Most of us spend a lot of time at home, especially with the increase in work-from-home opportunities. Even for those of us who don’t work from home, the average person spends 26 years (227,760 hours) of their life sleeping. That’s a lot of time. With this in mind, we can see why home security is so important. We want to do everything we can to protect our family while we’re at home, whether we’re sleeping or awake.
We spend a lot of time at home sleeping, but we also spend a lot of time outside of our homes. You want to rest assured that your home is safe even when you’re not there, whether you’re gone for an afternoon, overnight, or a month-long vacation. While we can’t possibly be present and alert 24/7 to watch our property and make sure nothing happens, we can implement certain precautionary measures to do our due diligence when it comes to home security.
One of the best precautionary measures we can implement is a home security solution. At first glance, this might sound like a daunting task to undertake, but it doesn’t have to be. We live in a time when there are multitudes of home security solutions available. Because every home is unique, just as every family’s needs are unique, you can find and even customize a home security system that works for you.
Do I really need a home security system?
You might be wondering if a home security system is worth all the fuss, and we get that. Maybe you live in a safe neighborhood. You are careful to always lock any exterior entrances and gates you have. You even have deadbolts for added security.
All of these practices and measures are important, so keep them up! But we still recommend that every family installs some sort of home security system, and here’s a few reasons why.
- A home burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the United States.
- A break-in occurs every 26 seconds in the United States.
- Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be broken into.
Statistics from thezebra.com.
We don’t share these statistics to spread fear, but to share the facts surrounding home security. And the facts say that homes with security systems are less likely to be broken into.
If security systems can keep your home a little safer, why wait to implement one?
The Cost of Home Security
One of the most common reasons that people put off home security systems is the assumed cost. The keyword here is assumed. It’s understandable that you might think that a home security system is expensive. While there are definitely expensive security systems on the market, there are also plenty of affordable security solutions. Don’t let price be the reason you put off securing your home. Suite Office Systems can help you sort through your options to find the right solutions for your budget, even if that means installing one new home security feature every few years. Every little bit of security makes a difference.
Smart Home Security Solutions
Home security has changed a lot over the decades. One of the biggest ways that security systems have changed over the years is through smart technology. It’s safe to say that home security systems are smarter than ever. Now, you can manage your home security right from your smartphone. This makes it easy to keep an eye on your property when you’re not home, double check that your doors are locked when you’ve already left the house, and even ensure that your appliances are turned off. Let’s take a deeper dive into the smart home security features that are available today.
Smart Home Security Features
Smart Lights
One of the best investments when it comes to home security is smart lights. Not only are they accessible and affordable, but they are easy to install and customize as well. Smart lights can be used anywhere, from your living room lamp to your front porch light to your driveway lamppost. Once you install the smart lights, you can use your phone to turn them on and off, automate them, put them on a schedule, and more. If you want to set your front porch light on a timer to ward off intruders at night, you can. If you’re going on vacation and want to turn your house lights on intermittently so that it looks like someone is home, you can do that too.
You can switch to smart lights for just about any fixture, including floodlights, exterior lights, interior lights, motion sensor lights, and more. They are easy to install and use, making them a great first step in upping your home security game.
Smart Sensors
Door alarms are not completely obsolete; they have just been majorly improved! Now, there is a variety of door and window sensors that will alert you via your phone if someone is breaking in, if a window is opened suddenly, and if a door or window has been open too long. Additionally, these technologies allow you to check from your phone if you left a window or door open. With smart sensors, you can set your mind at ease when you’re not at home.
Smart Doorbells
Installing a smart doorbell is a great step toward securing your home. They come with different features, but the standard smart doorbells alert your phone whenever someone approaches your door…even if they don’t ring the doorbell. Additionally, they typically include a camera to record the interaction. Some doorbells even feature two-way audio so that you can talk to whoever is at the door, even when you’re not home. According to safehome.org, one LA neighborhood saw a 55% decrease in burglaries after one in ten homes installed smart doorbells.
Indoor Video Surveillance
A smart doorbell will catch anyone sneaking in through the front door, but it’s wise to have a couple of interior cameras to catch intruders who may use other entrances to break in. Hallway cameras make it hard for intruders to remain undetected. With smart video surveillance, you can choose to be notified on your phone as soon as motion is detected. You can determine the hours for the camera to be activated, so that you are not notified every time a family member walks through the hallway during the day. Check out a few tips on how to install home security cameras.
Outdoor Video Surveillance
There is a wide variety of outdoor video cameras on the market, and each kind has unique advantages. Dome cameras allow for tilting, panning, and zooming. Hidden cameras are camouflaged. Infrared cameras can capture footage in the dark. Learn more about the different types of security cameras that Suite Office System installs.
Smart Smoke Alarms
When we think of home security, most of us think about protecting our home from intruders. And while that is a big part of home security, it’s not the only one. It’s also important to keep your family safe from things like fires. You can’t always prevent a fire, but you can put measures in place to keep your family safe in the event of one. Smart smoke alarms alert your phone in the event of a fire, and they can tell you exactly where the fire is.
Automation
Technology has opened up so many possibilities, and automation is one of the biggest aspects of smart home security. Automation makes it possible to do so many things right from your phone, even when you’re not home. Not sure if you closed the garage? You can control it from your phone. Forgot to turn the heat down? Adjust the temperature from your phone. Worried you left the front door unlocked? Lock it from your phone. These smart features are convenient, and they add an extra layer of security to your home. Learn more about automation and how it works.
Working From Home: Cyber Security
Here’s an aspect of home security that might take you by surprise: cyber security. With more people than ever working from home these days, this is an important thing to consider. If you work with sensitive or confidential information while working from home, talk to your employer about putting cyber security measures in place. Even if you don’t work from home, there are cyber security solutions you can implement to protect your personal information, such as tax documents.
Contact our team today to chat about cyber security solutions for small businesses or personal use.
Suite Office Systems Home Security Solutions
One of our goals at Suite Office Systems is to help individuals and families find home security solutions that work for them. Our team is here to listen to your unique needs, walk you through your options, and help you determine the best security plan for your family. Once you settle on a plan, we’ll even install the security measures for you or connect you with a professional who can. Don’t wait to secure your home; contact us today to get started.
