Home Security Systems

By Tyler Lacoma

Are you torn between DIY alarm systems and a professionally installed and managed security system for your office or home? While DIY options tend to be less expensive, professional products offer many extra services as well as more long-term advantages. Read over these considerations before making your choice:

Filling in the Gaps: A DIY security system places all the decisions in your hands. If you have a simple building with obvious security needs, this may not be a problem. But the setup process will still require extensive research on where to place sensors, what openings need to be protected, and how criminals can gain entry to a building. The research grows even more demanding for larger buildings with multiple points of entry from doors and windows. Leave a gap open, and thieves can intrude.

Installation Requirements: External sensors use everything from infrared beams to sonic detectors to search for any unwanted movement. These sensors must be carefully calibrated. Any mistakes, and the lights or alarms may sound in response to a falling leaf — or never go off at all. This is one area where professional installers with experience in calibration can prove invaluable.

Connection to a Professional Security Company: DIY systems cannot immediately contact the police department or any other type of emergency personnel. In many areas, automatic calls to law enforcement are outlawed in DIY security systems. Professional security companies, on the other hand, field alarms and contact law enforcement themselves when it is the prudent choice. Using DIY systems prevents this type of useful contact, which leaves you with loud sirens as your primary deterrent.

Warranties and Help with Repairs: What happens when your system breaks down? What if a device fails and needs to be replaced? What if your wiring is faulty, but you are not sure where? If you have created your own alarms, then the responsibility to fix or replace parts is fully on your shoulders. If you pay more for professional installation, warranties and repair services can help cover replacement costs and find errors in your system.

Expansion Difficulties: How easy is it to expand your security system? If you want to add a new room to your building or upgrade security to make the area a safer place, you need a flexible system that can handle such adaptations. This is an important consideration regardless of your choice between professional and DIY systems. Both should include flexibility.

Modern Security Innovations: DIY alarm systems tend to trail a little behind the more advanced professional security services when it comes to the newest technology. For example, modern security systems from security companies allow for app alerts, home automation programming, wireless sensors, and remote management, all as part of the original installation. It can be more difficult to find these trendy solutions in the DIY market, and much more difficult to properly install them.