The home security system is the foundation of household protection. It gives you peace of mind when you’re home asleep or away traveling. With advancements in mobile connectivity, modern security systems allow you to check on your front door package delivery, your pet, or your babysitter, all from your phone. They become meshed with your daily life. That’s why it’s so important to Batten that you select the right system that will protect you and your family for years.
Through many conversations with Batten’s home security expert, Kirk MacDowell, we’ve come up with a few essential questions to ask yourself to simplify the decision-making process and ensure that you purchase the right system for you.
Keep in mind: with most home security systems, you can start small with the core command hub and build it out with additional components as you see fit. As your home or family grows, your system can grow with it!
- Do you want to DIY (do it yourself) or have a professional install your system?
Question list #1
- Do you often overextend yourself and fail to accomplish half of your week’s to-do list?
- Do you have kids with separate schedules to manage?
- Do you have a large home with a lot of access points?
- Do you hate technology and mobile apps?
If you answered Yes to two or more of the above questions, having a professional install your system is likely the best route.
Many of us are too busy or distracted to sit down and go through even a straightforward DIY security system installation. That’s totally fine. The last thing we want is a semi-opened box of security devices crowding your hallway and not providing your family any protection.
Kirk MacDowell selected Brinks as one of his three home alarm system recommendations because of its fantastic professional installation service. A high-quality, hands-off service, Brinks will set up your entire system and provide 24/7 remote monitoring.
Question list #2
- Are you good at using technology and mobile apps?
- Do you enjoy the satisfaction of your own handiwork?
- Do you live in a home of modest size?
- Do you have young children?
If these questions ring true, then DIY may be the right route for you. The user experience of DIY systems is where Batten heavily focuses its vetting. We don’t tolerate poor instruction manuals or clunky apps. The DIY systems we recommend make it simple to unpack the system and follow the in-app onboarding instructions.
Abode’s Iota Security System is our top-ranked DIY system for price, ease of use, and security protocols. You won’t have any frustrations setting this system up or concerns about its security reliability.
- Do you want to self-monitor or be professionally monitored?
“Knowing if your primary goal is for security protection while you’re home or while you’re away is the fundamental question to ask yourself when deciding between a self-monitoring or professionally monitored system” – Kirk MacDowell
Self-monitoring means you can access your system and cameras from your mobile phone, but the system is not synced to police dispatch.
Self-monitoring is a fine way to start off if you intend to use the system primarily while you’re at home. But if you expect to travel or go out on weekends, upgrading to a professionally monitored system is the way to go. A professionally monitored system offers more independence and confidence than self-monitoring.
The great thing about the Abode system is that you can choose self-monitoring or professional monitoring. You can start off using their system as self-monitored. Then, if you want to go on vacation, they make updating your system to professional monitoring a simple process on their app. A professionally monitored system will notify the police department if a break-in occurs, giving you the comfort of knowing that help is on the way if an intruder is in your home while you’re enjoying a sunset beach swim in the Caribbean.
- What size is your home?
If you’re looking to protect not just family, but valuables as well, you’ll need to secure a wider range of home access points like garages and cellars. These add-ons can include additional motion sensors, window/door sensors, or glass-shatter triggers.
We recommended a customizable system so you can add the components you need to cover your home. We selected FrontPoint’s Safehouse. FrontPoint lets you easily build a customized security system on their website. It’s a good option for those who are confident that they know what they need to properly protect their unique home’s access points.
Conclusion:
Even with easy DIY systems, you still need to know how much coverage will make you feel comfortable while you’re at home or away. If you’re on the nervous side, then spend the extra dollars for a broad system that will give you the peace of mind that your family and home are safe and secure. Paying a few dollars a month to have your system professionally monitored is worth every penny. The comfort of knowing that the local police force is on call to quickly apprehend any intruders is the ultimate value of the home security system.
