3 Important Things You Need To Know Before Getting A Home Security System

Thinking About Getting A Home Security System? You Need To Read This.

We’re not going to lie: there are a LOT of security companies out there available to residents and visitors of Charleston & the Lowcountry; each company with its own lineup of equipment, products, services and other offers. Some companies are nationwide, and some are local & homegrown right here in South Carolina.

The difficult thing for homeowners these days is: how are you sure you’re choosing the right company?

To make it easy for you, here are 3 of the most important things to watch out for before getting a security system.

1. Most Security Equipment Is Great; Many Installations Are Not

Truth be told, a lot of the equipment available to homeowners by most companies is fantastic. Everything from complete home security systems and home automation equipment to home security cameras and GPS tracking devices for vehicles.

If most equipment is great, what separates the good companies from the bad? The installation of the equipment.

Poor installation standards among many companies in the Lowcountry can cost homeowners thousands of dollars in equipment replacement & service calls.

Perhaps the worst part of a poor installation is that it may leave your security system vulnerable on areas the system should be protecting.

So what can you do to prevent a poor security system installation? Check out a company’s client list and ask their clients how well their system was installed. If possible, visit a location you know that is protected by your potential security company and check out their work. A company that is known for quality installations should have no problem with you checking out their work.

2. Nationwide Companies Are Notorious For Poor Customer Service

As some readers of this post may already know and experienced, larger security companies have a history of terrible customer service. How do we know this? Because we normally get the call when other companies are lax with their customer service.

So why are nationwide companies so bad at customer service? It mostly stems from the fact that their installers and technicians are subcontractors; that is, they aren’t employees of the company.

When you have an issue with your system and call their company, they have to find a subcontractor in your area and hope they are able to fix your alarm. From what we hear from our customers who have used nationwide companies, sometimes it can take days — sometimes weeks — before a technician arrives.

We feel that each hour, each day the system doesn’t work or can’t be armed represents an opportunity for potential burglars and break-ins. It’s downright dangerous to leave a system vulnerable for that long. That’s why having a security company with a local team of professionally trained and experienced service technicians on staff that are able to quickly diagnose and fix issues is vital to keeping you and your family protected.

3. Save A Ton of Money By Asking About New System Offers

Security system prices can run high these days so don’t forget to ask about home security offers many security companies have available. As we talked about earlier, most security equipment companies offer is really, really good and will do a great job protecting you, your family and your property — so getting a state-of-the-art, significantly reduced priced system installed professionally (remember what we mentioned about installations above, though) is a great way to get an affordable security system for your home in the Lowcountry.

All that said, we hope you have a better idea of what to watch for before getting a home security system to protect you and your family.

If you have any questions at all about home security feel free to give us a call — (843) 789-9994 — or request a free consultation: we’ll be glad to help.