How to Use a Smart Device for Home Security

Surely you know that home automation is a process made easier thanks to the introduction of smart devices within the domestic market. It provides as an inexpensive means to automate the simplest of your tasks like unlocking doors, switching off false alarms, turning down the temperature – all with the tap of a button or a simple voice command.

But with the home automation aspect come other features: energy efficiency and home security. How’s that? When certain devices like smart lights, smart thermostats, and smart sprinklers for instance allow for access through our smartphones, homeowners have the ability to minimize energy wastage. Their mobile applications let us switch them on or off at our convenience, and then there’s more features of course.

Bringing it down to home security, are smart devices really all that reliable? Can they do the job as well as security alarms and motion sensors, and panic buttons? While smart devices may not have a direct link to alerting the relevant authorities in your neighborhood, they do however alert users in real time of any potential danger or anything that needs their attention.

Here are 3 smart devices you can use for that added home security purpose.

1. Smart Lighting

Smart Lighting is obviously great for energy conservation purposes, given that they are LED – which consume less energy in the first place as opposed to regular light bulbs. Then they also feature their own mobile applications, and can allow for voice enabled control. All the good stuff. So how does it help with home security?

Smart Lights are accessible from their smartphone applications – we know, we’ve said this a lot already but hear us out on how this helps. If you’re away from home on vacation for instance, you can always switch the lights on during the evenings to make it seem like the house isn’t empty. Similarly homeowners can set schedules for the smart lighting to follow through, or just add dusk to dawn sensor which is also very useful since the lights would then switch themselves on and off based on daylight.

Additional motion sensors added to your smart lights also enables them to switch on at the slightest of movements. And it’s perfect for deterring intruders.

Sengled Smart Wi-Fi LED Multicolor Bulb (2-Pack) for $15.99 at FirstEnergy Home.

2. Smart Cameras

Smart cameras are much better than regular surveillance cameras. And that is because they come with so many features that are very useful for watching over your homes. Here is what you can expect with a smart camera.

These devices are usually of a smaller size, and come in battery variants as well as regular wired ones. And that is what makes it easier to place them pretty much anywhere. Besides they are also weatherproof so installing them outdoors is also not a problem. If you were wondering, then yes, smart cameras are perfect to use for indoor surveillance too. Given their size they can be tucked away on shelves where no one can spot it, left on your dresser, the kitchen counter – anywhere literally. It becomes easier to watch over your kids and pets and house help if need be.

But that’s not even all. Smart cameras feature live video in HD quality and night vision that is accessible from their respective smartphone applications. And they also facilitate two-way audio so that you not only hear what’s going on, but you can also speak to whoever is at the other end of the camera and them with you. It’s the greatest tactic to scare away unwanted visitors, or catch the thief that’s been stealing your new plants on the front porch.

Google Nest Cam (Wired) for $79.99 at FirstEnergy Home.

3. Smart Smoke Detectors

The safety of your home is also what constitutes as your home security. Smart smoke detectors are a game changer at preventing fire hazards in households. You would know that a small kitchen fire can become disastrous if not taken care of in time, and that is where regular smoke detectors can sometimes miss out on a potential problem.

Securing your home with a smart smoke detector(s) would be one of the greatest investments you could make in keeping your family and personal belongings safe. These devices combine the function of both ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors – meaning they can pick up on anything from a smoldering to a fast burning fire. And with that smart smoke detectors can also pick up on any gas leaks, like that or carbon monoxide. But here’s the best part, these devices alert homeowners on their smartphones almost immediately, and if connected to voice assistants, they can speak up and point you to where the danger is.

Google Nest Protect (Wired) for $119.00 at FirstEnergy Home.

Did you ever think you could have used a smart device for anything other than simply making your home cool with all that automation?  Now you do and hey, the more you know! You can find these devices and many others under the smart home catalogue at FirstEnergy Home’s website www.firstenergyhome.com. Head on over and browse through.