Investing in a security system for your home is a solid choice regardless of your living situation. Although most articles tend to focus on the need for security among females living alone, the truth is they’re just as necessary for families, couples and roommates living together as well. The key is customizing your security system to fit your unique needs.
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If you’re currently looking into your security system options, considering your unique needs will play the biggest role in determining the system type you select as well as the additional features you choose to add on. To give you a better idea of how you can get the most of your security system for its intended purpose, check out the five tips below.
1. Know your notification options
Not all home automation notifications are created equal. In fact, the level of importance you place on each will depend pretty significantly on what your specific needs are. For instance, if you’re living alone, you might be more concerned with notifications that tell you when a door has been opened or if you forget to close the garage. However, if you live with a family or roommates, you might need to get a little more specific with your notification needs to monitor things like your bedroom and your belongings or when the kids get home and what they’re up to while you’re away. These things are typically monitored by system notifications that you can control depending on your sensor placement.
Home monitoring notifications will allow you to control things like lighting, water and your AC. In Home Safety Guide offers up a pretty solid guide to the different security system notifications that you can check out if you want to learn more.
2. Use all your home security signs
Many homeowners make the mistake of placing signs that alert others to their security system protection in the front of their homes only. The problem is thieves don’t typically try to enter your home from the front door.
According to Ackerman Security’s home safety tips “from a thief,” most potential thieves will break into a home using the back door or a side window. This means the thief would be far more likely to see your sign of home protection at one of these entrances.
Although you shouldn’t neglect placing a security sign in your front yard, you should make an effort to use up all the signs you are given to place a clear warning of your home’s protection at all potential points of entry. This way you can hopefully deter thieves before they cause damage to your home.
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3. Use home automation to save on utilities
As I mentioned above, you can set up home automation alerts to monitor your electricity and water usage. This can definitely come in handy when you’ve left for a day at work or even a vacation and might have forgotten to turn off the sprinklers or a few lights around the house.
In your search for the right system, look for companies that offer home automation packages along with their home security services.
Many companies make monitoring and controlling your lights, sprinklers, automated doors and AC units as simple as opening up an app.
4. Use timed lights to trick potential thieves
Another benefit to bundling home automation with your security service is having the ability to turn off and turn on lights when no one is home. According to the experts at 1st Alarm, most thieves will stake out a house for a while before they make their move. Even something as small as keeping a light on at night could help deter thieves if they think someone is home.
Use your home automation to trick potential burglars into thinking you’re home even when you’re not by switching your lights on at night while you’re away from home. With some systems, you can even set up a timed system so that you don’t have to remember to switch the lights on while you’re on vacation or enjoying a night out.
5. Be strategic with camera placement
Finally, one very important detail in getting the most out of your security system is to place your cameras strategically. Some things to consider as you plan the placement of your cameras might be the following: What do you consider valuable? Where might thieves enter first? What places or things are you trying to monitor with roommates or family (medications, liquor cabinets, etc.)?
Decide where your cameras will go before you place your order with the security company. This way, you can ensure you’ll have all the equipment you need upon setup and won’t have to go back and setup again in the near future.
Hopefully this guide has helped you identify some simple ways you can get the most out of your security system. If you have any questions or suggestions for others, let us know in the comments!
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