Real Numbers: How Much Money Home Security Devices Save You
Home security isn’t just about the ‘big’ problems like burglaries and fire: it also specializes in smaller solutions and useful features, from detecting small pests in the kitchen to saving on expensive subscriptions.
These home system benefits also mean some serious savings. How many? Our experts looked at everything from the fine print of the insurance policy to the electricity consumption and did the calculations. This is exactly what you can save with the right home security systems or devices.
Discounts on homeowners insurance
Aqara’s smart deadbolt replacement looks and feels great.
Costs: $300 to $500
Savings: 5% to 15% discount on homeowners insurance, a savings of about $7 to $20 per month
You can find many promises online about how much home security equipment can shave off your homeowner’s insurance bills. We have more details here, but it really depends on whether your insurance company allows it and what specific devices you have.
Insurers prefer to see a complete home security system that you can arm, preferably with smart locks and professional home monitoring. At the high end, you can save about 15% or even more. With the average homeowners insurance bill today being around $150 to $200 per month, that can mean significant monthly savings.
Replace professional home monitoring with smart alerts
Gemini can provide alerts about all kinds of things for compatible cameras like Nest devices.
Costs: $0 to $20 per month
Savings: $20 to $50 per month
Professional home security monitoring can be expensive, with traditional plans often costing more than $50 per month. But you don’t to have to get home monitoring – if you are willing to do it yourself. Many modern devices, like security cameras or DIY home security systems, allow you to upgrade to a lighter subscription (or even no subscription) with smart alerts, human recognition, live view, and two-way audio capabilities.
That’s enough to act as your own home monitor if you don’t mind checking your phone notifications. If you want to make it even easier, you can get plans like Ring’s Protect Pro ($20) or Arlo’s Secure Plus ($18) or even Alexa emergency assistance With ($6) you can contact emergency services directly 24/7 through their apps to save time.
Stop leaks immediately with leak detectors
Leak detectors, especially battery models, can be used almost anywhere.
Costs: About $30 to $50
Savings: $200 to very high if accidents happen
Leak detectors work with many different home security systems and monitor the presence of water or frost. You can place them near pipes, behind toilets, under sinks, and near water heaters, where they will let you know if something is leaking. You can turn off the water right away and prevent stains, water damage, or even serious mold problems.
When a leak occurs, that detector can save a lot of money. Water damage to the floor can begin about $200 to repair and amounting to thousands of dollars for widespread leaks that go undetected for too long.
Connect a smart thermostat to your system
Smart thermostats make temperature management easy, leading to big savings.
Costs: About $300
Savings: $50 per year
Many home security systems integrate with third-party smart thermostats, such as those offered by Nest or Ecobee, or offer smart thermostats themselves. These thermostats are easy to set up, app-controlled, and work with virtually any HVAC system. Thanks to their suggestions and automation, these thermostats are extra efficient in keeping your home at the right temperature. How efficient? Energy Star estimates one smart thermostat saves an average of $50 or more if you live in a more extreme climate.
Switch to smart lights
Smart bulbs from Philips are on the affordable side and can save dollars over time.
Costs: $10 to $20 per lamp
Savings: $200 per year or more
Smart bulbs use LEDs and app scheduling to become incredibly efficient. Many work with home security systems, allowing you to set their timers, brightness, and other settings from the same place you arm your system. Smart LEDs are more affordable than ever, and the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that An average household can save approximately €225 per year by switching all lighting to LEDs and by making use of product improvements in lighting design.
Prevention of piracy in verandas
Delivery boxes have some built-in tricks to defeat porch pirates.
Costs: $100 to $200
Savings: About $50 per package
Porch pirates are more common than ever, and data shows the average package is stolen value between $50 and $100. That can add up as porch pirates tend to storm your neighborhood every holiday season. But there are ways you can stop them. A video doorbell, which starts around $50, can deter porch pirates if they notice him watching them. Or you can opt for a full delivery lockbox, which starts at $200 and makes it impossible for thieves to reach delivered packages at your home.
As a final stop before you leave, check out our guides on how to deter burglars, how to get cheaper security plans, or what you need to know about hacking your smart home.
