Spending on home security is essential

It is money well spent, especially if you have senior citizens or children in the house

Sure, there is a grill outside the main door or three latches on it. But is it enough? No, many would feel, especially if there are senior citizens in the house. The rise in the number of burglaries and attacks on senior citizens seems to indicate it is not too difficult for robbers.

Marzin Shroff, chief executive officer, direct sales and senior vice-president, marketing, Eureka Forbes, says there is a rising demand for home security systems.

“It is not always possible to keep an eye on our properties, with all our busy schedules. So, round-the-clock surveillance and protection is desirable, especially if there are senior citizens and children at home,” he says.

The expenses depend on your flat’s location. In a ground floor house, the windows are vulnerable and prone to intrusions. For a flat on a higher floor, you might have to worry about securing the main entry and a fire exit, more than the windows. If your house is a bungalow with a large compound, then you will have to worry about securing the boundary walls as well. The budget can be anywhere between Rs 1-2 lakh to Rs 10-15 lakh or even more.

And if your house or bungalow is in the outskirts of the city, there would be the additional cost of generators and power.

Wireless intrusion alarm systems are the most popular because they are easy to install and operate.

Besides, these are scalable. Sensors can be added and the device customised to suit your specific security requirements, Shroff adds.

Closed circuit cameras with video recording and digital door locks operable without keys (and, hence, take care of the risk of duplication) are also popular.