Like mobile phones and broadband Internet access, a home security system is something that, after you get it, you can’t see going back to not having it again. There is such a feeling of comfort in knowing that your house, your family, and everything you’ve worked so hard for is that much safer.

Experts estimate that as many as 1 in 5 homes will be broken into with more expensive houses and houses near highway entrances being more likely to be broken into. In addition, houses without alarms and lawn signs are approximately 3 times as likely to be targets as homes with a security system and clearly posted yard signs. The mere fact that you have a security system increases the likelihood that you’ll never have an emergency where you will have to rely on it.

But if something bad does happen, you’ll be happy you have the support a home security system provides. If you have a burglar or attacker so bold that they are not scared off by the lawn signs and then the wail of the alarm itself, you’ll be ever thankful your alarm has not only alerted yourself to the potential danger, but it has also contacted the authorities. Even if you do not have opportunity to dial 911 yourself, assistance will still be on the way. It’s one less thing you have to concern yourself with so you can focus on protecting yourself or getting your family out of danger.

Of course, alarm systems today can do much more than protect you from a home invasion. Many can be equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that will also alert the proper authorities as well as sound an alarm. And while this may not seem like something worthwhile since your home probably already has detectors, consider what could happen if your house catches fire while you are not home. Instead of having to wait for someone else to realize there is a problem which may not happen in time to save your home, the smoke detector in your home security system can call the fire department as soon as it detects smoke which gives them a far better chance of getting to your home in time to save your possessions, your pets, and the structure itself.

So when you consider that a security system helps prevent home invasions as well as helping you deal with a variety of emergencies that could arise, it is easy to see why so many people consider a home security system a welcome and justifiable expense.