5 Ways Your DIY Security System is Failing You
Feb 14, 2018
In the digital age, DIY projects are the rage in all things, including home security. People turn to DIY home security because it seems easy and can save you a few bucks. Unfortunately, you really do get what you pay for if you choose a DIY security system.
False Alarm
Ever since do-it-yourself security systems hit the market, first responders have seen a significant increase in nuisance alarms. Most home owners are not trained security professionals and don’t always understand the nuances of installing a home security system. Some of our customers have left to use a DIY system, but 86% of them have returned within the first year because they can’t get their equipment to work properly. The biggest problem we’ve seen are false alarms from improper installation and poor-quality equipment.
Poor WiFi Signal
Almost all DIY home security systems connect through your home WiFi internet connection. Residential internet drops on a regular basis, and on many occasions the security system will fail to reconnect automatically. Like most gimmick systems in this digital age they rely on your internet connection. Remember that if your equipment can’t connect to the internet, your system can’t communicate with the monitoring center. This will leave your home and family unprotected.
Power Loss
What happens if your home loses power due to a storm or outage? Most homes don’t have a battery backup for their WiFi internet connection. If it’s not backed up with a battery and your home loses power, you will lose internet and security protection. Even if your DIY alarm system does have a battery and may continue to work during a power loss, don’t assume that it is still communicating with the monitoring center.
Easy to Hack
DIY security systems use common WiFi transmitters in attempt to reduce costs. This leaves the system open to hackers, who can disarm the system, rendering your DIY security alarm ineffective. Moreover, DIY systems typically only have one communication path and this one path can be taken down quickly by a hacker. All a burglar would have to do is search the internet to find which frequency your system is on and jam the communication frequency. DIY systems don’t do daily communications test to ensure the integrity of the communications, so the home owner won’t even know if the system is not communicating.
Feature Limitations
The difference between a professionally installed alarm system and a DIY alarm, is that you ONLY get a burglar alarm and maybe a smoke detector with do-it-yourself. Professional home security systems allow you not only monitor your home security, but to monitor fire and carbon monoxide, as well as provide the added convenience of home automation.
While a do-it-yourself system might sound like a good idea now, it will end up costing you more money in the long run. Professional systems are more affordable and reliable than you think. They can usually be installed in less than a day and have a professional security team backing you up. These professionals also know to look for things like windows that are blocked by shrubbery or doors that can’t be seen and can plan your system layout accordingly.
Let our professionals visit your home and help you design a system that fits your home, family, and budget. We have multiple options for financing and we can show you why you should choose a professional to protect your home rather than a gimmick system from the internet or a cable provider.