you’re expecting a package, you can use the app to grant limited access to the delivery personnel. Simply use the app to remotely unlock a smart lock on a specific door. You can use the same app to notify police or other emergency personnel of a situation that you can’t handle personally.
Provide Hazardous Situation Alerts
A comprehensive home security system includes other types of alarms, such as smoke detectors, flood level alarms, and natural gas leak detection. Once you connect these detectors to your app, you can set the system to notify you when there’s a leak. This will help you respond to a leak as soon as it’s detected.
This type of early warning can prevent you and your family members from unexpectedly walking into a hazardous situation. You can have emergency personnel or professionals address the emergency before it leads to more extensive property damages or severe health hazards.
Allow for Faster Medical Assistance
Many security systems include medical assistance alerts. Combined with a professional security monitoring service, this technology can ensure that you get help faster.
Often, treatment for an injury or a medical condition is more effective when it’s delivered sooner. As soon as a monitoring agent detects the signal for help, they can summon emergency personnel on your behalf.
This type of assistance is especially beneficial when there are young children or elderly adults in the home. These groups of people may be more likely to suffer serious medical issues, and they may not be able to call for help on their own.
In this way, your home security system can ensure the safety and health of any children and senior adults in your home — and potentially save your loved ones’ lives.
Control Access to Your Home
Comprehensive home security includes the use of smart locks and video surveillance to help you see who is trying to gain access to your home. Sending recordings of an attempted burglary to the police can help your local authorities identify criminals who are targeting your community, which can deter further crime in your neighborhood.
Additionally, you can use smart locks with video cameras to identify family and visitors and grant or deny access to your home. For example, you can help your teenager get inside if they have lost their key. If you ask a neighbor to check on your home while you’re away, you can grant them temporary access to your home with this system.
Save on Your Homeowners Insurance
A home security system can help protect your pocketbook as well. When you install a home security system, make sure to notify your homeowners insurance provider for savings on your premiums.
It can also help to contact your insurance provider before installing new equipment. They can tell you which security equipment or features will earn you the highest discounts on your premiums.
In general, the lower risk of loss that security technology provides helps insurance companies save on claim payouts. They will pass those savings on to you. Similarly, a system that includes fire, carbon monoxide, and other detection equipment can earn you additional discounts.
Install Advanced Home Protection Today!
tattletale provides a broad selection of home security equipment to help you protect your property against both criminal and environmental threats. Choose individual security devices for more personalized protection, or install a comprehensive security system to protect your entire home.
To learn more about finding the right protection options for your home, contact us today.
