Is it time for a security system upgrade? Security systems have advanced significantly over the last sixty years. The skeleton of the system remains essentially the same—keypads, control panels, and devices all working together for detection and notification purposes—but the components themselves have received significant aesthetic and technological face-lifts. While professional security systems are designed to last, eventually improvements in technology and security eclipse the maximum potential of an existing home alarm system.
So how can you tell if you need a home security system upgrade—or a complete do-over? The engineers, consultants, and technicians at EPS Security have more than six decades of experience in upgrading systems for an enhanced security system, so we’ve put together a quick list of tell-tale signs that you’re overdue for a complete home security makeover.
You’re still connected to a landline.
Landlines have always been an inelegant solution to the home monitoring problem. For many years, security systems reported their alarm signals from the security panel to their designated monitoring center through copper phone lines. It got the job done, but it also came with a specific risk—namely, that a savvy intruder could cut the phone line running to and from the house, effectively eliminating the security system’s ability to report.
As telecom companies began eliminating Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines, security companies took advantage of the opportunity to eliminate its Achilles heel. Modern systems utilize a combination of cellular and internet communication. A properly functioning alarm signal communicator uses cellular towers and radio signals to communicate and bypasses wired communication entirely. By switching from landlines to cellular signals, security companies have been able to mitigate the risk of nefarious interference on the part intruders and strengthened the reliability of alarm signal communication.
When it comes to landlines, you may soon find yourself upgrading out of necessity. Telecom companies are switching from old POTS lines to digital Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) lines at an increasing rate, and VOIP lines are not compatible with modern home security systems. In the near future, your thirty-year-old alarm system may lose its method of communication and require an upgrade just to keep it communicating with your monitoring center.
Your system is outdated.
If you’re still using analog home surveillance cameras from the early 90s, you’re not doing yourself any favors. The individual components that make up a home security system have each developed in leaps and bounds. It’s not just ancient, pre-internet systems that don’t hold their own against modern equipment. In the last decade alone, enormous advancements have been made in almost every corner of the security industry. Devices perform more reliably and more precisely than ever before. Cameras capture high-quality images and can come equipped with features such as infrared and zoom-and-focus. Systems and devices can be monitored and set from the convenience of your smart phone.
Certain facets of system time maintenance can be done with a proper internet connection with your security provider. Often, firmware and software updates can be performed without needing to roll a truck, saving you and potentially money on a service call. And while securing your home is the most crucial function of a security system, it doesn’t hurt that advanced in technology have also improved the aesthetic design of many home security devices. Slick, unobtrusive designs allow for maximum security with minimal interference in your decorating.
You’re stuck with a “dumb” home.
No offense to your house, but if your current security setup can’t support “smart” connected devices, it’s getting surpassed by the other homes on the block. Home automation is in high demand and it’s being integrated into everything from light bulbs to coffee makers—and security systems aren’t exempt. Platforms such as EPS Total Connect allow for control of compatible home security devices. From the same application on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer, you can turn off your lights, view your cameras, shut your garage door, lock your doors, arm and disarm your system, and more—but only if your system is compatible. If you’re looking for more out of your security system than “just” security, the exceptional convenience of a smart security system may be the way forward.
Your security system doesn’t work—and hasn’t for a long time.
EPS service technicians exist for a reason. If your system works well but experiences a hiccup, a service call should do the fix. However, if your landline-tethered panel is rusting off the wall and your system hasn’t been turned on for years, it might be time to look into a modern security solution.
If you’ve relied on your current security system for longer than you can remember, then it has performed just as a security system should—safely and reliably for years on end. All good things must come to an end and all security systems must be replaced in time, but in this case, far better things lay beyond the horizon. Let EPS take you into the future with its customized smart home security solutions and discover a home security system upgrade that you’ll rely on for years to come.