The Best Features of Today's Home Security Systems
A home security system today is usually more than just an alarm that sounds when the door is opened unexpectedly; a security system can keep your home safe from more than intruders and give you more control over its security than you may realize. Note a few features of today's home security systems you may want to include in your system when it's time to have a new one installed or to upgrade your current system.
1. Humidity Sensors
You may not think you need a humidity sensor in your home; after all, if the area seems a bit humid, you might simply adjust the thermostat. However, this is not the type of humidity that a security system will monitor. A system with a humidity sensor will note if there is so much moisture in the home that it's probably being flooded. In turn, an alarm will sound. In some cases, the water systems of the home might also get shut off, protecting you in case of a burst pipe. This type of sensor can be invaluable, so you know right away that your basement is taking on water rather than having that water level continue to rise until you actually visit the basement and notice all the water damage.
2. Heat Thresholds
Older smoke detectors in the home were often annoying in that they would go off when you were simply cooking, but today's security systems may come with heat thresholds. This means they won't sound until a certain temperature is reached, and this threshold might be adjusted for different areas of the home. For example, an alarm you install outside the kitchen may have a higher heat threshold than one you install outside the bedroom door, as you would expect the kitchen area to get hotter when you're cooking whereas that same heat from the bedroom may signal a stray cigarette that has fallen onto fabric and is starting to smolder.
3. Remote Doorbells
You can have remote doorbells that don't just work as intercoms to communicate remotely when you're inside the home, but also through your smartphone. With the right app or program, you can see an image on a camera mounted above your door, and also be able to speak to the person who rings the bell, through your phone. The person outside your door would have no way of knowing that you're not actually at home, and you can monitor visitors no matter your location.
If you don't have a security system but are thinking seriously of getting one, consider contacting local security system specialists to discuss your concerns.