7 Important Pieces of Technology to Boost Safety and Security in Residential Houses

It is easy to get lost when it comes to home security. People get their homes, and they know they have something valuable. But how do they go about actually protecting it?

This is a question that has been studied for as long as people have had homes. From the days of moats and draw bridges to the ivory towers of Carthage, to the massive estates of European lords. But we live in a new age now, of personal real estate and advanced technology.

To keep your home safe, try these home security systems in Celina by Smith Thompson.

The Alarm

This is the most well-known of all home security technologies. This might make it seem token or weak. After all, if the alarm is so good, why do any of the other security technologies exist?

But the thing is that most security technologies exist in support of the alarm. The reason is that the alarm provides a simple solution to a complex problem: If a thief breaks into your home, your number one priority is getting them out of your home. And nothing gets them out faster than knowing that they have been caught.

These days, alarms have tons of high-tech features. From pre-programmable alarms to notifications sent to your phone, there are tons of innovations that make them worth it.

Motion Sensitive Lights

These have an obvious aesthetic and conservation benefit to them that most people can recognize immediately. The aesthetic benefit is that it feels pleasing to walk by a house and see the lights come on in sequence. They benefit the environment by not being on all the time too.

But what are the security benefits to motion-activated lights? Imagine motion-activated lights on your driveway, or just outside your house and pointed at it. These accomplish a few things.

First, anyone approaching your house at night will be visible. And second, the lights are likely to wake you up when that happens. They also help your alarm detect motion.

Automatic Locks

These are far less common than other forms of smart home security, but they can still help you a ton. With these, you no longer have to think about locking the doors at night or when you leave for work. You also will not get locked out because you can unlock them with an app.

Just be careful, as automatic locks can also be a security liability if not paired with…

Strong Router Security

It surprises many people to hear that their internet security is so important. It is not quite as important as your alarm or locks, but it does play a big part in your home security.

This is obviously true if you have a smart home where your locks can be operated through the internet. But it is also true if you do not, as tons of sensitive information is on your network.

The best way to improve router security is with two factor authentication. That means an app (either a third party app or one provided by your router) that demands a secondary sign-in before your internet can be accessed on a certain device.

Smoke Detectors

These do more to protect your family than you might think. They are called “smoke detectors” due to their original use for spotting fires. But these days they can detect all sorts of things.

Carbon monoxide is one of the most silent and deadly gasses in the world, and it creeps into neighborhoods more often than you would think. You can get a smoke detector that detects that, as well as one that can pick up when people are smoking when they shouldn’t be.

You can even get a smoke detector that “talks” to other parts of your house. For instance, a smoke detector that tracks the temperature and helps manage the air conditioning.

Doorbell Cameras (And Other Cameras)

Doorbell cameras are great due to the way thieves work. It is easy to get a romantic notion of the process thieves go through in selecting a house to rob and breaking into it. Many people play out these scenarios like mini heist movies in their minds. The truth is often disappointing.

Doorbell cameras work because most thieves go from door to door just seeing who left their front door unlocked. This means that a doorbell camera will catch such a thief’s face in the act. 

Other cameras are also good, but a distinction should be made between cameras that are there to record and cameras that are there as add-ons to motion sensors. Most cameras serve to help your alarm detect motion that should not be there. A doorbell camera is different in that respect.

Doorbell cameras are motion-activated and record their video onto a separate device. This means that pulling the recordings from them can be high maintenance. But they tend to be worth it, as they let you know if someone is repeatedly trying to enter your home.

A Security Sign

A sign with “house under surveillance” hardly seems like an equivalent piece of technology to a motion sensor or self-locking lock, does it? But there are two reasons why it is not only equivalent but might be better. For one, it is far easier to install than most.

But more importantly, there is a lot more reward relative to that ease of installation. Most thieves do not care if there is a sign like this in front of your home. But do you know who does care? Thieves that have been thieves for a while. Professional thieves pay attention to this stuff.

This means that an easily installed sign warning of surveillance will scare off the thieves that would otherwise be the biggest threat to your security.

Conclusion

Your residence deserves to be safe, and there is plenty of technology to do that. Just be sure to keep an open mind as to what you define as “technology”, as it might mean more than you think when it comes to what keeps your home safe.