Categories: Technology

A Beginner’s Guide To Smart Home Security Systems In 2022

With a housing recession looming over all homeowners, now is a better time than ever to invest in a smart home security system. Why is that? Well, consider the fact that smart home security systems add a ton of value to your home. They even lower your insurance costs.

But that is why they are good in general. These types of security systems are good for a recession because they put some value into your home that exists independently of the housing market. That value will remain even if the price of the home drops.

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Why is it that security systems are so valuable though? And why do you need to go so far as to get a smart home security system? What goes into such a complex technology?

There are a lot of valid questions to ask when you are on the verge of making an investment into a relatively new technology. It is for that reason we are going to give you a beginner’s guide to smart home security systems, including how they work and what they contain.

What Is A Smart Home Security System?

Imagine your normal home security system. You will usually have an alarm system that triggers when the doors open. If it is really fancy, it will have sensors on the windows that detect if they are broken. But that is usually where the advances end. Smart home security systems do more.

A smart home security system is a security system that has automated components that communicate with each other over wireless internet or Bluetooth rather than wires.

The easiest starting point for understanding how much more they can do is the smart phone apps that these smart security systems use. Traditionally, normal home security systems are controlled by a device on the wall that functions similarly to a thermostat.

But there are glaring security flaws in that design. For one, lots of security systems can be disabled if you know what wires to cut in that device. But because smart home security systems are controlled through a phone app, they are a lot more difficult to compromise.

What Do You Need For A Smart Home Security System?

Besides needing a mobile phone that supports an app store to operate the security system, you will also need three things to really tie the system together: An alarm, cameras, and motion sensors. The cameras are optional, but we will get into how and why as we explain each one.

Alarms

This is the core of your smart home security system. And not just because it is the main security feature. An alarm is important to security because it has the best ration of investment to effectiveness. They do not cost much, but you get a lot out of them. Why is that?

Well, consider how home intruders work. Most of the time someone breaking into your home will run at the first sign of trouble. Alarms will announce a sign of trouble very loudly and can even call the police. This is usually enough to get burglars to leave before taking anything.

But the really special thing about alarm systems is the fact that they can be programmed. You can set them up to have certain levels of sensitivity at certain times of day. They can call the police instantly while you are at work, while in the evening they turn off entirely.

Last but not least, alarm systems can even detect noxious gas and smoke.

Cameras

Security cameras are easily the most popular security device, but they do very little by themselves. This is part of the reason why alarms are the “core” of your security system.

One advantage that smart home security systems bring is the fact that because they are integrated with mobile apps, the cameras can be viewed remotely. The usual weakness of security cameras is the fact that they work best after the fact or need to be monitored.

By connecting them to a phone app you can replace the expensive and unwieldly security room setup with a simple phone interface. That way you can verify what is triggering your alarm and call the police if you think it is necessary.

Motion Sensors

Alarms and security cameras are powerful security tools, but they cannot function without motion sensors. You set up motion sensors near doors and windows to detect when people enter through them. This is how an alarm is triggered or a camera is activated.

Of course, these activations will send notifications to your phone asking how you want to respond to the alarm. It all comes together through motion sensors.

Are Smart Home Security Systems Hard To Set Up?

Due to advancements in user-friendliness, smart home systems are actually easier to set up than older security systems. To begin with, you do not need to run wires through the walls of your home to set them up. Worst case scenario you need to install something in the ceiling.

But since all homes (by law) have smoke detectors, you can usually use the existing wiring for smoke detectors to install those components. Granted, this is still not the easiest thing to do.

If you have any doubts as to your ability to install something properly, call a professional to install it for you. It might take away the bragging rights of having installed it yourself, but it will mean that your system is guaranteed to work.

After the installation, the actual use of the technology is a cakewalk. It is quite similar to using any other app with lots of support systems for answering your questions.

Conclusion

Smart home security systems are pretty easy to get into for homeowners, and they give you a lot of incentive to give them a try. Just remember to employ some of Smith Thompson’s ideas if you are looking for ways to keep your security system well organized, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.