Congratulations! You have made one of the most important decisions of your life
You have decided to create a home security system. Your home security system can range from strategically placing a few stash cans throughout the house to investing in a state-of-the-art electronic home security system.
However, developing a home security system can include one or more issues that turn your home into a fertile ground for thieves to strike.
You need to know the most common potential issues that might arise, as well as the steps you should take to prevent the issues from compromising your well-thought out home security plan.
Poor Home Coverage
Many home security systems fail to cover an entire property, from every room inside of a home to every square inch of the front and back yards. Most of the time, lack of property coverage is the result of homeowners failing to consider all possible entry points a thief might use to gain access to a home. Money also plays a role, as homeowners on tight budgets opt for low-cost home security systems that provide insufficient coverage. Low-cost home security packages typically limit coverage to primary entrances and the hallway that experiences the highest amount of foot traffic.
The most effective strategy used to avoid inadequate coverage is to shop for a home security system invoking the mantra “reliability is more important that affordability.” You should consider recruiting a home security professional to assess what your home needs to prevent a thief from gaining access to your most valuable possessions.
The Chicken Little Syndrome
The fable of Chicken Little has relevance for homeowners who want to install home security systems. Chicken Little proclaimed ‘The sky is falling” one too many times and the result was everyone around him ignored his warning. Eventually, the sky fell and Chicken Little was right. Too bad no one heeded his warning.
Apply the timeless fable to a home security system. The alarm on your new home security system rings loud and clear. The problem is it rings too many false alarms and eventually, your neighbors treat the home security alarm as a loud nuisance that will disappear. Then one day, the alarm goes off, your neighbors ignore the warning, and a thief pilfers thousands of dollars of your most cherished possessions.
The best way to avoid a false alarm that screams “The thief is here” is to hire a professional to install your system. Moreover, schedule regular inspections to prevent a false home security alarm from becoming your neighborhood Chicken Little.
Lack of Uniformity
In his quest to save money, Joe the homeowner decides to find the cheapest home security system components and cobble together something that vaguely defines home security. Installing incompatible home security system components can reduce or even eliminate the effectiveness of one or more of the system components. For example, you purchase a security camera from manufacturer A to coordinate with a motion detector you bought from manufacturer B. Locating two incompatible home security system components close together might create electromagnetic interference that prevents one or both of the devices from delivering optimal performance.
Make sure your home security system comprises components designed and constructed by the same manufacturer. Even better, have a professional home security system expert install your new electronic wall of security to ensure component compatibility.
When a Diversion Safe Does Not Divert
A growing number of homeowners have created diversion safes to store valuables in plain view of thieves. Diversion safes, which also go by the names of safe cans and hidden safes, represent small storage vessels designed to appear like common household goods. Think of an empty Quaker Oats container or an empty box of Kraft macaroni and cheese. The idea is to store your valuables in vessels that a thief ignores. Although diversion safes work great as a way to protect your valuables, far too many of the safes fail to fool thieves, especially experienced thieves.
Leave the creation of stash cans to a professional who has successfully created diversion safes for a large number of customers. A home security professional will not only create the right diversion safes, but also strategically place the safes to blend seamlessly within the interior of your home.