3 Tips For A Good Home Security System

A good home security system has many layers of protection, from the environment surrounding your home to what security measures you have inside. When you are ready to invest in a security system, there are several features you need to integrate.

Maintain A Safe External Environment

It is important to reduce hiding places for potential burglars by minimizing obstructions around your home. Try to avoid large shrubs that can obstruct windows and make it difficult to see if someone is lurking nearby. If you have a garage or shed, always keep it secured, especially when it is dark. Lighting is critical for a safer external environment. 

You may need to achieve a balance between keeping your home well-lit and not annoying the neighbors. To achieve this balance, use stationary lighting that only points toward your home to avoid blasting your neighbor's windows with nighttime lighting. Try to keep the lights pointed toward your windows and doors since these are the major places you need to keep illuminated. Although many people use motion-activated lights, they tend to be more annoying than helpful.

Have High-Quality Cameras

If someone were to burglarize your home, you want as many opportunities as possible for the police to identify the culprit. For this reason, it is also best to keep your home illuminated instead of relying on any night-vision cameras. Although a night-vision camera will show you someone lurking around your property, it does little to help if the person cannot be identified. When you choose cameras, try to make them as discreet as possible. 

If you want to install visible cameras, these should be "dummy" cameras. There is always the chance of someone destroying a visible camera if they are attempting to burglarize your home. If there is a nearby discreet camera, it will continue to record while they destroy any decoys. All footage from your security cameras should be saved in a secure location, such as the cloud. If anything happens to your home, such as stolen technology or arson, the footage will be safe off-site.

Use Mobile Technology

There are plenty of options for mobile technology that will allow you to see your security cameras on your device. Try to use mobile technology that allows you to activate an audible alarm, but also speak to the person you see on camera. If someone is snooping around your home, you can activate the alarm and/or verbally warn them to leave. In most cases, this will startle a potential intruder. This feature is also helpful if you want to question someone at your front door if you are uncertain of their identity. 

Another advantage of this technology is a situation where you are home during a break-in. If there are security cameras inside your home, you can try and barricade yourself in a room and call for help. While you are waiting, you can see exactly where the intruder is inside your home and give authorities a description of the suspect.

Good burglar alarms require several layers of protection to keep your family and property safe. Deterring a person from entering your home and having the technology to identify them is the best way to be proactive about home security.