Home protection is more important than ever. Burglaries and home invasions are on the rise in every area of the country. Even areas that were once thought to be immune to such, rural locations, gated communities, and “upscale” subdivisions are now seeing an issue with these occurrences. Programs like neighborhood watch, sky cop programs, citizen patrols, and even private security firms can do a lot, but in the end, the only real protection for the home is a good security system. The only problem is finding the right one for your needs. They key is to find a security system that is able to protect your home effectively, is affordable to install and maintain, is easy to use, and of course and perhaps the most important, is reliable. Let’s take a moment to look at some of these factors and what to look for in a system to address them. 

Affordable 

While it may not seem reasonable, this is the first factor that many think of when they are talking about getting a home security system. The logical thought is that you should buy the system that is best for your needs no matter the cost, but the truth is that we don’t live in that reality. Money is tight and every day we have to make careful decisions about how to spend what we have in the household budget. For that reason, many opt for do it yourself systems. While this can be a great choice, do understand that they are not all created equal. In some area, though they may be the best choice. For instance, when it comes to any security systems Virginia has a lot of options in the major cities that are great, but in the rural areas of the state, you are better served with a nationally monitored do it yourself system since, local companies are few and far between. These do it yourself systems can save you money, but only if you do your research and choose one that is reputable and offers a starter package that includes everything you need to get started at a decent price. 

Easy to Use 

Choosing a system that is easy to use is vital. If the system is overly complicated you will not want to deal with it and thus will not use it when you go out. A system that is not used because it is hard to understand is a system that is not only a waste of money but which is not protecting you. Choose systems that have simple Keychain remotes, touch screen panels with clear labeling, or which can be activated or disarmed via voice commands through devices like Amazon ECHO or Google Home. 

Effective Protection

 
Choose a service and system that has a rapid response time and offers full monitoring. Do not go with systems that only offer “alarm response” but rather one that offers a real agent that confirms the alarm and makes contact with you and with law enforcement. A 24/7 monitoring option ensures that smoke, water, carbon monoxide, radon, invasion, and medical emergencies are proactively addressed, instead of just being responded to by an automated message being sent to your local police department 911 service.