A Guide to Automating Your Home Security System
Rather than, for example, checking your smartphone throughout the day to watch your surveillance feed, an automated home security system will alert you of any unexpected behavior, in real-time.
That’s why you need the best automated security systems. And I’ll round up the simplest guide, helping you automate your home security system, in no time.
That way, you can rest assured that you’ll be the first to know if something’s not right at home.
Let’s get started.
Detailed Steps to Automate your Home Security System
When you start automating your security system at home, you should, first of all, combine all the potential devices you can automate to make a smarter home.
Step 1: Come up with all the components in your home automation and security system. It usually includes surveillance cameras(one, at least), door/window sensors, lightning, motion detectors, thermostat control, a touch screen panel, and more.
- Security Cameras
Cameras are, of course, the staple of your home security. Not only do security IP cameras record trespassers but security statistics show that the sight of a camera is enough to thwart would-be burglars.
Your cameras can also be automated, as we mentioned earlier, to trigger a notification to your mobile device. If the camera is triggered by movement, for example, your smartphone will be notified.
- Door/Window Sensors
Your wireless door and window sensors can intelligently detect if your doors and windows are open, and smartly send alarms to you when an invasion is detected.
- Lightning
Your automated lighting system within your smart home can bring your lighting security to the next level. You can schedule the system to turn on lights in a staggered manner, to create the illusion that someone is at home, turning on the lights.
- Motion Detectors
The key part of your sensor based home automation and security system is its motion detector. Motion detectors allow a home automation system to react to special events automatically, including triggering lights to turn on, make a security camera to start recording, and sending email alerts and notifications. Thus getting your motion detectors to function properly is pretty important.
- A Touch Screen Control Panel
This is used to control the whole home automation system, anytime, form anywhere. Your smartphone, tablet, and PC can also act as a control panel of your home automation system.
Step 2: Wire and install your home security system. Before you start creating your fully automated home security system, be sure to hardwire it correctly. A common misconception about wireless security camera is that no wires are needed. Don’t get misunderstood by the word “wireless”, which only refers to the transmission of video and audio. Thus, wireless security cameras need at least one cable or wire for power. As for installing your home security system, the point is choosing the right places – usually these most vulnerable entries.
Step 3: Set up motion detection zones and sensitivity, and change the alarm mode as you want.
Adjusting motion detection sensitivity and motion detecting zones will certainly reduce false alarms. Remember to turn key forbs from “Home” mode to “Out” when you are away.
These settings usually can be set on the client software of your home security system. Some of them only work with proprietary systems and require you to have their matching system installed. This is the reason why I suggest that you turn to home automation and security system from the same manufacturer (which will be illustrated in details in the next part).
Step 4: Set up home automation security system app on your smartphone. When you are out, you’ll directly live view your camera, receive email alerts and push notifications in real-time, and control your whole automation system within your hand. Usually there is no app to fit all components if you use home automation products from different manufacturers.
Automate Your Home Security System, With No Monthly Fee
You may have come across many companies, which provide home automation and security solutions by signing a contract with you. These contracts often cost you $19.99 to $53.99 a month. Vivint, ADT, FrontPoint, Protect American, etc. are this kind of companies.
Choosing a dedicated home security company is the right thing to do, but if it charges you a monthly monitoring fee, you should be careful. Alarm companies make lots of money from you in the long run when those costs are rolled into the monthly fee. When you can’t afford a security system, these monthly contracts didn’t save you money but cost more in the long run. So I highly suggest you to pick up the best home automation security alarm systems with no monthly fee. What’s more, you don’t need to worry about compatibility issues of its different components.
Use this guide as a starting point to understanding the potential that modern technology has to keeping your home safe, without your having to constantly monitor it on your own.