Purchasing a new home can be equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. A home is often the largest single investment a person makes over the course of their lifetime, a fact that only adds to the stress of packing, moving, and adjusting to a completely different routine. Once a new homeowner settles in, they can find themselves worrying about their house as much as they would worry about a child or a pet. Their house—and all of the precious, valuable contents therein—are often a source of their greatest worries: what if something happens to my house or my family when I’m not home?
Home security systems have been fixtures in residences for more than a century, providing protection and peace of mind for busy homeowners. Even then, the home security system of 2020 looks a lot different than the system of yesteryear. Advances in technology over the last decade have revolutionized the way security systems can seamless integrate into our lives. The modern smart home security system protects you and yours better than ever, but it can also add a layer of convenience to your lifestyle and your homeowning experience that you never realized was missing. A professionally installed and monitored modern home security system can help to alleviate your stress by providing you with 24/7 protection and, with it, the comfort of knowing that your home and family are under careful watch.
Just what exactly do you mean by “home security system?”
A home security system utilizes electronic devices to detect intrusion at certain points throughout the home. A security system is a reactive deterrent. When someone breaks in at a protected front door, a device detects the intrusion, alerts the system’s control panel—the electronic brains of the unit—and the panel sounds an alert. Monitored security systems don’t just stop at sounding alarms within your house. A monitored panel will send a secure alarm signal to a 24/7 monitoring center, who will then dispatch the authorities to your location per their predetermined emergency procedures. Security system devices can help detect intrusion at windows and doors, motion in rooms, and even flooding or dramatic drops in temperature due to malfunctioning heating equipment.
The EPS Monitoring Center awaits alarm signals for our monitored customers 24/7 every single day of the year.
Beyond the more “conventional” uses for a security system, technological advances have allowed for changes to certain features over time. Security cameras have become higher quality and less expensive over time, allowing for the use of surveillance cameras within residences. Wireless technology has eradicated the need for “plain old telephone” (POTs) lines and allowed for alarm signals to be sent via Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Most recently, the development of “smart home” connected devices have allowed security systems to provide not only protection for homes and families, but also to introduce convenience and comfort features unseen in the world of home security.
The benefits of a professional home security system
Protecting the people and things you value most will always be the chief reason most people invest in a home security system, and for good reason. A monitored home security system can inform you of break-ins, water leaks, carbon monoxide accumulation, and fires whether you’re physically present or not. The mere presence of a security system in a home deters 60% of would-be burglars and can alert authorities in the event of an actual intrusion. The average amount of time a person has to escape a house fire has gone from 17 minutes 30 years ago to less than four minutes today due to the use of synthetic materials, making early fire protection essential.
Many home insurers understand the benefits of protecting assets with a security system. Certain insurance providers will discount your homeowner’s insurance if provided with proof that a home has a functioning, monitored system. These discounts can help to offset the cost of investing in a security system in the first place. Typically these discounts range from 3-10%!
The latest and greatest advancements in home security technology involve “smart home” devices. Internet integration with security devices, appliances, and even more “mundane” devices such as light bulbs has allowed for the development for platforms through which homeowners can control these devices remotely. For example, your doors can be locked, your alarm system armed, your lights switched off, and your garage door closed all from the same application from your smartphone, tablet, or home computer even if you’re away. Even better, these things can be programmed to occur in conjunction with each other according to a schedule. If you’d like your system armed and lights turned off at 8am every day because often forget, you can set a schedule through your smart home platform and watch the devices take care of themselves.
The advantage of using EPS as your smart home security provider
The benefits of the modern smart home don’t stop there, especially if you work through a professional security provider like EPS Security. For example, EPS Security’s connected device platform, Total Connect, allows you to check your cameras remotely and communicate via two-way audio. Instead of wondering whether your kids made it home from school safely or worrying whether Fido has gotten into something he shouldn’t, you can watch your cameras, check the activity log for arming/disarming times, and speak directly with them through your Total Connect application. Smart home technology provides a layer of convenience to complement your security solution that simply wasn’t available in the past and only looks to improve as time goes on.
EPS’ Total Connect application let you control your home’s connected devices from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Choosing a security professional to install and maintain your smart home system is a smart choice. EPS Security has 65 years of experience in installing security systems throughout Michigan. Our technicians aren’t just highly trained and experienced—they’re also dispatched from one of our five local offices, ensuring rapid response from professionals living in the same communities they service. Our Security Consultants and Engineers will work with you to design a system specific to your home’s layout to secure what you need protected. EPS protection doesn’t end with installation, either, as our 24/7, award-winning Monitoring Center will keep careful watch on the system securing what matters most to you.
Whether you’re purchasing a new home or looking to upgrade your new home’s current security setup, entrust your family’s home to family-owned EPS Security and discover your personalized home security solution.