Why you want smart security for your home

Ideally, you want to choose options that will be clearly visible from the outside to discourage intruders and make it hard for them to gain entry. You also want a smart security system that lets you manage it from your smartphone to see in real-time what is happening in your home and will last you anything between 5 and 10 years of use. A good quality security system will not only provide you with protection but also increases the value of your property.

A basic security system, which includes motion sensors, security cameras, and a control panel without any monitoring, will cost you anything between R1500 and R5 000. You can expect to pay up to R50 000 for an advanced security system which features high quality cameras, smoke, gas, heat and glass break detectors. This  is likely to include Internet Protocol Close Circuit Television (IP CCTV ), that allows you to automatically send high quality videos to the cloud.

Historically, traditional systems like a burglar alarm only allowed you to arm or disarm it via a control panel that’s usually in your entrance hall, while with smart security systems you can do so via your phone and receive trigger alerts immediately. They also now include the option to retrieve video footage even if the security system is destroyed. Once the video has been captured, it is encrypted, securely stored and is easily accessible whenever required.

Smart home security systems have become more effective than traditional burglar alarms and can act as a deterrent to would-be intruders. Often, they can integrate with your security company and alert them immediately of a real time invasion.

Emerging technology for a safer home

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of devices to have superior processing and learning abilities, connect and communicate with each other. Home assistance chatbots such as Siri, Google, Alexa can help you with security measures, perform tasks, and automate routines based your preferences through connecting devices and appliances.

Developments in AI, robotics and machine learning will enhance security in our homes and collect data to improve security within the home. Soon, AI-driven security components will collect motion-based occupancy and behavioural data and know when to arm your system without intervention. It’ll also know when to alert you when your system is unarmed.

So, what should you get for your home? As a basic, it’s important to have a smart security system for your outdoor areas and internally focus on the main living areas such as the lounge, kitchen, and dining rooms.

We cannot always prevent intrusions from happening, however making sure that your family remains safe despite an attempted break in, is a definite win.