In the last ten years we've experienced massive amounts of change and improvement when it comes to technology and the devices we use. Regardless of all the change, the good-old fashioned handheld remote still remains a popular control device in most american homes, including the modern smart home. However, with all of the new technologies on the market to monitor and manage your home, it’s easy to discount the power of your typical handheld remote. Nowadays people with smart homes can operate just about anything on keypads, touch screens, and even the sound of their voices! As a result, some may think that there is no longer any need to have a typical remote control, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are numerous reasons why you should not only hang in to your handheld controller for TV purposes, but also employ it as a mode of control in your smart home for all of its other features as well!
It Feels Right
First off, the remotes we’re referring to are handheld. Majority of people will agree that one of the main pleasures of being home is being able to relax and one of the greatest parts of relaxing in front of your television, is being able to escape from your reality for a little while. So ergonomically speaking, there really is no better way to command your television, lights, thermostats, blinds, and every other smart device in your home, from the comfort of your couch. There is no need to leave your comfy position to stroll to a wall-mounted keypad and no need to shout demands and hope Alexa hears them and gets it right. The tactile feel of remote control buttons is comfortable for us and even somewhat nostalgic. As silly as it sounds, handheld remotes give us a sense of confidence that our commands are getting through to the right equipment.
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It Costs Little for How Much it Controls
The remotes available for smart homes now, do so much more than control your television. Today’s remotes are capable of controlling every single device and feature in your smart home as long as it is programmed to do so properly. For example, with one single modern remote can turn your speakers both on and off both inside and outside of your home, it can play music at different volumes in different locations, control your light settings, change the temperature in your home or even in specific rooms, and so much more. Most smart home remotes today have built-in LCD screens which makes it feel like you are holding a mini version of a portable home control touchscreen. The greatest part is that no matter how sophisticated a remote is, it is still one of the most affordable modes of smart home control available.
Appeals to Everyone
Older folks tend to have a harder time using super new and technologically advanced controls, while on the other hand kids can be careless and messy so devices such as fancy touch screens mounted to your wall may not be the best idea. As a result, sticking with remote controls is definitely your safest option regardless of you and your families circumstances. Remotes can stand up to a good amount of wear and tear, and if it does end up breaking somehow, it won’t cost you thousands of dollars to get a replacement. Most people, specifically those in the millennial generation and older feel most comfortable using a remote, it breeds comfort and familiarity. Additionally, your guests will feel a lot more comfortable picking up a remote in your home to toy around with rather than a new and foreign device such as a wall-mounted touch screen.
Clutter Gets Cleared
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The last, and probably the most popular reason to get a smart home remote control is that it is able to control pretty much everything, which means you need nothing else laying around. Growing up in the 90s, I clearly remember there being at least four different remotes on the coffee table at all times, one for volume, one for the DVD player, one to change the channel… The point is, you could never remember which remote did what, and one always seemed to be missing or not working. Luckily now, one remote can do it all and it doesn’t even need to be pointed at anything to get the job done. Smart home remotes are equipped with technology that enables signals to travel seamlessly throughout your entire house.
We highly recommend that you consider all of the incredible advantages of today’s modern handheld remotes. They are affordable, versatile, powerful enough to control numerous smart home products and systems, and user-friendly enough for everyone in your household to master.
If you read our last blog post you are probably aware of the great benefits of air purifiers. The question is, how do you know which air purifier is the right one for you? That is the question we will answer today. To recap, air purifiers are appliances designed to cleanse the air in your home and get rid of impurities including smoke, odor, dust and pet dander. Good air purifiers can lead to great health benefits such as the reduction of allergy attacks, asthma and other respiratory problems, and much more. Unfortunately however, not all air purifiers are as effective and as helpful as promised. The great news is, we have done lengthy research on different air purification devices, tried out the most popular and recommended brands, and have narrowed down to our one and only favorite air purifier, so you don’t have to!
