You have decided you want to invest in a monitored home security system. You can choose to monitor the system yourself or pay for remote monitoring services. But how do you figure out which choice is the best one?
There is no single home security system or monitoring package for every homeowner. Likewise, some homeowners are better off paying for monitoring services while others do just fine monitoring themselves. Figuring out the best solution for you requires looking at a number of things.
Professional monitoring is one of the services Vivint Home Security offers. Here are the most important things they say consumers should consider from the monitoring side of things:
1. Emergency Response
Emergency response is at the top of the list. Why? Because that’s the whole point of monitoring a security system. Monitoring is about being made aware of potential emergencies at the earliest possible moment. That way, an appropriate response can be mounted.
If you are concerned that your busy life will prevent you from paying appropriate attention to the security system, professional monitoring is probably the better choice. But if you’re the kind of person who always hears his phone notifications and immediately checks them, DIY monitoring could work for you.
2. Monthly Cost
The budget is second in line for many homeowners. That is understandable given the fact that prices on everything just seem to keep going up. DIY monitoring doesn’t incur any costs with the possible exception of paying for text-based alerts if your phone plan would require such a fee. But most systems can send push notifications through an app rather than SMS.
On the other hand, professional monitoring incurs a monthly cost. Monthly subscription fees can range from reasonable and affordable to outright expensive. It really depends on whom you sign with.
3. Dealing With False Alarms
Next up is the question of dealing with false alarms. This is important because local communities tend to have ordinances designed to combat false alarm responses by first responders. Too many false alarms could lead to a fine. They could also lead to the police department no longer responding unless a homeowner can verify an actual emergency.
DIY monitoring forces the homeowner to determine whether an alert constitutes a genuine emergency. It is usually not a big deal, but it could be. Also consider that homeowners are more likely to panic when an alert comes in.
On the other hand, professional monitoring personnel are trained in how to handle alerts. They go through a verified step-by-step process for determining whether an alert constitutes an emergency. They are trained in how to spot false alarms so that first responders do not have to come out to the scene.
4. Insurance Discounts
Finally, there is the question of an insurance discount. Insurance carriers vary on this issue, so a homeowner would have to check with his company. You are basically looking at three potential possibilities:
- No discount whatsoever
- A discount only on professional monitoring
- A discount for both DIY and professional monitoring
Even given the last scenario, I would be willing to bet that insurance carriers would offer a steeper discount for professional monitoring. My guess obviously doesn’t constitute fact. Again, a homeowner would have to check with their insurance carrier to know exactly what kind of discount they could be looking at.
Your choice between DIY and professional monitoring boils down to what you need, what you can afford, and the goals you hope to achieve with home security. Whatever you do, make sure your decision is an informed one.