4 Things to Consider When Choosing the Alarm System for Your Home
Your Home is a Castle: it Needs a Digital Moat
19/10/2022
The reason old castles were surrounded by moats filled with water or whatever beasts Europeans could find (bears, believe it or not) was because there was no digital security. Okay, that’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, but you can bet an ancient Scottish laird or a Transylvanian lord would have saved a million euros on a moat if he could go digital.
The truth is, throughout mankind’s history, the need for securing what you’ve worked to earn is universal. That will never change. The good news is, today you can protect your property more effectively and with more affordable convenience than ever. Your home is your castle, you want a digital moat, and that moat is your security alarm system.
Here we’ll examine four things to think about as you design your property’s security. Certainly, budget is of paramount importance; but it’s not our focus. If you just have ten bucks and a bluetooth speaker, get a motion sensor and download an MP3 of an angry dog. Realistically, though, most homeowners have more resources. So we’ll go a bit deeper here.
1. Options in Arming: Arm Stay and Arm Away
Some neighborhoods need an alarm system operating at all times whether you’re at home or not. This is a reality that has expanded notably in recent years. Neighborhoods that were safe enough to leave all doors unlocked just a decade ago have been overrun. There are reasons for this we won’t get into, suffice it to say, modernity is dangerous.
Your home alarm system should have the capability of being armed when “at home” or when “away”, that way you’re always safe. Some alarm systems only have an “away” setting. Visit Alarm Grid to learn more about the distinction between “arm stay” and “arm away” settings. Definitely consider this as you go about designing your home’s alarm system.
2. Whether to Go the DIY Approach or Not
Today’s security options are perhaps more customizable than they’ve ever been. You can buy security components a la carte online, and install them as needed. The difficulty is in calibrating diverse components into a unified grid you can control from your smartphone or another device.
The more DIY design you incorporate, the greater your discreet control. However, there’s a tradeoff in terms of time spent installing, associated expenses, and overall quality of security infrastructure. You’ve got to figure out what’s best for you.
3. IoT Connectivity and Law Enforcement
We mentioned smartphones or other devices associated with alarm systems, and that’s because the Internet of Things (IoT) tech is commonly symbiotic with modern security systems. You need to decide if your alarm grid utilizes modern internet tech, or avoids it. There are arguments in both directions. IoT alarm grids need to have strong cybersecurity as well.
When it comes to automatic law enforcement notification, many modern alarm systems can be networked such that authorities can be automatically notified over a break-in. Some homes want that, some don’t.
4. How Extensive Things Are
Window sensors, door alarms, infrared beams at property boundaries, surveillance cameras, “smart” doorbells, and in-house surveillance; these things are all options. Determine which ones fit your needs. For some people, a simple motion-activated light at entry points is enough.
A Reliable Alarm Solution
The extensiveness of an alarm system, IoT connectivity, law enforcement notification protocols, DIY designs, and arming options are some of the most important features to consider as you design your home’s security system.