As smart home experts, we’ve installed and monitored a number of smart alarm systems over the years. Drawing from our experience, we’ve compiled a set of smart security features that you should look to make sure your home security system has before you have it installed.
It’s been a must-have for traditional home security systems for years now, but the smart home has been slow on the uptake when it comes to ensuring that intelligent security solutions meet European Intruder alarm standards. As a rule, most properties should have at least Grade 2 alarm system, with larger homes possibly requiring Grade 3 protection.
As well as making your home better equipped to deal with unwanted intruders, having a graded alarm system might be vital when it comes to insurance cover. This is because many policies require a graded system in order to provide coverage (although this depends on the nature of the risk you want to insure for).
Along with motion sensors, door and window sensors are incredibly useful when it comes to protecting your entire home from break-ins. Certain devices can not only detect when they are open/closed, but can also trigger an alert when tampered with, so they cannot be deactivated without the homeowners’ knowledge.
Another benefit of this type of sensor is the ability to quickly check if you’ve closed your doors and windows before you leave the house, so you’ll never accidentally leave the house open again.
Having a conventional security system that is separate from a smart home system can lead to technology overload, with separate control interfaces needed to manage the various systems within the property. Meanwhile, an intelligent alarm system that can integrate with the rest of the technology in the home makes it a whole lot simpler for residents to see what’s going on in the home while cutting down on the number of dashboards that occupants need to master.
While traditional home security systems can keep your home safe, they aren’t always convenient to manage, particularly when you’re in a rush. A smart security system can usually be managed from your phone, making setting the alarm or checking up on your home incredibly easy.
A further – and possibly more useful – benefit is that by tying in your home’s security system into an app, you can know as soon as there is an issue. With real-time alerts, you're informed as soon as a flood or fire is detected even if you’re not at home, allowing you to react accordingly and ensure that damage is kept to a minimum.
