Protect Your House: 6 Exciting Advances in Home Security

In past years home security was seen as a pricey service that was really only feasible for larger homes with a lot of valuable content to protect – not something for the average home. The past decade has changed that view with more moderately priced systems available for all sorts of homes. Now the digital revolution has come and created an array of security devices suitable for every budget and living situation, from a residential home to a city apartment. Here are some of the latest devices and what they can do.

Smart Door Controls

Door locks are pretty simple things, right? You lock them when you leave and unlock them when you come back. But behind this simplicity several problems are waiting: You can forget to lock up, or you can be stuck when someone needs access to your house but don’t have a key. Old-fashioned door locks can sometimes be forced open as well. Smart door locks seek to overcome these problems by choosing instead to focus on electrical bolts that are controlled via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. You can check the status of your lock on your smartphone, lock or unlock from a distance, and note the schedule of entries through your doors. There are similar versions available for garage doors if you want even more control.

Wireless Sensors

Wireless sensors have begun to completely replace the traditional wired sensors that older security systems used: These wired options were expensive, difficult to set up, and limited where you could put sensors. Wireless speakers, which run off batteries much like smoke detectors, connect to a central hub via a wireless network, which allows you to put them on nearly any door or window you want in your home.

…And Better Sensors

As wireless sensors have grown portable, they have also increased in quality and accuracy. Vibration sensors, which were never that dependable at divining ordinary backyard activities from burglars, have been replaced with more effective audio, breakage, and infrared motion sensors that do a better job of protecting your home.

Affordable Cameras

Security cameras used to be a key tool for businesses that wanted to protect inventory, but were too expensive for most homes. That is not true today – a number of electronics and security have released standalone security cameras that only cost around $100 and can provide high definition and even night vision views around your home. You can often control them through your smartphones, too.

More Control Via Smartphone

Speaking of Smartphone control, you may have noticed a running theme here: Modern security systems can easily be controlled via apps, allowing immediately setting or changing schedules, controlling individual items with a minimum amount of fuss, and never worrying over the holidays again.

Integration

The Internet of Things is busy changing the concept of security systems. These systems are increasingly becoming just another part of your smart home, which is all managed through the same system. Now your alarm system is just part of the same system that can control your lights, your appliances, your doors and even your entertainment devices.