Choosing Your Home Security System

Security shouldn’t be a luxury, especially when it comes to protecting your home and the people and things in it.

Everyday dangers, from frayed wiring that may cause home fires to burglars casing your neighborhood, can threaten to diminish the joy and confidence of coming home each day. Fortunately, there’s something that can help protect your loved ones and belongings: a home security system.

Installation

“The benefits of having a paid security detail manage your home security installation are obvious, and are obviously expensive given the size and scope of manpower and specificity of the skill sets,” says Bill Stanton, former safety and security contributor for NBC’s “Today” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

You can also go the DIY route, which is less expensive upfront but carries increased risk of fault – plus you lose the 24-hour third-party monitoring.

“An alarm is only as good as when it is armed and set up, so learning to cultivate your situational awareness and critical-thinking skills is key to securing your everyday life and its unexpected occurrences,” Stanton says.

Investments

Think critically to determine which route is best for you. Whether you or a professional installs the system, consider these products as key investments to your safety:

• A smart doorbell with a camera.
• Home-monitoring cameras, preferably with night vision and motion sensors, set up opposite the front and rear doors.
• Monitoring cameras that stream video to your phone or tablet.
• Bluetooth smart locks that attach to the dead-bolt slot and allow you to lock or unlock your door from your smartphone.
• Outdoor motion-activated LED spotlights to deter burglars.
• An indoor detection system that monitors temperature and humidity levels to warn against flooding, fires, and suspicious motion in your home.
• Smart door and window sensors that send free alerts via text message or email when they detect activity.
• DIY security kits, available at most home-improvement stores, that outfit the whole house and link to a 24-hour monitoring service.

Security Hacks

Sometimes, the simplest actions can save you. Try these three tricks to supplement your security: 

• Leave a radio or TV on while you’re out so burglars think someone is home.
• Install a Fake TV that simulates the flickering light of a TV.
• Trim bushes around your home to eliminate hiding places for prowlers.

Texas Farm Bureau members are eligible for up to $850 worth of free equipment when they sign up for protection from ADT. Get the offer here, and learn more here about securing your home. 

Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation.