It’s one thing to change your own oil or to fix a clogged drain in your house. It’s another to purchase, install and monitor your own business or residential security. DIY security systems might not be the right move for many people.
While the old saying “if you want something done right, do it yourself” generally rings true, sometimes it is best to seek out an expert. In terms of the protection and safety of your home or business, it is the latter. The reasons are simple. Here’s why professionally installed security systems will always be in high-demand.
Monitoring It Yourself
For starters, MIY (“monitor-it-yourself”) user’s calls to first responders are not weighted the same compared to a central monitoring station. Since a central station generally verifies received signals, when an operator connects to a first responder it is assumed that the signal is positive. While it is impossible to completely remove false alarms, it greatly decreases the chance for one.
Further, central station monitoring operators have been trained properly on communicating efficiently and effectively with first responders. Chances are the "Average Joe" doesn’t have the same level of communication or protocol in place. The untrained individual might be panicking, screaming at the responders as valuables are stolen from their home, an operator is the complete opposite. They are specifically trained to remain calm during stressful situations and to provide first responders with all of the necessary information in a matter of seconds.
Another potential problem with DIY alarms is when the user goes out of town. Most people don’t think about the fact that their cellphones geolocation will connect with the nearest police department, not necessarily the one by their home. So, what happens when they call 9-1-1? It could leave the user scrambling to search for the police department’s phone number that is nearest their home, causing the waste of precious seconds.
Installation
When starting the installation of a residential or business alarm, it might be tempting to do it yourself. But if the equipment is installed incorrectly or broken during installation, the person who is held responsible is you. This means you can expect to foot the bill for new equipment or any damage done. Further, most alarm installation professionals will offer some sort of guarantee that their product will last for a certain amount of time. If you install the equipment yourself, you’re also missing out on this benefit as well.
While it might not seem hard to run a few cables, put some holes in the wall, or even buy a simple plug and play system, odds are you have only done this a few times, whereas professionals have installed hundreds, if not thousands, of alarms. This is not an area that you want to take lightly.
With all of the hacks happening with DIY security systems lately, the safety of such devices is called into question. While going the DIY route does save time and money, it offers very few perks compared to a professional installation and monitoring company. AvantGuard takes caring for your business and family personally. Reaching out to us today to find out what we can do for you.
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