Even though some areas are starting to slowly open up, the coronavirus pandemic has made some very definite shifts in the way people live their lives. People are spending more time than ever at home. They’re working from home offices and schooling their kids from their kitchen tables. Many families are also juggling personal work and day-to-day life with keeping an eye on elderly loved ones who live independently but may be dealing with health issues. These needs have made a complete smart home security system more of a necessity and less of a luxury.
Whereas home security systems used to be simple burglar alarms, today’s systems do much more than monitor for intruders. They offer live video feeds that can be accessed from anywhere. Security and medical monitoring not only keep your home safe when you’re away – but they can also help keep tabs on older or infirm family members who are spending time alone in your house or on their own.
Complete smart home security systems also put control of everything from lights and thermostats to door locks right at your fingertips. In addition, they monitor for dangers such as smoke, carbon monoxide, and fires. Here’s what you should know as you work with your professional home security company to build a smart home with all the features you want and need.
The 4 Things a Complete Smart Home Security System Needs
Mobile Control and Video Surveillance
Far beyond the standard burglar alarm, modern technology has added an array of features to the complete smart home security system. One of those features is mobile control and video surveillance. This technology grants greater access and visibility into your home than ever before.
In years past, security systems were only as good as a homeowner’s memory. If you left the house or went up to bed and forgot to arm the alarm, it couldn’t monitor for intruders. Today’s complete smart home security systems use wireless technology and smartphone apps to allow arming and disarming from anywhere. Leave for the grocery store and realize you left the system disarmed? With the touch of a button, it’s set and ready to go. Similarly, you can disarm the system remotely should a repair person or family member need to access your home while you’re away.
Mobile control and video surveillance work hand-in-hand to keep your home protected. Home video surveillance systems act as an effective deterrent to criminals, as well as giving you peace of mind and the ability to check-in while you’re away. In addition to this, they can collect useful video evidence should a crime occur. In Texas, video surveillance was recently used to identify a criminal duo responsible for as many as 100 burglaries. Surveillance cameras can also help homeowners weed out false alarms, sparing police from having to respond to calls where no issue is present.
Working with a professional home security provider can help you determine where to install cameras in order to ensure that you get full coverage of all of your home access points. Maintaining your cameras with an annual home security camera check will also ensure that they’re up and running properly when you need them.
Security and Medical Monitoring
Historically, most burglaries take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when people are at work and school, but with schedules being disrupted, burglars are getting creative, breaking into homes and garages whenever the opportunity arises. Security and medical monitoring will ensure that your home and its occupants are being kept safe at all times – whether you’re there or not.
With a complete smart home security system, in addition to being able to check in on your security cameras remotely, you’ll receive security notifications whenever something is amiss, whether it’s a door sensor being triggered or motion being detected on a camera. In addition, security company staff will monitor your system and send help if you don’t dismiss an alarm.
This is especially helpful when it comes to monitoring the wellbeing of ill or elderly family members who are home alone. Whether they’re living in your home and spend time by themselves or live independently, you can link wall-mounted alert buttons or wearable medical alert pendants into the home security system that will send a call for help with the push of a button.
Some wearable devices even have fall detection technology, and two-way audio allows the individual to speak to 911 while they’re waiting on help to arrive. Whether your loved one is in the bathroom, moving through the house, or out by the pool, this type of security and medical monitoring technology is useful for keeping them safe when you can’t be with them in person.
Total Home Control
Everything in our lives has gotten a bit less convenient lately. Many people are working and schooling from home – setting up makeshift desks and schoolrooms in bedrooms and living rooms. Even grocery shopping has many more steps than it did before, from social distancing, sanitizing carts and hands, and wiping down items upon returning home.
What better reason to have a home that makes life easier and more convenient? With total home control as part of your complete smart home security system, everything is at your fingertips, including your security system, home lighting, thermostats, water heaters, and more. Simply turn everything off, on, up, and down using a home security app right on your smartphone.
In addition to comfort and convenience, total home control is an excellent way to achieve maximum energy efficiency. Rather than relying on you to remember to shut off unused lights or raise and lower the thermostat when necessary, smart devices learn your habits and adjust these things accordingly. You can also put in schedules and customized settings in order to boost energy efficiency. These total home control devices are so useful that Wired even published a feature on how smart thermostats and lighting can help cut your energy bill.
Smoke, Carbon Monoxide, and Fire Detection
Burglary, fire, and carbon monoxide detectors: every home should have basic home safety devices to protect your family from everyday threats. These features are especially important when putting together a complete smart home security system. While the average security system contains surveillance cameras and sensors for your windows and doors, it may not connect with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout the home. This can be a costly and avoidable mistake, as today’s sophisticated smoke, carbon monoxide, and fire detection technology allows these devices to connect into home security systems for comprehensive protection in notification and monitoring.
If a homeowner is away, smartphone notifications will alert them of a potential fire or carbon monoxide so that they can check in by calling a family member at home or by checking surveillance cameras. Odorless and colorless, carbon monoxide is especially dangerous, leading to at least 430 deaths in the United States each year. If you’re away and miss the phone notification (or if you’re at home and…in a worst-case scenario…are unresponsive), first responders will be dispatched upon your smoke, carbon monoxide, and fire detection sensors being activated.
While many people think of home security systems only as burglar alarms that sound when you’re away, today’s technology has enabled them to be much more than this. From remote control and video surveillance to monitoring for medical problems, fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide, modern security devices have homeowners covered. Today’s complete smart home security systems integrate everything seamlessly – giving you peace of mind whether you’re away at work, homeschooling as you get dinner started, or tucking the kids in for the night.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 35 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions, and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
