Enhancing Your Home’s Security With An Alarm System

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being secure in your own home. Home is a sanctuary from the worry and stress of modern life, the place that welcomes us and provides comfort at the end of a hectic day. It’s no wonder that people feel violated when criminals intrude into that personal sanctuary, and statistics show that happens all too frequently.

Home Security Statistics

The FBI reports that about 1.6 million residential burglaries occur in the United States each year. In about 300,000 of those burglaries, at least one member of the household is at home when a break-in occurs. Around 60 percent of home burglaries occur during the daytime. The average time that a criminal spends breaking into a home is around 60 seconds.

Homes Most Vulnerable to Home Intrusions

Data collected from a comprehensive survey conducted among homeowners in Greenwich, Connecticut, found that would-be burglars most often make their decisions to break into a home from the street. The study found that once burglars decided on a target, preventative measures like locks did little to deter them. Homes without clear indications of alarm systems were up to 3.5 times more likely to be targeted.

Increasing Home Security with an Alarm System

A home alarm system reduces the chance that your home will be burglarized. According to studies commissioned by the National Institute of Justice that conducted interviews with convicted criminals, nine out of ten home intruders said that they would avoid breaking into homes that had alarm systems.

Varieties of Home Alarm Systems

Home alarm systems can include devices that trigger alarms to sound and/or lights to flash when motion is detected. These devices can be installed as a DIY project. Home security systems that are supported by monitoring and response services are professionally installed. The homeowner pays a one-time installation fee as well as monthly service fees.

Home alarm monitoring systems work with a variety of detection sensors. Switches are mounted on doors and windows that alert when they are moved. Motion sensors detect movement. Shock sensors detect physical force on walls and roofs. Other detectors listen for sounds of broken glass.

Alarm monitoring systems feature technology that automatically transmits and receives data to monitoring centers. When an alarm is triggered, dispatchers will first attempt to contact you and will then contact emergency services for you if warranted.

Reducing Home Insurance Premiums

Most insurance companies offer discount for homeowners who install security and safety measures in their homes. Discounts of about 5 percent each are typically offered for features like security cameras and deadbolts. A whole-house security system backed up by a 24-hour monitoring service can reduce annual insurance premiums by up to 20 percent.

A home equipped with an alarm system is the best defense against residential burglaries. Home alarm systems not only signal support services to contact law enforcement when intrusions occur but also help deter burglaries from occurring in the first place. Best of all, they enhance your feeling of being safe and secure in your own home.

Dylan Johnson is a writer for security options. They do home security systems and alarm systems in Oklahoma.