As many people involved in finance will tell you, owning a home is a huge liability. Obviously, humans need places to live, and static homes have been the main method of doing that for thousands upon thousands of years. But there is nothing endemic to human nature that money cannot render basically impossible for the modern person to do without great pain.
To get more specific, the issue with a home is that it is undeniably valuable, but not very versatile. If you buy a home and an oil pipeline or a waste area destroys the groundwater, then that home is not going to be livable. It will also be challenging to sell it to help you move elsewhere.
The main way of managing the liability of a home is by adding a security system to it. Will a security system protect the groundwater? No, but it will add value to a home to offset damages.
Let’s talk about the pros and cons of adding these security systems.
Cons of Home Security
While these sorts of lists usually start with the pros, in this case we will be starting with the cons. Simply put, the pros outweigh the cons, and if we ended on the cons that might make it seem like they got the final word in the discussion and therefore were more valuable.
Still, the cons are worth mentioning because they essentially describe the reasons why a person might delay or neglect a security system. Which leads us to our first con.
They are Hard to Install
Security systems usually involve advanced and sensitive technology. We are talking motion sensors, alarms connected to other devices via Bluetooth, phone apps with multiple layers of authentication. Basically, you need to be highly tech savvy to set up a security system.
Most of the time, people turn to professional help to get this done. In fact, using professionals could make the job easier and properly set up. You do not want to do a lot of guesswork when it comes to a security system—it is supposed to protect you from home invaders after all.
For that reason, many people will run into another con at this point.
They are Costly
Not that this will surprise anyone, but all that advanced technology you are installing to keep your family safe will come at a price. The cheapest versions of alarms are, admittedly, not terrible. But those alarms rarely do much on their own. They usually need motion sensors.
The motion sensors are where they really get you, as many devices will completely disallow you from pairing them with certain cheaper motion sensors.
It is much worse with cameras, which are expensive by default and even harder to set up. And of course, most security systems charge a monthly security service fee. This is the fee for keeping your alarm connected to your apps and to the police. You probably aren’t surprised that they found a way to monetize this, but it is one of the most common dealbreakers for people.
Pros
Now, we mentioned how there are more pros than cons. But after all that talk about the way security systems nickel and dime you, what you probably want is some assurance that what you are paying for is worth it. The main thing to remember is that security systems are versatile.
Let’s begin by talking about that.
Security Systems are Versatile
The problem that many security systems will present you with is the aforementioned “sensors issue”, wherein they have enough sensors to cover a front and a back door, but not every window, and not every other door besides those main two. You need more sensors, simply.
Now, we mentioned how some alarms are set up to refuse to pair with cheaper sensors. And this is true. But one of the things that we did not mention is that you can easily jailbreak a lock to remove this restriction. And after you do that, the options of how to use your alarm open up.
Not only can you use basically any motion sensor you want, but you can also incorporate other devices’ motion sensors into your alarm system. If your doorbell or security cameras have motion sensors, then those can usually be linked to the alarm system.
Security Systems Reduce Crime
If you tell ten people to get an alarm for their home, nine of them will ask you what an alarm will do for them if they are not home. Should a burglar break in, what will an alarm do to stop them?
One of the great things about alarms is that even if you are not paying the monthly fee to have them automatically call the police, they will still scare away most criminals. More than 60% of burglaries are stopped before they start after the burglar triggers an alarm.
Burglars are not looking to be daring thieves that escape by the skin of their teeth. What they are looking for is a house that lets them walk through the front door, find the valuables, and leave within sixty seconds. An alarm tells them that they have thirty seconds, at most.
This will make them immediately reconsider what they are willing to risk in order to rob a place. And usually, that period of reconsideration under duress will end with them leaving.
Conclusion
The versatility of alarms combined with their effectiveness means that they are worth the initial investment. What that customization ability really means is that you can work around a lot of the problems that the alarms present you. Professionals can also recommend the best use of the devices around your home to look for weak spots.
The only thing you really can’t customize your way around is the fact that alarms are hard to set up. But most people do not give up because alarms are difficult. In fact, most people appreciate alarms being a little complicated, as it makes it easier to perceive them as effective.
An alarm system can be the difference between getting robbed and protecting your family and risking your property and the things you hold dear.
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