Smart Technology to Protect Your Property

20th November 2018

Smart Technology to Protect Your Property

The Crime Survey for England and Wales found in 2017, that only two in a hundred households have fallen victim to domestic burglary, which is certainly welcome news for homeowners. Although the number of police recorded household theft has significantly decreased, there’s no reason to take your home’s security for granted.

A panel of former criminals featured on the Guardian said barking dogs and CCTV cameras are the best deterrents. And when asked to rank what they would be seeking, the burglars said: cash, jewellery, and electrical equipment like TVs, phones, tablets, and computers. If you have a habit of leaving your door unlocked and your windows open, you are more likely to be burglared.

But the emergence of modern technology has made it simpler and easier for homeowners to keep their houses secure. You only need a fast and stable internet connection plus a reliable smart home system.

Here are some you can choose from:

A smart doorbell

A peephole can only offer you a limited view of whoever is at the door. A video doorbell will allow you to see (and record) so much more. For £275 you get a system that comes with a 1080p video, free online video storage, and an on-demand video that notifies you when anyone presses the button. You can control it using your voice through Amazon Alexa ecosphere.

A smart alarm system

Nothing scares a burglar away faster than an alarm system. The Yale Home Security System is very expensive, so they released the Smart Living range—now you don’t have to break the bank to protect your home. Ideal Home has it on their list of must-have home security systems, explaining that it takes less than an hour to install and you can control everything through an app.

For £319, you get the smart hub, a 94-dB siren, a dummy siren box, a PIR motion detector, a PIR image camera that can take photos and send them to your phone, a door/window contact, and a keypad. All the items included are wireless and they come pre-linked to the hub so set-up is very easy.

A reliable home sensor

We recently talked about the importance of sensors and security lights to protect your car from theives. If you want one for your home that is sensitive and elaborate, you can get the Samsung SmartThings. The kit sells for £135 and it comes with a multi-sensor for your doors and windows, a motion sensor, and a presence sensor that lets you know when people arrive or leave home. It also comes with three modes: Away, Home, and Night—you can arm your home depending on the time of the day and where you are.

A heavy-duty home security camera system

If you’re thinking twice about getting security cameras because of the cost, it’s important to understand that you have more chances of catching intruders or preventing anyone from entering your home without your permission, with a security camera. Locks are good, but real-time video monitoring is the best way to protect your home when you’re not there. The selection of smart home gadgets on Screwfix feature connected video monitoring and CCTV that can be used to bolster security. Most camera systems come with more than one camera so your house will be fully covered. The video feeds are sent directly to your smart device so you can stay in touch no matter where you are. Even if you are at home smart cameras can help. CCTVs can also take care of the blind spots that you cannot see from your windows. These are great if you’re home alone and worried about intruders. Although crime rates are significantly lower, constant vigilance is still necessary. You never know what can happen—so it is better to be safe than sorry.

For £299, you get a weatherproof home security camera that can survive even the coldest winter. The Telegraph recommends the Arlo Pro for people who are always away from home. The standard kit comes with one camera and a router box. The great thing about this is its two-way audio, night vision, and smart siren that you can control wherever you are. It comes with seven days of cloud storage, too.