Smart Home Security and Safety is Worth the Investment

Smart home security cameras, water and smoke alarms, Wi-Fi thermostats and room sensors are an investment in peace of mind.

“Great Scott!” For the past 30 years and then some, technology and personal computing have made some pretty amazing advances. Remember the movies Back to the Future (1985), Back to the Future: Part II (1989), Back to the Future: Part III (1990), and now Back to the Future: Part IV (2018)? We may not be enjoying some of the technological advancements portrayed in these movies (yet), but there are many we do. Cheers to the benefits of convenience and saved time, money, and energy we are blessed with now and to all those we look forward to, especially the ones made in Smart Home security and safety.

Many of us are aware of the existence of Smart Homes, but do we know what “smart” really means?

What Makes a Smart Home Smart?

Whether you’re home or not, a Smart Home provides the following at all times:

Comfort
Home security
Energy efficiency (low operating costs)
Convenience

A Smart Home is a home that has appliances, lighting, heating, air conditioning, TVs, computers, entertainment audio and video systems, and home security and camera systems which communicate with each other. Each appliance and system can be accessed and controlled remotely at anytime from anywhere by phone or over the Internet.

And more Smart Homes are getting greener, too! This means they are able to conserve more of the earth’s resources.

What are the Benefits of Living in a Smart Home?

Unless a homeowner customizes a home they are building or having built for them, today’s homes don’t have these appliances and systems built into them. If you’re interested in the benefits of living in a Smart Home, the most common and affordable approach is to retrofit smart products into your existing home. Read our blog post, How to Smarten Up with a Digital Wi-Fi Thermostat, to find out about some of the great benefits of living in a Smart Home.

Cost is a factor for every purchasing decision. It is our goal to provide you with the knowledge to find the products you need to keep your home and your family safe in the most cost-effective way.

Smart Home: Home Security Cameras

One of the biggest benefits of a smart home is being able to know what’s going on when you’re not actually there. If you want to keep an eye on what’s happening at home, invest in security cameras. Deciding on a security system that makes sense for your home can be daunting, because there are many types of security cameras to choose from, and they come with endless options. You want a camera that’s simple to set up and use. Keep the following important features in mind when comparing home security cameras:

Motion Detection
Field of View
Sound
Resolution
Wi-Fi Capability
Night Vision
Movement
Placement
Connectivity
Cloud Storage
Price/Cost (If a security camera costs more than what you’re trying to protect, it’s overkill and exceeds its intended purpose).

Smart Home: Smoke and CO Detectors

When an alarm sounds at night when you’re dead asleep, your heart races with adrenalin, and you start to think (or try to), “Where’s the problem? Is it smoke or CO?” Could be your smoke or CO detector just needs a battery change. (Tell me, WHY does it seem that the battery always needs to be changed at 2am?) Burned foods or even a steamy shower can sound the alarm in your home and seem like nothing more than a nuisance, but what if the danger is real? CO creeping through your home or a blazing kitchen fire commands appreciation for great smoke and CO detectors. Am I right?

Smoke detectors in each of your home’s bedrooms and common areas are essential (and required to be updated when selling your home). In the 1970s, it would take about 30 minutes for a fire to take over a room. Today, it can take less than 5. You’re supposed to test smoke alarms monthly, but nine out of ten people don’t (and that’s why you get woke up while in a dead sleep at 2am. You didn’t change the battery, because you didn’t test your smoke alarm last month).

In the United States, over 1,000,000 homes experience high levels of carbon monoxide every year. And did you know heating systems can cause carbon monoxide leaks or spread smoke through your home in a fire? That’s one of the best reasons to schedule annual maintenance of your heating system with Blue Frost Heating & Cooling. We check for dangerous leaks.

Smart Home: Water Leak Detectors

It’s essential to have a smoke detector in each bedroom and common area in your home. It’s just as essential to have water leak detectors in the laundry room, water heater closet, bathrooms, under your kitchen sink, and so on. Fires are devastating and quite possibly your biggest fear as a homeowner, but water damage can be almost as devastating and certainly as costly. Damage caused by a failing water heater, burst pipe, leak under a sink, clogged toilet, or even a leaking washing machine hose, is far more common than fire damage. This is why installing a water leak detector is super smart. If your home springs a leak, these Smart Home devices will alert you right away for quick action.

Here’s a useful tip for preventing water damage due to frozen pipes bursting: Shut off your main water service valve. It takes only two minutes of your time, and you’ll never have water damage due to a burst frozen pipe. Even with a water leak detector, by the time you’re alerted and are able to take action, you will still incur huge damages. Play it safe!

Smart Home Recommendations

Nexia, Nest, and Ecobee are the Smart Home security cameras, water and smoke alarms, Wi-Fi thermostats and room sensors Blue Frost Heating & Cooling recommends and installs. If you’re looking for a complete home automation system or have questions regarding any Smart Home system, give us a call at 630-444-0860 today. We take your budget, needs, and desired end-results into consideration to provide our customers with the best products for their homes.