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Introducing Pure365
Through our trial and error process of trying popular air purifier brands on the market today, we have decided that the Pure 365 Air Purifiers are by far the best because of their quality, health benefits, user friendliness, and much more. Pure365 has a clear and simple mantra. “Clean Air. Pure Water. Everyday.” Pure Wellness created Pure365 with a purpose of making homes healthy for families while also maintaining a focus in eliminating air pollution for future generations. The goal of their purifiers are to offer a complete reprieve from the outside world filled with dangerous chemicals, pollutants, toxins, and viruses. Due to the unprecedented year we have had with the intrusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more aware than ever before of how their environment can impact their well-being and their health and are now actively searching for solutions. Of course disinfecting your home, continuously washing your hands, and practicing social distancing are great ways to avoid this horrible virus, but investing in an air purifier from Pure365 will add an extra layer of safety and security in your home.
How Does it Work?
Pure365 Air Purification works because its air filtration solutions capture ultrafine particulars down to 0.007 microns which is about forty times smaller than what today’s most common HEPA standard which is 0.3 and it is about forty times smaller than the average size of a moving virus. HEPA standards are the amount of air that any air filter is required to move and it requires the filtration of 0.3 microns.This means that Pure365 filters move and filter microns that are forty times smaller than what is required! This particular air purification system form Pure365 has been so successful thus far that its purifiers have been deployed to hospitals in New York City and Wuhan, China to help minimize Covid-19 cases.
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All in all, it’s a great feeling to know your breathing in fresh and clean air. Why do you think the expression “I need to get some fresh air” is so popular? It invitogrates and calms the mind and body. Instead of stepping outside for fresh air, Pure365 allows you to hang inside for it. While you are in your home enjoying time with your loved ones, you can feel at ease knowing you are breathing in air that is free of toxic particles, environmental contaminants, and viruses.
You have probably, at some point heard at least one person talking about, recommending, or using an air purifier. Since air purifiers are becoming more and more popular, today, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, you may wonder are they truly useful or simply a fad that will eventually disappear. The truth is, the best air purifiers today are carefully designed filters with a purpose of greatly improving air quality by successfully eliminating the most harmful and bothersome contaminants. The pollutants that air purifiers help get rid of include smoke, allergens, dust, pet dander, and even environmental pollution that finds its way into your home or office space.
4 Reasons You Have an Air Purifier
1. You Have a Brand New Home
Moving into a new home is extremely exciting and rewarding for hundreds of reasons. However, when construction, renovations, paint jobs, etc, are completed, your house is left with pollutants such as formaldehyde which is a very dangerous toxin that has been proven to lead to future health problems. Air purifiers are capable of completely filtering out toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and much more. For those with babies and young children, this is specifically important because they are still constantly developing and these toxic pollutants can cause even more damage for them than adults. Good quality air purifiers are definitely effective in giving you a better peace of mind while being and breathing at home with your family.
2. You Are an Animal Lover Who Suffers from Allergies
I know first hand how hard it can be to struggle with allergies from pets while also being a huge dog and cat lover. Fortunately, air purifiers have proven to greatly reduce and filter out the pet dander, hair, and fur from your environment. Of course air purifiers won’t miraculously take away your allergies to your pets but it will pull their dander out of your air and off of surfaces such as your furniture, which helps reduce a lot of discomfort! In many cases, small children are much more sensitive to pet dander than adults, so for families with both pets and kids, an air purifier is a very helpful investment.
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3. You Have Loved Ones with Respiratory Problems
Many respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary DIsease (COPD), Chronic Bronchitis, Asthma, and more are very unpredictable in that certain allergens can quickly set off an attack and reduce lung function. Air purifiers are a very popular recommendation among doctors whose patients have such diseases. Air purifiers will easily filter out these harmful pollutants leaving your loved ones in a more fresh, clean, and safe environment.
4. Your House May Have A Strange Odor
A lot of people deal with sensitivity to smells which can be super bothersome and even sickening at times. If your home often absorbs odors from your furry friends, sports playing teenagers, dirty diapers, or even a smoking roommate, an air purifier could be exactly what you need in order to live in a fresh and clean smelling environment! Residents of apartment buildings or employees in an office building don’t always have full control over the smells of the environment and drafts coming from other rooms that carry over, so air purifiers are extremely helpful in these cases.
Overall, air purifiers can help you and improve your life in many different ways regardless of who you are or what your living situation is.
Just in case you weren’t aware, we are currently living in a golden age of technology development. Within the last ten to fifteen years we have gone from corded phones, bulky computers, and monstrous televisions requiring multiple cords and remote controls, to tiny little computers that fit into our pockets that are capable of tons of simultaneous communication functions. The world is continuously advancing in our technological capabilities and this includes the development and constant improvement of smart homes.
