The Dangers of DIY Alarm Systems

What are the Dangers of Do it Yourself (DIY) Systems?

Today there are many companies offering do it yourself home security systems at significantly lower prices than professional alarm companies, or so it would seem. There are however many important security measures to consider in purchasing and installing a DIY alarm system.

First, you are probably not a licensed security professional. If you program the system incorrectly, you are putting your family and property in danger.

Second, most reputable monitoring stations (UL listed, 5 Diamond rated) will not monitor a DIY system . Their reason for this is simple, they have no idea if you installed the system correctly, and they do not want to be held liable for system malfunction due to an installation error by an untrained or an unlicensed individual.

Another important thing to consider is that unlike a professional security company which subsidizes the cost of equipment with a monitoring agreement, DIY companies are simply selling you the equipment and telling you to get it monitored by a 3rd party company. This means that if you ever want to add sensors to your system expect to pay a high premium and of course you would be doing all the programing of this by yourself.

Some companies offer to walk you through the programing of your alarm system, but this can become confusing and time consuming for someone unfamiliar with how alarm systems work. DIY alarm systems offer only basic wireless security systems and you will be hard pressed to find companies that add more sophisticated layers of security to your system such as monitored smoke / CO detectors , environmental sensors or systems with remote access through an internet connected device.

Many DIY alarm companies will notify you that the alarm has been tripped, but do not contact the police or fire department and leave this task to YOU. This can waste precious and valuable time in the event of a burglary or other emergency. The bottom line is when it comes to protecting your family and property it is best to leave it to a well-respected professional alarm company, like ATP Alarms . Even though it might cost a little extra, the peace of mind of knowing it was done right will make you sleep better at night.

The post The Dangers of DIY Alarm Systems appeared first on ATP Alarms.

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