How Technology Is Transforming Home Safety

Technology has evolved over the years. Computers to laptops to tablets and smartphones, technology has made our lives a whole lot more convenient. Technology hasn't only changed the way we work, research and communicate, it has drastically changed health care, the way we shop, climate, social media and more.

A big change in technology is the way homeowners can keep their homes secure. A secure home is a safe home. Our house should be our safe haven and thanks to technology we can feel more secure than ever. Below are some of the ways technology has transformed home safety.

Smart Garage Door Opener

Like the conventional garage door opener, many people are used to, a smart garage door opener connects to wifi. Once the opener is connected to a network it has the ability for remote control monitoring from your smartphone.

From the app, homeowners can take advantage of the many features that are offered. A great feature is a notification of when the garage door has been opened and for how long. This is great for those long days that have you forgetting to close the garage door. Imagine being outside doing yard work all day and finally being able to sit down and think, I wonder if I closed the garage door. Now with the handy app, just open that up and check the status of the door, easy peasy.

Being a smart garage that is connected to the app, people inside the home can be more at ease knowing they would get an alert if any suspicious activity was occurring. If there is a home security system, setting up the garage door opener to trigger the security camera to take a picture or video has to be one of the greatest features offered with most smart garage door openers.

Smart Cameras

Home security cameras have come a long way and become quite common for homeowners to have. They have the ability to connect to a wifi network and have a live stream that can be watched from anywhere, as long as the owners have the app. They also allow for video to be saved and stored on the cloud; if something were to ever happen the police now have evidence.

Some features that a smart camera will have:

• Motion sensing

This allows for recording only when movement is detected to save storage room. Homeowners will also be notified on their smartphone or tablet if there is movement.

• Two-way audio

This allows for anyone behind the camera to speak and be heard as well as those in front of the camera. Having two-way audio can also deter potential intruders once they know someone is inside the house.

• Infrared

This doesn’t require any light in order to capture an image, just heat. These cameras can detect tiny differences in temperatures which makes them great for nighttime security.

Smart Home Motion Sensor

This device is the eyes of the smart home. This piece of technology will detect movement in a selected area of someone's home, which will then send the homeowner an alert through their smartphone. Another feature is the ability to turn on a siren which will most likely deter any intruder. An important thing to note is to place the sensor where someone is likely to pass by, not simply just walk in front in order to get a more accurate detection of movement.

Some motion sensors will have an infrared sensor which is what we discussed above. These will detect warm bodies as they are passing by. Other types of sensors include:

• Microwave- which bounces microwave pulses off of any object
• Ultrasonic waves which are vibrations, however, they are more likely to bring out false information

More features of some motion sensors include the ability to be “pet immune” meaning when a smaller animal walks by, it won’t send an alert. There will be a weight maximum so it probably wouldn’t work for a great dane or cane corso! Having an adjustable range can also be beneficial for homeowners. Depending on the space this device will be used in, having an adjustable range may or may not be important.

Smart Door Locks

Not only convenient for those residing in the home but a great security feature as well. These locks connect to Bluetooth on your phone or key fob and detect your presence which will unlock the door for you. Not only is this convenient but if someone was after you, you won’t have to worry about digging around for your keys and not getting inside in time. Another added feature is the doors ability to lock behind you for those days you forget which doesn’t allow for any crime of opportunity to happen. Anyone with the app connected to the lock will be alerted and notified of when the door has been opened and by who, which allows for police to be contacted right away if needed.

Remote Monitoring

Exactly how it sounds, homeowners can now monitor their home remotely while in the office, running errands or even away on vacation. This is a great option for those who own a second home such as their lake or beach house. A remote monitoring system gives homeowners real-time video and photo so they can be more at ease, especially if they are vacationing!

Fingerprint Scanners

This type of scanner allows for anyone living in the home to put their fingerprint in the database and be recognized in order to gain house access. When a finger is put onto the scanner a light shines and takes a digital photo and during this process makes a code for that specific fingerprint.

Tips and tricks for owning a fingerprint sensor:

• Make sure there is a mechanical key slot or a keypad just in case a fingerprint doesn’t get recognized for whatever reason.
• Check the false rejection rate before purchase- you want to have a low false rejection rate rather than a high one.
• Be sure the sensor can store the number of prints you need it to

The use of technology and the available security items on the market will be sure to make any home in Peabody, MA safe, secure and desirable.