Home security systems can be some of the most expensive things to add to your home. Once you add in the costs of contracts, monitoring, maybe a land line and of course the components. Most security companies want to offer you a basic monitoring package with an extended contract and give you the sense of peace of mind and security. The reality is that most of them sub-contract out their alarm response units and it can be quite awhile before anyone actually responds directly to an alarm signal. Plus there are very few options for you to manage your own alarms and information.
Smart Homes can have their own monitoring, alarms, cameras, sirens, and alerts set up to deliver directly to your phone, tablet, email or even call you. If you take the time to look through some of the options you’ll find that you can actually install wireless sensors that act as temperature/humidity/occupancy sensors and network them into different “scenes” in your home controller to do different things when triggered. You could have wireless door and window switches that when the home is in “work” mode turn on the lights and heat when you come in the door. Or “vacation” mode could set off a loud siren and call your cell phone if you’re out of town on a trip. There are a wide variety of cameras that can be set up to work off occupancy sensors or door and window switches as well so if you happen to be out of town you can call up the camera on your phone and see if an unauthorized person is in your house before calling the police.
Honeywell offers a standard alarm panel that comes with a z-wave interface that will allow you to add your own devices to its system. This is pretty handy since Honeywell also has it’s own brand of cameras, sensors and security devices that can cross interfaces and make your Smart Home that much more secure. There are even smoke detectors that can be networked into your system to perform automated tasks such as shutting off all electrical outlets and appliances while sounding alarms and immediately alerting you via text, email or whatever alert type you have set up.
There are of course companies that will sell complete home security and automation systems and install them for you. Get Piper is one that has fairly complete systems and control applications that will quickly get you up and running if you don’t want to completely customize your home security yourself. Their system also networks with many other devices and brands allowing you to expand into other realms of home automation in the future. The ability to monitor cameras, smoke detectors, door and window switches and know that your electronics are all shut off while you are away will give you great peace of mind and the satisfaction of knowing you are in control of your security and monitoring, not a faceless company and programmer sitting at a desk far away.
Take matters into your own hands by investing in home automation and security!
