In this post, we are discussing some prominent security myths and the truth about how to protect your home and family.

Myths About Home Security Systems

1) My Neighborhood Is Too Safe

Whether you are in North Wilkesboro, Statesville, Mount Airy, or somewhere in between, you likely live amongst friendly people who look out for each other. Good neighbors are something we are fortunate to have in abundance throughout our area. Unfortunately, burglaries and break-ins happen in good neighborhoods. Here’s why:

• Burglars do not care how good your neighbors are
• Your neighbors are not home 24 hours a day
• Even if you have neighbors’ homes every moment of the day, they are not watching your home every moment
• When a burglar does enter your home, your neighborhood is powerless to do anything but alert first responders
• No neighborhood is so safe it cannot be burglarized.

2) Rural Areas are Safer than Cities

Most of the area we serve is rural. Conventional wisdom might suggest that our area would be safer than big cities like Charlotte and Raleigh; however, studies show that rural areas are actually more dangerous [source]. 

That is not to say we are suggesting selling your home and moving to the city. Rather, we want to emphasize that security is important wherever you live.

3) Professional Burglars Can Get Around a Security System

When we picture break-ins, we often get an image of a masked professional cutting phone and electric lines to enter your home silently by night. Most burglars are not professionals. They are people trying to make a quick dollar, so they have little interest in tackling a home with a professional security system. 

Furthermore, security systems cannot be disarmed by simply cutting a wire. There are multiple backups and fail-safes to help ensure that even hardened criminals cannot work around a secured home.

4) Lightning and Burglars Never Strike Twice

If you have lived in North Carolina for a long time, you know that thunderstorms can bring a lot of lightning. You may have noticed that lightning can absolutely strike the same structure or area multiple times. There are several people who have been struck by lightning multiple times and live to tell their tales. There is even science as to why this happens.

If your house or property is burglarized once, it may become a target for others. If you have, unfortunately, experienced a burglary, it is important to make sure your home is secured in the future.

5) Burglars Strike at Night

Burglaries are more common during the day, when most people are at work and school than at night, when families are at home. Though nighttime break-ins are possible and scary, security systems are important for protecting your property during the day as well.

6) Burglars Are Not Deterred by Signage

Most would-be burglars are searching for easy targets. Signage indicating your home is secured by Integrity Security is a deterrent to anyone that does not like the idea of spending time in prison.

7) A Guard Dog Will Keep You Safe

Sure, that big fluffy fur baby that you have in your home may be intimidating. It may even be trained to protect you and your family from intruders. However, a guard dog is not going to be able to tell the police about the intruders who broke into your home. 

Home security is best when you have multiple systems in place. Each system improves the efficacy of your home security environment. While a guard dog is a great piece of the puzzle, when included with cameras, window and door systems, as well as 24/7 support, you can feel comfortable knowing that your home and everything in it is safe.

8) Your Home Is In the Middle of Nowhere

When you purchased your home in the most remote part of the county, you did so with privacy and security in mind. We get it; you may think that just because you are in the middle of nowhere, your home is safe from burglars. However, in many cases, burglaries in cities occur more outside of metro areas than inside. Some stats even show that many rural areas are creeping up on urban counties' nonviolent crime rates.

Many burglars will often choose remote places to break into for a multitude of reasons. For one, fewer people are lurking around throughout the day, allowing them to be less conspicuous. If there is no one to see them, then who will turn them in? 

Additionally, many homeowners in rural areas have access to valuable items that many city dwellers just don't have. Think power tools, four-wheelers, trailers, heavy machinery, and in some cases, livestock. These big-ticket items are more valuable and are easy to sell second-hand with no questions asked.

9) You Need a Landline

Most people these days don't even have a landline hooked up to their homes. While security systems were once required to be attached to a hard phone line, that is no longer the case. 

New technology has allowed home security systems to run completely wireless. They no longer use traditional phone lines and instead rely on the internet to keep in contact with 24/7 monitoring and first responders.

10) Reliability Issues.

Film and television have made security systems look weak for years now. Burglars are often shown cutting phone and electrical lines, rendering the security system useless. While there may have been some systems in the past that would go down if that happened, that is not something that security professionals are concerned about at all anymore. 

Security systems have learned to counter the loss of connection and loss of power. With battery backups and wireless internet technology, most systems have built-in redundancies to ensure that your home is safe. Some systems come with their own data service, allowing them to communicate with authorities whether your internet is up or out.

11) Just Leave the Lights On

We have been conditioned to believe that just because the lights are on means that we are safe. This level of false comfort can lead us to believe that the lights outside will protect us from intruders. The reality is that the lights simply make things easier for burglars. They have better sight lines when scoping out their point of entry or whether there are any easy targets on the outside of your home. 

When putting together a security system, it is better to opt for motion-detecting flood lights. That way, when a burglar approaches your home, the lights will come on, scaring the intruder and alerting whoever is home that something is going on outdoors.

12) You Can’t Save Money on Insurance

One common misconception that keeps homeowners from investing in home security is their homeowner's insurance. Many believe that this type of insurance protects them from burglaries, and there is no financial incentive to invest in a system. 

In fact, there are plenty of incentives available, including discounts on home insurance when you install a home security system. Allstate says discounts are available for people who install basic alarm systems, deadbolts, smoke detectors, and more.

13) You Can Get Stuck with an Unreasonable Contract

Sure, many security systems employ the use of contracts to acquire and retain customers when selling security systems. There are plenty of reasons for this. Many companies are charging very little for the equipment and systems that are being put in place around your home, profiting very little. 

These service contracts ensure that they can make up the cost of acquiring a customer over time. Additionally, companies that offer around-the-clock monitoring are paying for teams of people that are constantly watching your home. This alone contracts with monthly fees.

14) Security Systems Are Not Worth the Price

Security systems are well worth the price when you do the math on potential insurance savings and replacing material goods lost in a burglary. However, security systems are priceless when you factor in the peace of mind of knowing you are taking every step to protect what matters most. 

Do not believe the myths about home security. Contact Integrity Security for more information about how you can ensure your home is guarded at all times by a security system.