TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 19, 2016) – Almost 70% (69%) of Canadians find that home security systems add value to their homes according to an AlarmForce Industries (“AlarmForce“) (TSX:AF) Spring Home Security Poll released today. The national poll also found that while most respondents find value in home security systems, close to 90% (89%) of respondents feel very safe in their own neighbourhoods. 23% of Canadians do not rely on home security at all. “We believe most Canadians have become accustomed to having a home security system,” said Beth Robertson, VP Sales & Marketing, AlarmForce Industries. “With today’s modern technologies having a home alarm/monitoring system is a forgone conclusion.” The poll was conducted by Environics Research amongst 817 Canadians between March 28, 2016 – April 2, 2016 and is considered accurate +/- 4% 19 out of 20.
The poll also found that almost 40% of Canadians were unaware that having a home security system reduces their insurance rates, helping to offset their annual subscription cost while increasing their home safety. “In some cases, insurance companies will give you a discount of up to 20% on your annual premiums depending on the extensiveness of your home security package,” said Anne Marie Thomas, Industry Expert, Kanetix.ca.
Additionally, when adding value to your home a whopping 96% of Canadians are concerned about the safety of their home and neighbourhood when making this lifetime decision purchase. “When looking for any additional edge in increasing your home value having a home security system in place has increasingly become an expectation when purchasing a home,” said Robertson. The poll showed that over 40% of homeowners looking to purchase a new home have a pre-installed home security system on their checklist.
76% of Canadians feel that their neighbours are paying attention and are typically very aware of unusual activities in their neighbourhood. However, when asked who is more likely to notice suspicious or unusual activities, such as an unfamiliar face or a parked vehicle, 75% of respondents felt that they are more likely to notice it versus their neighbour.
Other Poll Highlights:
• A number of Canadians rely on a loud/large dog (27%) or baseball bat/golf club (16%) to meet the challenges of break-ins.
• 82% feel that direct contact between the home alarm company and emergency services is important and a full 71% believe voice response by the security company is important if an incident is detected.
• 68% are in favour of being able to remotely arm/disarm their home security systems, monitor or control smarthome options such as door locks, smoke detectors, lighting, garage doors and cameras remotely from a computer or smartphone.
• 76% believe that a monitored alarm system is effective in improving safety and security of their homes.
Helpful Tips to Protect Your Home
- Install motion lights in areas that are hard to see by neighbours or the public. These lights will draw attention to anyone approaching your house at night.
- Secure any windows and window air conditioner units, especially if they are on the first floor. An open window can be a fairly easy way for a burglar to get inside.
- Put your street address on the back of your house so backyard neighbours know what to tell police if they see suspicious activity from the backyard.
- Make sure any interior mirrors don’t reflect your home alarm system through windows, doors, etc. This will prevent burglars from seeing if your alarm system is activated or not.
Here are the full details from the AlarmForce Home Security Poll.
About AlarmForce
AlarmForce provides security alarm monitoring, personal emergency response monitoring, video surveillance and related services to residential and commercial subscribers throughout Canada and the United States. More information about AlarmForce’s products and services can be found at alarmforce.com.
(416) 599-0024 ext 237
hugh@mansfieldinc.com
Nila Halycia
(416) 599-0024 ext 236
nila@mansfieldinc.com