Home security systems can be a valuable investment for your home and family. They provide peace of mind, reduce property crime, and decrease insurance costs.
They’re easy to install and use, and many offer flexible contracts. In addition, they can be more affordable than hardwired systems.
Easy-to-use interface
The user interface of a smart home system is one of the most important factors in its success. The interface should be easy to use, and it should be capable of integrating new functionality.
There are many different options for the interface of a smart home, including a tablet or a wall-mounted control panel. However, both have their own pros and cons.
Ideally, a smart home security system should have an easy-to-use mobile app that works with all of your devices. This will make controlling your home security system from anywhere in the world possible.
Another great feature is a scheduler that allows you to set up notifications when a certain event occurs. This can help reduce the number of false alerts and make it easier for you to keep track of your home while you’re away.
In addition to a smartphone app, some smart security cameras also come with a web client that allows you to view the footage on your computer. This option can be a great choice for homeowners who want to monitor their home while they’re on vacation or in the hospital.
24/7 professional monitoring
Professional monitoring is one of the most important components of a smart home security system. When something goes wrong with your device, a monitoring center will receive an alert and send help to you instantly.
Self-monitoring systems require you to contact the company yourself, which can take time out of your day and be distracting during a serious emergency. With a professionally monitored home security system, the monitoring company will do the calling for you.
A professional monitoring service costs about $30 to $70 a month, depending on the company and the equipment package you sign up for. These services usually include 24-hour monitoring, burglary detection and fire alerts.
Professional monitoring is a valuable feature for any smart home, but it is especially useful with devices that have motion detectors or alarms that go off when something isn’t right in your house. And it’s essential for smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which will send an alert to the monitoring center if they detect dangerous gas in your home.
Reliable battery backup
Smart home security systems come equipped with reliable battery backup, meaning that they can continue to monitor your home even when the power is out. This ensures that you’ll be able to get help quickly when something goes wrong.
Typically, these batteries store a small amount of AC power so they are ready to activate in the event that your system loses it. They can last anywhere from four to 24 hours, depending on the system and battery used.
Another important feature of a backup battery is that it keeps your system’s communicator running, which is what connects your system to the monitoring center in case of an electrical outage. Without this piece of equipment, your monitoring service will be lost.
A backup battery also makes it easy to keep your Internet modem and router online if you’re using internet-only monitoring. This is a must for most people, as cellular backup isn’t available in every situation.
Easy to customize
Once upon a time, purchasing a home security system meant hiring a specialist company to come in and wire up sensors on all your windows and doors. You also had to get a flashing box stuck on the outside of your house that was just annoying to all your neighbors.
Today, there are many easy-to-customize smart home security systems that you can use to monitor and protect your home. Some of these systems can also be integrated with other popular smart devices, such as thermostats and lights.
Abode, for example, offers a wide range of smart home integrations including Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit support. It also offers a custom automations service upgrade that lets you run your system automatically based on time of day, location and when a sensor detects something.
