Are Home Alarm Systems Really Worth It? (Knox: homeowners insurance, crimes)

[ambralita]

Are home alarm systems really worth having? And in all the years you've had one, how often did it come in handy?

Also, are firearms worth owning, what are the pros and cons? If you own a weapon, how do you protect kids in the house?

Thanks!

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by ambralita

Are home alarm systems really worth having? And in all the years you've had one, how often did it come in handy?

Also, are firearms worth owning, what are the pros and cons? If you own a weapon, how do you protect kids in the house?

Thanks!

do you really need us to list the cons of keeping a gun in your home? Even the biggest gun nuts out there know the downside...

[ambralita]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

do you really need us to list the cons of keeping a gun in your home? Even the biggest gun nuts out there know the downside...

I know, I know. But I keep thinking, G*d forbid, if something went down in my home, and I had nothing to protect myself or my family......But I bet the chances of an accident with a gun in the house are much higher than an actual assault or break-in...right?

[ENFD240]

i leave my loaded guns out on the table, that way they are handy incase someone is breaking in... so far the kids haven't tried to play with them...


as far as the alarm system...

1) i only have it for one reason - fire alarm monitoring, because i know wif they go off, the fd is coming.

2) with the burglar alarm portion... they could carry off all my posessions, including my front lawn, before scpd makes it there

3) i get a discount on my homeowners insurance for having a central station system, so it offsets the cost a bit...

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by ambralita

I know, I know. But I keep thinking, G*d forbid, if something went down in my home, and I had nothing to protect myself or my family......But I bet the chances of an accident with a gun in the house are much higher than an actual assault or break-in...right?

For whatever reason, stories where a homeowner successfully protected his family by firing a gun at an intruder aren't all that common.

If anything is going to "go down" in your home, you likely won't have time to retrieve your weapon. In the case of a burglary, you likely won't even know it happened until after the fact.

[NYRed]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

do you really need us to list the cons of keeping a gun in your home? Even the biggest gun nuts out there know the downside...

Proper storage and education for the kids is a must for a firearm...
NRA has a highly rated program for kids on this...
If you have no knowledge than find a NRA certified instructor to give a course for the adults also...You might find you like your new hobby too!!!

We prefer the term gun enthusiast...Or hobbyist...

[skel1977]

Just buy a home alarm sign or sticker and put it outside your house.

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by NYRed

Proper storage and education for the kids is a must for a firearm...
NRA has a highly rated program for kids on this...
If you have no knowledge than find a NRA certified instructor to give a course for the adults also...You might find you like your new hobby too!!!

We prefer the term gun enthusiast...Or hobbyist...

would you agree that there are both gun enthusiasts AND gun nuts out there?

[PeePaw]

ME Too!

Originally Posted by ENFD240

1) i only have it for one reason - fire alarm monitoring, because i know wif they go off, the fd is coming.

2) with the burglar alarm portion... they could carry off all my posessions, including my front lawn, before scpd makes it there

3) i get a discount on my homeowners insurance for having a central station system, so it offsets the cost a bit...

[Interlude]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

For whatever reason, stories where a homeowner successfully protected his family by firing a gun at an intruder aren't all that common.

First off, you don't have to fire a gun to use it. Stories where a homeowner successfully protects him/herself and/or their family with the USE (including simply brandishing it, racking a shotgun, etc.) of a firearm are actually quite common - statistics show as high as 2.5 million "defensive gun uses" per year although that includes shop owners protecting their shops as well. Of course, these stories are not more publicized, for "insert media/government conspiracy theory here". Firearms are tool which can be quite useful in the hands of a responsible person who takes the time to learn how to use them.

And no, you're not more likely to shoot your kids or whatever other silly nonsenses is thrown around. Read up on the study where those statistics came from - they included suicides and gang/drug violence in those numbers.

Alarms are as useful as a deterrent. You don't have to make your house Fort Knox, you just have to be less appealing than your neighbors since most robberies are crimes of opportunity committed by teenagers, not the crew of Ocean's 11. Plus, as pointed out, if you include fire monitoring, your insurance may pick up some or even most of your monthly monitoring fee (mine does).