Home Security in The 21st Century: Integration
Last week, we explored advances in technology and how smart homes can change many aspects of our domestic lives, particularly home security. In this day and age, home security is no less a concern than it’s ever been. To be sure, most fundamental aspects of security remain unchanged, but as technology has advanced things are a little easier and more affordable for the average homeowner while delivering a more tightly secured home. Most of us have alarm systems in our homes, and these should be seen as one component of your overall security setup rather than comprising its entirety. These days, cameras are even more affordable, smaller, more durable, and can store even more footage without cumbersome drives or space-hogging cassettes. In addition, automatic locks on doors and remote access alarm systems add a measure of convenience and security to even the most basic of setups. What you ultimately decide on, however, should be reflective of your own needs and budget.
It’s important to realize that building your security system should be a thoroughly planned and rational process, otherwise you’re going to wind up spending much more money than planned for things that may not help very much at all. Because break-ins, burglaries, and home invasions are something we all share a quite reasonable fear of, security companies capitalize on that fear in order to increase their own profit margins, often encouraging consumers to pay for features they either don’t need or can accomplish for much cheaper through other means.
To that end, take those sales pitches with a grain of salt, and have a clear picture of your security needs and unique situation rather than always imagining a worst-case scenario. With technology evolving at such a rapid pace, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the possibilities. To avoid feature overload, you should think about what your own unique needs are, what you want out of your system, and how those features will fit into your home, budget and lifestyle. Again, this should be a rational and thoughtfully considered decision, not an impulsive or fearful one. By thoughtfully creating a must-have list of components, a you will be able to clearly communicate the vision of a smart, secure home to a professional who can turn it into reality – without selling you a bunch of things you don’t actually need.
That being said, there are several options to choose from when it comes to integrating your home and beginning to make any additions actually count – that is, give you the maximum benefit through their cooperation with one another, your security system as a whole, and you, the homeowner:
Integrated Vibration and Audio Sensors:
If you’re going to install sensors, false alarms are a slightly greater concern than they are with most security system features. Fortunately, audio systems, which have the ability to distinguish between common household noises and those associated with a break-in, are now readily available and able to integrate with existing sensors. We mentioned this in our last blog, but it’s worth repeating: as much as it shouldn’t be an issue, false alarms can actually cost you money if law enforcement is called automatically, and you can be charged by both your security provider or the city itself – sometimes both – which brings us to our next feature.
Home Security Integration and Remote Access:
Again, in the interest of avoiding false alarms while giving you even greater control over your system, home security integration setups allow you to monitor their property remotely using a smartphone or computer. The regimen even affords you with the ability to control the lights, adjust the thermostat, and log in to arm or disarm the system from their current location. The latter is a huge plus, and if you have self-locking doors or cameras, this is a must-have. In other words, if you’re going to have a smart security system, get it connected to your smartphone.
Self-Monitoring:
Speaking of connecting to your smartphone, self-monitoring further increases your system’s accessibility and overall function. This advancement in mobile technology allows you to save a bit of money while keeping their property safe and secure, by sending you an email or text message notifying you if an alarm should be triggered. You can then check the situation out for yourself to see if anything looks suspicious and call the police if necessary, reducing false alarms while giving you greater access to your home’s security system while away.
Wireless Security Systems:
These security systems are easy to install and require little in terms of alteration of your property. They’re cheaper, portable, and ideal for renters, as they’re easy to move to a new house. Wireless security systems don’t require a landline to operate and many can be purchased without the need to sign a contract with an alarm monitoring service, which is a huge plus if you’re looking to take control of your home’s security yourself and avoid sales pitches by the security companies. In the event of an emergency, they can make it much easier to locate both the nature of the problem and the area of the home where it’s located, and since they often work via Wi-Fi they’re accessible either remotely or at home using your Internet service.
Keyless Door Locks:
Most of us at some point have probably left a key under the front door mat in case a family member gets locked out. It’s worked reasonably well for homeowners everywhere thus far, but such a strategy carries obvious risks. Thanks to new technology with keyless door locks, you no longer need to partake in this potentially dangerous practice. Instead of using keys to get in the front door, keyless locks create an easy-to-change code to gain entry to the home, which can be accessed via a numerical code for older models, and smartphone-enabled apps or even dual-tier app command and voice or fingerprint recognition. This also eliminates the need for you to worry about anyone who may have acquired keys to your house over the years, as simply changing the key code keeps unwanted intruders out.
With all of these new and innovative security options to choose from, take the time to consider what features they’d like your own system to have before selecting the option that’s right for you. Integration is the key to making these features perform at their full potential, because it means they’re able to cooperate with one another while giving you greater yet more exclusive access to your own home than ever before. Be sure to check back with us next week as we continue exploring advancements in technology and how they relate to your home’s security, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! You can also sign up for our email list to receive first-access updates on new properties and industry information!
– Get It Right Solutions, LLC