Smart technology has brought us many benefits, including new ways of securing our homes. Regardless of the type of home where you live, be it an apartment or a house or anything in between, you’re sure to find helpful options below that you can manage from anywhere with just your smartphone.
Smart Locks
Smart locks are a boon to both apartment dwellers and other homeowners. Many apartment management companies allow these or install them themselves because it saves their staff from dealing with lockouts and having to screen visitors.
Smart locks come in different varieties and can be configured in multiple ways, depending on your needs. For example, you can give a door passcode to your nanny or housekeeper to come and go without a key. If you change home workers, you simply have to change the code, with no worries about a stray key still in someone’s pocket.
You can also control some smart locks remotely with your smartphone. This is good for when a worker or delivery person is at the door and you want them to set a package inside, but you don’t want to give them the passcode to your home.
Door Cameras
Smart locks often go hand in hand with door cameras, also known as doorbell cameras. These record the comings and goings at your front entrance, and you can view it all on your mobile device.
Door cameras are ideal for:
- Seeing who’s outside when an unexpected visitor rings the bell
- Knowing when your kids come home from school when you’re not home
- Monitoring your front door while you’re on vacation
- Checking for a package delivery
- Seeing if someone is stealing your packages or mail
- Deterring would-be intruders on the front porch
Automatic Garage Door Features
Garage door technology has come a long way lately. Basic up/down features let you open and close the door from the comfort of your home’s interior or inside your vehicle.
Even better, new security elements let you control the door from afar with your smartphone or tablet. If you realize you left it open, you don’t have to wait until you go home again to close it.
Some garage door security options go one step further. You can get an alert if someone tries to raise or tilt the door, so you can stop an intruder by calling the police.
Lighting to Deter Intruders
Lighting has always been one of the best defenses against intruders. In addition to motion sensor lights and dawn/dusk features, you can now find lighting controlled by your cell phone.
Say you’re at work and your teen calls to say they're coming home early from sports practice. You can turn on the lights for them to make their entry safer. Likewise, you can turn lights on and off when you’re traveling to make it look like someone is home.
Alarms and Security Cameras
Alarms and security cameras are growing in both technology and popularity. There are DIY models and those that you must integrate with a security monitoring company for a fee. In the latter case, they usually provide the equipment and maintain it for you.
These systems let you watch who is in or on your property from a distance via your phone, whether you’re upstairs or halfway around the globe. Alarms will sound and you’ll get a mobile alert if someone opens a door, raises a window, or breaks glass. If you have a DIY system, you can call the police. If your system is part of a professional service, they will respond or alert local law enforcement.
Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
No home would be complete without smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Previously, these security elements were only helpful if you were present in the home. Now, however, you can get alarms on your mobile device with more sophisticated models that work with Wi-Fi to alert you to danger at home.
One more important thing to note about smart home security: be sure to let your insurance agent know about any features you add to your house or apartment. You may be entitled to savings on your homeowner's insurance or renter’s insurance, which is a nice bonus to the peace of mind you get with these security elements.