The state of modern home security is such that homeowners have access to all sorts of devices designed to keep them safer and more secure. From cameras to integrated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, homeowners have plenty of options. So here’s a question for you: if you could have only one home security device, what would it be?
The point of this question isn’t to pose a hypothetical situation that makes good fodder for discussion. Rather, it is to encourage readers to stop and think about their priorities. Understanding the most important aspects of home security makes it easier to figure out which options are of a higher priority.
1. Window and Door Sensors
The first item on the list is a type of home security device rather than a single device itself. Here it is – window and door sensors. They are mentioned first because they go back to the earliest days of home security, before there were wireless systems and wi-fi networks.
Window and door sensors are the most fundamental components of a home security system, according to Vivint Smart Home. They alert to unauthorized entry through windows and doors. They are important for the simple fact that first-floor windows and doors are the most preferred entry point for intruders.
2. Video Surveillance Cameras
When unauthorized entry is the primary concern, few things deter as effectively as video surveillance cameras. Burglars hate cameras. They know that cameras offer real time surveillance as well as data recording that could ultimately prove detrimental to their freedom.
Being able to monitor a burglary in real time also means being able to alert the police as quickly as possible. Having access to stored video data means having access to evidence that could lead to arrest, prosecution, and conviction.
3. A Video Doorbell
The video doorbell is a type of surveillance camera combined with a standard doorbell and onboard audio. This is the preferred home security device for some people because it offers both video surveillance and the ability to communicate in real time with visitors at the front door.
The beauty of the video doorbell is that it can be accessed remotely. You don’t even need to be home to carry on a conversation with someone standing at your door. You also do not have to be home to be alerted to a potential burglary.
4. Smoke Detectors
If unauthorized entry isn’t your primary concern, the home security device that gets the highest priority could very well be the smoke alarm. Integrated smoke alarms can be monitored just like video cameras and door sensors. Monitoring can mean alerting the fire department more quickly in the event a fire does breakout. Not only that, smoke alarms have been proven to save lives.
Along those same lines is the carbon monoxide detector. It is not listed as a separate item here since it normally goes hand-in-hand with the smoke detector. You typically would not have one without the other in a home security system.
5. A Medical Alert Pendant
The final item on the list is the medical alert pendant, a pendant that can alert monitoring personal to a medical emergency with the touch of a button. Medical alert systems can be installed independently or as part of a complete home security system.
In closing, there are many other options not included in this post. If you had to choose just one home security device for your home, would it be one of the devices listed here? If not, what else do you have in mind?
