Home Alarms Systems

The Cost of an Alarm System

The cost of home security system depends on various factors such as its function, type, installation, number of sensors, monitoring etc.

Function
Home security systems are placed to secure homes from break-ins. They must function throughout day and night so that you can live inside or outside the house, peacefully. The systems perform dual function- while they let the potential criminals know of their existence, they also let the household and neighbourhood know of a potential criminal lurking in the area.

Types
Home security systems are of two types:
1. Wireless
2. Hard-wired

Wireless:
The free security system installations provide wireless systems. Though they cost less, they are very fragile.

Hard-wired:
These systems are expensive to install. The cost depends on the number of motion sensors you want and the number of entry points which include both doors and windows. Cost varies from $110 to $130 per motion sensor and $0 to $130 per entry point. However, hard-wired ones are more reliable. If you install them yourself, you just have to pay for monitoring, to a company.

Finding a good company First and foremost, avoid companies which outsource monitoring services. For locating a good company, use one which is owned and operated locally and provides full service. That is, find a company that installs, maintains and monitors the system.

Effects
Installing a security system does not mean that you will only be alerted in case of a security breach. Thinking that monitoring costs are expensive, many people do not include monitoring. They think that the mere shrill of the alarm system will itself keep the wrong-doers, at bay. However, it is not so. The cost of monitoring ranges from $20 to $50 per month only!  Most of this cost can be recovered later from rebates offered by the insurance policies.

Considerations
Wireless devices are very light on the pocket book! Since, they require little installation their total cost is minimal. This may sound good from the expenditure point, but you ought to know that they are very fragile. This is not at all a problem with the hard-wired systems. They are much more reliable. However, they cost much more as they need installation. Though this is a drawback, hard-wired systems are preferred as unlike wireless ones, they are not as vulnerable to battery issues. Moreover, they face least interference from other wireless technologies.

Warning
‘Free’ systems often come with a ‘cost’. These systems offer only an alarm panel and one or two sensors. For providing extensive coverage at all your home entry points, such systems charge an exorbitant amount in the form of fees. They generally provide a renewable contract with just the service for the initial year being free. Later, the renewals can go up to four years. Finally, you may end up paying for the calls to the toll-free number. As well. As the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.

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