Putting your home in someone else’s hands can be a daunting experience. All your valuables, the safety of your home, information on your comings and goings and perhaps even the physical safety of your pets and family. When we worry about “Big Brother”‘ a security system definitely shares a lot of information with people you don’t know.
That’s why choosing a good home security system is serious business. You need the security of believing in your security system.
First, look at large, well-known companies with good reputations. A company like GE Home Security (www.gesecurity.com) screens their employees and has numerous protocols in place to ensure the security of not just your home, but your information and privacy.
But that doesn’t tell you about other important features like response time and follow-up. Unfortunately, the only time you’ll ever really know how well your security service works is when you need it most.
That’s why the best way to find out which security system company does the best job is to ask a few good references. First, a sales representative from a good and reputable company should be able to provide a few references in your area – usually homeowners who offer testimonials because of the good results of their security systems.
Perhaps just as importantly, ask your local police or sheriff’s department. Law enforcement deals with security companies all the time and can tell you about the experiences they’ve had with your prospective choices. They can also tell you about any fraudulent providers, shady incidences or incidents that may be caused by faulty security systems.
Ask prospective security providers about their their rates of false alarms. Learn how their products work. One may have better technology than another. If you live in an area with earthquakes, will small tremor set the house off because of rattling windows, or are the triggers more sophisticated than that? After all, you don’t want to get calls about false alarms or earn a bad reputation with your local police.
Lastly, don’t forget the basics. Ask your friends and family who have security systems who they use and how the results have been. Is the service responsive? Is the customer service good? Are they getting their money’s worth? And of course, check for credibility with organizations like the Better Business Bureau and publications like Consumer Reports.
However, in the end when you select that right security system with the right provider, your choice may just be what saves your home or your family.
Photo via chefranden
