Secure Your Home with the Touch of a Button

This article was crafted with the help of Peter Rogers of FrontPoint.

“The single most important reason to get a home security system is peace of mind,” says Peter Rogers, cofounder of FrontPoint, and he makes an excellent point. With the smart home technologies available today, home security can provide so much more than just an intruder alarm. Carbon monoxide and fire detectors, camera surveillance, keyless door locks, and mobile apps are just a few of the recent innovations that can secure your home better than ever before.

How Security Systems Work

Cellular radios. Older security systems relied on telephone landlines to send signals to monitoring centers, which left homeowners vulnerable when intruders realized all they needed was a wire cutter to prevent the systems from operating correctly. Today, companies like FrontPoint avoid this issue by selling completely wireless systems that rely on cellular radios. “There are no wires to cut and no phone line or internet connection required for the system, so it is the safest and most robust solution for homeowners to have their homes protected,” Peter states.

Monitoring centers. Whenever an alarm sensor is tripped, a signal is sent to a monitoring center that will call you to verify that the alarm is not false. If the monitoring center is unable to reach you or confirm the validity of the alarm, it will dispatch law enforcement or the fire department on your behalf. Monitoring centers can help you get assistance when you may not be in the position to do so while also cutting down on the frequency of false alarms.

Advanced Technology

Over and above sensor detection and monitoring centers, today’s home technology offers an array of advanced options. “Interactive monitoring services include mobile applications that allow you to do things such as arm and disarm your system remotely and receive texts or email notifications about anything that’s happening in your home,” Peter explains. Depending on the types of smart home technology you have installed, these apps give you the ability to control sensors and camera surveillance you have set up in your home in addition to things like thermostats and keyless door locks. This is a convenient option for instances when you’re worried you may have forgotten to set the alarm or if you need to let someone in your home who wouldn’t have a key.

Establishing Peace of Mind

According to Peter, “There are a number of studies out there that document how having a home security system can make your home much less likely to be targeted by an intruder.” Knowing that your home has a smaller chance of being burglarized and having the protection of a monitoring center in case it is targeted can really help give you the peace of mind that you, your loved ones, and your valuables are safe. Furthermore, many working parents have kids who come home to an empty house after school. With the aforementioned interactive monitoring, you can receive a text or email when your kids get there so that you know they made it safely. Likewise, you can curb bouts of paranoia about whether or not you set the alarm by being able to check remotely from a mobile app.

One other thing to consider when it comes to feeling secure is the company you choose to work with. You might have the most advanced system, but if you don’t trust your security company to be there for you when you need them, the feeling of safety the system provides is diminished. Peter sums up the power that security systems can have over peace of mind best when he says, “Not only are people hoping to protect what is normally their largest single investment, but security systems are also an opportunity to protect their family.”

If peace of mind and safety aren’t good enough reasons to opt for smart home security, consider an additional benefit Peter says the technology can offer: “As these systems have been able to monitor for more things, they’ve increasingly become attractive to insurance companies. It’s not unusual for insurance companies to provide as high as a 15- or 20-percent discount on a homeowner’s policy if the home is monitored for a variety of issues through one of these systems.” When installing a smart home security system can provide many levels of protection right at your fingertips and a discount on home insurance, there just isn’t any reason not to invest in one.

This spotlight article was crafted with the help of FrontPoint, a Security Systems Best Pick in Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Philadelphia. While we strive to provide relevant information to all homeowners, some of the material we publish may not pertain to every area. Please contact your local Best Pick companies for any further area-specific advice.