Automated Home Security Upgrades? Find the best here!

Keeping your family and house safe is essential, whether you're at home or not. With technological advances and easy access to security equipment, you can affordably create a secure home. With the security automation ideas suggested in this blog, you can monitor your home from anywhere and reduce the chance of burglary and home invasion.

A 2017 study found "Combinations of security devices, in general, afford up to roughly 50 times more protection than no security." This study doesn't include newer automated technology, so there are even better options and results now, six years later.

Although you can significantly improve your home security, all security methods have shortcomings. Battery-powered security devices can run out of charge, and if there's a power outage, any of your hard-wired devices won't work either. Consider including a standby generator in your home security plans for a virtually fail-safe system.

Kraun regularly installs various home security devices to protect families throughout the Niagara and Hamilton regions. However, if you want a fully-monitored security system in your home, we recommend working with a company specializing in home security systems.

For simple automated security devices that are more affordable, read on!

Automated Lighting

The above study found that if you add only one additional security measure to your home, make it an outdoor motion-sensing light. They provide the most security for the lowest cost and can add style and value to your home. Timers are another useful security feature that can connect to lights and lower energy usage costs.

Automated smart technology also functions well indoors. Lutron's Caséta system can use a smart away setting when you're not at home. Smart Away turns randomly selected lights on and off, giving the impression there's someone home. Plus, you can use your Lutron app to control your lighting from anywhere, at any time.

Home Security Cameras

Partnered with lights, cameras are great for securing your home. Before purchasing cameras, it's best to plan a layout so you can define your needs. Some top tips for placing cameras are:

Ensure they are visible (hidden cameras provide less deterrence).
Ensure their view is unobstructed.
Set the cameras to watch home entry points (including windows), your yard, garage, and driveway.
Set them out of reach so they are less likely to be tampered with.

The most practical option is purchasing weather-rated cameras with a high dynamic range (HDR). HDR improves a camera's viewing abilities across a wide range of sunlight and weather. A wired Ring doorbell with a camera is an excellent choice as it monitors your door entries, sends you movement notifications, and has an intercom to talk to someone at your door. Ring is the brand we recommend at Kraun; however, many comparable brands perform similarly.

It's important to note that cameras are not without their shortfalls. Without lighting at night, some cameras may be ineffective in the dark. A simple mask or hood can conceal a person's identity from a camera, and some burglars even consider that the need for cameras suggests there are items worth stealing in the home. Costs can also add up if you require multiple units to monitor various parts of your property.

Smart Door Locks

This seems obvious, but simply locking your doors (and windows) is one of the easiest ways to prevent burglary. Smart locks take this effectiveness to another level. You can easily monitor and operate them outside your home and set routines to lock and unlock them. Plus, using an app or providing a code for a guest to unlock the door is much safer than leaving a key under the mat.

You can leave the keys at home, as many locks have multiple unlock methods, such as a keypad, Bluetooth connection, or thumbprint scanner. Functionality varies across brands, so it's best to shop around and find the perfect one for you.

If purchasing wired locks isn't an option for you, opting for a unit with a long battery, like the Eufy Smart Video Doorbell 2k, is ideal. You can still use the lock manually if power is lost to a wired or battery unit.

Smart Fire Alarms

Smart fire alarms won't prevent break-ins, but they can still protect your house and family. Smart smoke detectors function like regular smoke detectors but are also connected to an app. They can get even smarter than that, though! Some detectors have cameras, speakers, and assistants like Alexa, providing greater security, utility, and entertainment.

You can also creatively loop them into smart home automation programs. For example, if the alarm has a camera, you could program a routine that turns on lights in the evening as you enter a room. If you live in a large house and risk not hearing an alarm in a distant room, you can connect the alarm to others in your home.

The best features of smart smoke alarms are the notifications and monitoring abilities. These features can be serious lifesavers if you live with pets or people with reduced capabilities (like older parents or grandparents) at home. Knowing that an alarm has been triggered, monitoring the situation, and calling for help can literally be the difference between life and death.

If you wish to better protect your home and family, any combination of these automated devices can improve your security. We are always happy to complete this work and are ready when you are. You can connect with us by service@kraun.ca or by using the number or form below.

Let’s start a job together

1-844-667-6937

Serving the Hamilton and Niagara area.