Guest Posts | Home Maintenance

Smart Home Intrusion Detectors

Having worked for one of the world’s largest purveyors of security systems, thermal and infrared cameras, and wireless home monitoring systems I can say unequivocally and without the slightest bit of hesitation that the home protection segment is big business – and it’s only getting bigger.Smart Home Intrusion Detectors

Some of the tech available for purchase by homeowners these days is really quite sophisticated; features like night-vision and thermal detection only hint at the true potential of these useful systems and the sheer volume of sales is a testament to the lengths (not to mention the cost) homeowners will go to keep themselves and the people they care about safe from the dangers of the world.

And who can blame them? After all, in this day and age rife with daily occurrences of home invasion and robbery, peace of mind is a pretty sought after commodity.

Complete Home Surveillance Solutions

In the global multi-billion dollar home security space, there are no shortages of comprehensive home security solutions one can choose from. Where once the intrepid homeowner could only make use of an analogue camera connected to a VCR to record the day’s events, there’s now a cornucopia of devices that can be seamlessly integrated to work together – sending alerts to your smartphone or other device when motion is detected, when there is an unexpected change in temperature or humidity, or when airborne chemicals are detected.

Oftentimes, consumers look to the features of the camera to sell them on a particular system. Granted, cameras do make up a large part of the integrated home security solution, but in order to be completely comprehensive, homeowners ought to consider some of the unsung heroes of home security. By that of course, we mean sensors.

Some of the higher-end cameras have built-in sensors to detect shifts in temperature and humidity, and while that inclusion does increase the unit’s versatility, it isn’t always easy to install them in an inconspicuous place – the way it would be with a standalone sensor. Smart sensors placed strategically around your home can turn a property that is moderately protected to one that is completely protected.

Smart Sensors You May Not Have Considered

Floor to ceiling windows and glass doors may be a stunning visual component in any home, but when it comes to security, they pose some of the greatest problem areas – not least of all because these are an intruders natural point of entry (you’re not likely to come home and find a man-sized hole in your living room floor after all).

Curtain detectors are designed to have a low profile so as not to interfere with your window blinds or other window coverings (whether they themselves are motorized or not), are small enough so as not to detract from the visual impact of the room, and are generally wireless, meaning there won’t be unsightly cables in plain sight. Best part of all, many of them can be integrated into an existing home security system (of course, your options may differ from brand to brand. Before picking up some curtain detectors it’s recommended to find out which home security systems they are compatible with).

While curtain detectors themselves don’t really compare to a high definition security camera on the cool tech scale, pound for pound and dollar to dollar, these diminutive gadgets offer significant value; largely because many of the models available on the market today offer features like human recognition (so as to reduce the instances of false alarms), a multitude of range settings (usually 0 to 6m) so that they can be used for a variety of applications, and provide complete protection without interfering with the lives of the owners.

Outdoor Motion Detectors

Another piece of gear that gets overlooked far too often are outdoor motion detectors. These devices can at times, be installed where cameras cannot. Many wireless cameras offer limited placement options due to the signal degradation that can occur if the camera is mounted at too great a distance from the receiver, or if there are too many objects between the receiver and camera. Furthermore, unless you’ve mounted IR powered cameras, your camera will need to be mounted by a source of light.

Motion detectors use IR sensors to detect motion; and the tech that enables them to do so is becoming more and more refined. Many off the shelf units offer features like superior detection algorithms to eliminate false alarms (meaning the unit can differentiate between a human creeping along the property perimeter and an inanimate object moving in the wind), integration programming, and an expansive field of view and range.

Peace of mind may be the commodity you’re after and a complete home security system may help you find it – just make sure that in addition to cameras, you’ve got the sensors you’ll need to keep the most vulnerable points of your home safe from intrusion.

 

John.jpgJohn Berwick may be a Technical Writer by trade, but he enjoys blogging and voicing his opinion on a wide variety of topics more than anything else in the world. He has written for many different sectors including health care, home improvement, software development, security, marketing, and e-commerce industries. Visit John’s Site: John Berwick Freelance

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *