It’s Amazon’s Prime Day, which means that tech sales are plentiful. Many of these sales include do-it-yourself security systems and home security cameras. But are these the best setup for your home? And is your house going to be as secure as you’re hoping by adding these items? Here’s why you should really be looking for professional security deals this Prime Day if you want to secure your home.

 

First, let’s address do-it-yourself home security systems. These systems market themselves as affordable and customizable. They can be utilized on their own, without the need for professional monitoring but also have that option. So what’s the problem with that? Well, not every system and not every monitoring company is the same. 

 

Response Times for Monitoring Stations

Response time matters when you’re in the middle of a crisis—whether that’s a break-in, a medical emergency that you’ve triggered with a medical pendant, or a fire in your home. Some companies have a time of upwards of 60 to 90 seconds. When you use a professional security company, like WISE Home Solutions, whose monitoring station has some of the best response times in the business (around 12 seconds), you know that you’re investing in that service. In an emergency, every second counts. 

 

WiFi vs Cellular Security Systems

Professional alarm services tend to use security equipment that is tried and tested over a long period of time. Not only that, but while DIY systems boast their wireless systems, that’s a feature that’s been part of professional home security for a long time. And a professional system doesn’t count on Wi-Fi to keep you secure. Using cellular technology, you can rest assured that your security system will keep working during a power outage, or if someone were to use a Wi-Fi blocker near your home.

 

With professional home security, If your cell phone is working, your security system will be working. That’s why a professional system is much more secure than a Wi-Fi-based system. And while some Wi-Fi systems use an alarm cellular backup, there can be a minute or more delay before it kicks in, with some reports that alarm cellular backup never kicks in. This leaves your home and family vulnerable during that time.

 

Security Cameras are Not the First Line of Defense

Security cameras seem to be all the rage right now and there’s a company that ran a commercial that summed up this craze brilliantly. The commercial shows a series of people on vacation, at work, and other places away from their homes, watching from their phones as burglars break into their homes, as they beg for them to stop or put things back. While the commercial elicits a good chuckle, it poses a great question: what good is a camera if there’s no one responding to your emergency? Cameras should be viewed as a supplementary device to a complete security system. After your alarm scares off any potential intruder, you can send the video to the authorities for evidence. But don’t depend on cameras to keep you and your family safe.

 

So while it may be tempting to buy a DIY system or security cameras this Prime Day, make sure you’re investing in the right security system for your situation. And consider all the options you have out there. Cheaper isn’t always better, especially when it comes to the safety of your home.