Smart homes are more than convenient. They’re secure. Whether you’re on vacation or away at work, knowing your home is protected allows you to focus on the moment instead of worrying that something may happen to your belongings while you’re away.
The best home security systems are the ones you don’t have to think about. Here’s how to build a smart home that blends security and convenience.
Start with the basics
There are many benefits and features to a smart home, but your ground-level security is the most important aspect. A security package is often the easiest and most cost-effective way to get started. Door and window sensors, a motion sensor, and a wireless touchpad will cover the main entrances into your home.
Many of these systems are now easy to set up and may even be offered by your Internet service provider. However, the convenience of a system like this begins when you expand beyond the basics and incorporate other devices.
Step up your lighting
Smart lighting is one of the first ways many people get introduced to smart home technology. You can control the lights remotely from your phone or with your voice via an AI assistant. Smart lights are LEDs, which mean they use far less power and have a much longer lifespan than traditional light bulbs. Although the initial cost may be higher, the lifetime value far exceeds that of halogens or fluorescent lights.
The security benefit of smart lighting lies in its programmability and remote access. When you’re away from home for an extended period, you can set your lights to come on and off at specific times. You can also program them to flicker at random. If your lights aren’t programmed and you’re coming home later than expected, simply turn on the lights from your mobile device. If any would-be thieves are watching your house, they won’t be able to tell whether someone is at home.
Beef up your door locks
Even though 60% of burglars enter a home through the front door, far too many people leave their doors unlocked. It’s easy to forget to lock the door, especially on particularly hectic mornings. But what about if your door could lock itself? Smart locks make this possible. There are a variety of systems that contain auto-lock functionality and provide remote access.
If you need to let someone into your home, like a babysitter or dog walker, it’s as simple as tapping your phone. You can unlock the door remotely no matter where you are. Depending on the type of lock, you can give temporary access codes to people, so they can gain entry into your home with no input on your part.
Let security cameras be your eyes
Once upon a time, security cameras were a luxury item. Their costs made them prohibitive, and the task of installing the cameras practically took someone with a degree from MIT. That’s not the case anymore. Security cameras are easily accessible and spread all over the smart home market, and best of all, they record automatically at the first sign of motion.
Security cameras provide a peace of mind unlike anything else. Smart cameras will send a notification to your phone when motion is detected so you can check in on the livestream. If someone (or something) is moving around your home, you’ll know and be able to respond appropriately.
Tie it all together
Many smart devices can work seamlessly together and even use “rules” to trigger each other. (Set your smart lights to turn on when your doors are unlocked.) When they’re part of a smart home hub, like the one you can get through your internet or cable provider, you can manage them all from one mobile app or touchpad. When you combine them, you’ll have a smart home that will do some of your daily tasks—and a home security system you can trust.
About Author: Patrick Hearn is an Atlanta-based writer for Xfinity Home. His own home contains multiple smart lights, an AI assistant to control them all, and a Wi-Fi connected television he controls with his phone—mostly because he lost the remote.
