5 Reasons To Avoid Buying Cheap Home Security Systems

Have you started thinking about purchasing a home security system? If you live in an area where providing a higher level of security for your living space is crucial, but your budget limits you to cheaper options – please stop at this point.

It’s understandable that inexpensive devices seem more attractive due to a modest budget. Still, purchasing them often means buying an unreliable system that may fail your expectations. When breakdowns become more frequent, you may spend a lot more cash than you would have spent if you had bought a quality unit. We advise you to slow down and do your best to collect the money for a much better investment – and, while you’re waiting, here are some more reasons why you should avoid cheap security alarms and cameras to make your decision firmer.

False alarm sounding

The problem of false sounding is common in many alarm systems, but inexpensive variants are much more prone to these issues. This implies further problems you may be absolutely unaware of.

What are we talking about here? It’s simple – once your home alarms sound, surveillance companies will try to get in touch with you. In cases when they fail to contact you, they’ll head to your address to make sure everything is fine, believing there is an incident taking place there at the given moment. You’ll have to justify a false alarm every time a situation like this occurs – and, well, do you really want to go through the same inconvenience all over again? We bet you don’t.

You should know that, if false alarms keep turning on frequently, the police won’t hesitate to charge you for frequent visits. Therefore, even in the case of quality alarm systems, you need to provide regular maintenance to avoid bugs. This will require hiring professional services who will make sure everything works perfectly. With that in mind, Liverpool residents may want to click here and find out more about such types of assistance in their city.

Poor image sensor quality

One of the main disadvantages of cheap video surveillance is the poor quality of the image sensor. When you get attracted by the low price, keep in mind that the manufacturer has probably taken care to reduce production costs in some way. Considering the high price of the image sensor, it’s clear that the maker will first try to save on it. The high price is completely understandable, considering that the quality of the video will depend on that component.

Still, the blurry video should by no means be ignored. You never know where danger lurks from. Clear identification of the people who may appear on your property may be crucial for protecting yourself from troubles.

Therefore, when purchasing the necessary devices, ask the store staff to show you some video samples based on which you’ll be able to see the effectiveness of what you’re buying.

Poor quality night videos

A quality night mode with a security system is probably one of the most significant items. The reason is clear – you can expect the greatest danger at night. Yet, if you still opt for a cheap alternative, don’t expect to get adequate protection when it’s dark.

Cameras that have proven ineffective are those that work with the help of an infrared system. You will see when someone approaches your property, but, due to the blurry and pixelated video, you won’t be able to see clearly who it is.

The security cameras that use modern video processing technology in order to improve night security are the most reliable variation. Also, the noise reduction function contributes to the improvement of production during the night hours.

Bad chips and coding problems

The next problem that often occurs with cheap and low-quality video surveillance equipment is bad software. This isn’t so strange considering the small amount of money invested. A detail that is fundamental for software activation of a home security system is the chip, whose role is coding the camera.

The problem with inexpensive chips is their insufficient coding power and poor implementation of other components. This commonly results in the creation of annoying smudges and pixelation that will spoil the picture and ruin the recorded content. These artifacts are a common nuisance with cheap equipment, and it’s quite clear that you simply can’t rely on the blurry footage if you want to catch intruders.

This eliminates any possibility of identification which is crucial in such moments, as we stated in previous sections. After all, why spend money on equipment that doesn’t serve the purpose it is supposed to serve? Think about it in advance before you make a decision.

Shorter lifespan

All users probably know that a low price usually means a poor physical appearance of the product – not only a bad performance. Unfortunately, this rule also applies in the case of inexpensive home security systems. In addition to the previously mentioned components that manufacturers are trying to save on, the next on the list is the physical aspect. To be able to sell the equipment at the lowest possible price, they use poor-quality materials and poor soldering, which later results in a shorter lifespan.

Cameras are usually placed outside and therefore need to be made of strong materials that’ll be able to resist various weather conditions, be it extreme heat or hail. In contrast, the material commonly used in cheap variants is low-quality aluminum with a very small layer of protective coating. The coating washes off quickly and the aluminum remains susceptible to rust. On the other hand, the use of plastic in production is also wrong, taking into account its tendency to crack.

To protect consumers, production standards that have been established should be met no matter what. Yet, no one can guarantee the correctness of the sticker signs – and those on cheap cameras are often questionable.

Even though you come across a large number of sellers of cheap home security systems on the Internet every day, before you decide to buy them, always think twice. Keep in mind that skimping on this aspect can cause you much higher costs later and probably make you repent your purchase. Reading these tips carefully and taking them into consideration will decrease the chances of making budget mistakes and help you improve your safety significantly.