Looking to feel more secure or to protect your belongings when you are away? It is a need that comes back every year, just before going on vacation for several weeks, and that can be solved by installing an alarm for the house. But you should not rush, because it is an important choice. So how do you choose the best home security system?
Choosing the best security system gives you years of peace of mind, with a wide array of benefits you might not expect. But if you make the wrong choice, you could end up without protection or suffering costly inconvenience for years to come.
To choose the best security system, here is a list of the essentials to consider.
Table of Contents
Cellular connection and battery backup
When assessing a security system, pay attention to the way it communicates and sends emergency signals.
Some systems use telephone lines or are grafted onto the home internet connection. These systems are vulnerable to a fall from a tree branch or a pair of wire cutters.
For better security, look for a system with a dedicated GSM connection and battery backup. This type of security system can send you a distress signal even if your phone line is cut and you are out of power. These are two essential conditions for choosing the best security system.
Intelligent deterrence and presence simulation
It is better to deter a crime than to determine one after the fact. A good security system makes your home a very unattractive target for a burglar, who will always seek ease and speed.
Look for a system that incorporates visible deterrents, such as outdoor security cameras, and why not a doorbell camera, as we have seen for example with the Arlo Video Doorbell.
You can also provide smart lighting, which will simulate a presence at home. It can also light up when your doorbell camera detects motion, ensuring intruders find themselves in the limelight after dark.
Professional supervision in an emergency
You will come across plenty of out-of-the-box home security devices with smartphone apps that will alert you to any activity at home.
It’s a great new way to stay connected at home, but also a bad approach to home security. You can’t (and probably don’t want to) be “on-call” 24 hours a day, ready to respond to an emergency alert from your home. Besides, if a break-in occurs, while you are on the other side of the planet, what will you do? Apart from watching the scene thanks to the camera installed, helpless?
For real home security, it may be useful to have a professional surveillance system, included in some solutions, either year-round or available on demand. In the latter case, the service may only be activated when you are going away for a long period, for example.
In the event of an emergency, the system proactively alerts a 24/7 monitoring station, where security professionals are available day and night to immediately contact the local police or fire department, and make the call. necessary on-site, such as bringing in a locksmith for repairs, so you don’t leave your home wide open while you wait for your return.
Be careful, however, to check the intervention time of the company: if in built-up areas the times are generally very short, accommodation in the countryside will be more of a concern.
A smart alert that doesn’t spam you
Smartphone alerts are great for being kept up to date with everything that is happening! But they can quickly become invasive so that you end up not looking at them. And unfortunately, the day the alert is really important, you risk missing it.
Some systems are now “intelligent”: with an ecosystem of security sensors and a “brain” to process the information they collect (often in the Cloud, because it requires computing power), the technology understands this. happening in your home and if you need to find out. Smart cameras, for example, can distinguish between a human being, an animal, and a vehicle. So you are not inundated with alerts about your daily activities.
More convenient security
If the security systems of yesteryear could be restrictive, a modern system will make your life easier.
Think about the practical functions possible with a smart lock, for example. A smart lock, connected to your system, that makes it easy to Select the right people without compromising security.
Your children or family can have a permanent user code, while trusted visitors can have restricted user codes that only work between certain hours, or expire after a certain time. No more tracking spare keys!
You can also automate some things for your convenience. For example, you can have your system disarm and have the lights in your hallway come on when you open your smart lock.
Proactive security for your family
The best home security systems don’t just protect you from crime – they also protect your family from everyday dangers.
Contact sensors inside your home can warn you quickly when children enter prohibited areas such as the garage, pool area, or even just the medicine cabinet.
Smoke, carbon monoxide, gas, and even flood detectors are also sensors that can complete a security system to protect its occupants.
First steps in the smart home
There is another very important reason why it is important to choose the best home security system. Technology changes rapidly, and soon you will want to modernize your home.
A smart security system should be able to integrate with other smart home equipment you need for a frustration-free smart home controlled by a single app.
For example:
- A smart thermostat to save energy and increase comfort
- A video doorbell that lets you answer your door from anywhere
- Indoor video cameras to keep an eye on a future arrival
- Smart garage door openers for easy access
- Water sensors to protect you from broken and leaking pipes
- Smoke and monoxide detectors to protect against fires and poisoning
- etc.
The communication of all these equipment makes it possible to gain comfort, in safety, while achieving energy savings. For example, when you leave, you activate the alarm: automatically, the heating can switch to eco mode, the lamps go out, the shutters close, the locks lock.
Not everyone is aware of it yet, but choosing the best security system is also a first step towards the home of tomorrow, the smart home.
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