Smart home automation technology refers to any suite of devices or systems that connect to a common network and can be accessed and controlled through there. When your home technology works together in one system, this is called a “connected home.” This can include your home’s thermostat, smart lighting, blinds and shades, security surveillance system, sound system, multiple televisions and more, all connected together on one easy to use system. Many times when installing smart home systems, people tend to overlook or forget the most important part of a good smart home and that’s having full control over each device. This is where smart home remotes and controls come in.
Smart home systems are awesome for so many reasons but being able to control your system easily from both your home and a remote location is one of the major benefits of having a full automation system. When it comes to remotes and controllers for your systems you have numerous options from simply using your smartphone or ipad to having a remote controller even having a special smart home tablet and each controller has their own special benefits.
Remotes
One of the most popular choices of controllers among our clients is a universal remote and there are multiple versions of universal remotes but they all have the same purpose; to allow you to easily control your smart home features. Universal remotes, specially the ones used for a Control4 system, look like your typical modern TV remote, but they are not limited to just controlling your TV. Universal remotes allow you to control multiple televisions, both your indoor and outdoor sound systems, any of your security devices such as security cameras and alarms, your lights and blinds, and so much more.
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Touchscreen Panels
Sometimes, you misplace your phone, computer, or even the TV remote, that’s why touch screen panels, specifically wall mounted ones, are an awesome control option! Touch screen panels have all of the same functions as the universal remote, you can control everything from them, and you always know where it is located in your home! Our clients also love touch screen panels because they are extremely user friendly, fun to use and pretty self explanatory!
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IOS and Android Apps
Most smart home systems today, especially the popular ones, are available as applications to download on your smartphone or iPad. This is a great option for those who are often away from their house or people who simply just want to keep track of their homes when they happen to be away. Most people with smart homes tend to have an in-home controller such as a remote or touchscreen panel, and have the app downloaded on their portable device. This way, when you are on vacation or simply out running errands, you can double check your app to make sure your TV was turned off, your thermostat is at the right temperature, there is no suspicious activity taking place on your cameras, and so much more!
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Voice Control
A really fun bonus of having a smart home is that you can control your home without lifting a finger. If you connect your automation system to devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you can control any specific device, a few devices simultaneously, or your entire smart home with just your voice. For example, if you’re having people over for Christmas dinner and want to have some music and specific lights on but can’t walk over to your remote because you’re in the middle of cooking, you can just use your voice. “Hey Google, play Michael Buble’s 2011 Christmas album and turn the patio lights on,” and Bam! Your home is Christmas-party ready!
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Overall, smart homes are incredible, but they would be truly worthless if there was no simple way to control them. Luckily, there are dozens of amazing smart home controller options available today to make your home as lovely and as easy to use as ever before!
The holiday season is finally here, that means much more of your time will be spent with family and close friends just relaxing, eating, and of course watching tons of movies and sports. So now, is the perfect time to have a smart house system to make your time at home a hundred times more enjoyable and fun. A smart home system can provide you with ease and simplicity when monitoring numerous things in your home such as lighting, motorized shades and blinds, temperature control, and monitoring security all on one device. This device can also include two of our favorite components which is multi-room audio and video systems.
When our clients say they want to have a multi-room audio and/or video system installed in their home, we always recommend a Control4 system. Control4 has so many amazing qualities such as the ability to consolidate all of the core home entertainment equipment in someone’s home into a single space which allows the video and audio to be flawlessly distributed to screens and speakers through streaming.
What is Control4?
Control4 is a lot more than just an entertainment solution, it truly is the foundation of a smart home. Control4 takes all your smart devices and technologies and allows you to access and control them for a single device such as a smartphone, ipad, or wall-mounted tablet. This includes your audio and video system and every other smart home feature you have in your home. The great part is you do not have to install everything at once, you can add new features little by little. So let’s say you really want an audio and video system right now and eventually want to add motorized shades in your home later on, you can totally do that!
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How is it Controlled?
The goal is for your smart home to run seamlessly and this happens when the Control4 interface is consistent so that the user experience of the system is very similar regardless of what device you use. For example, if you are very comfortable using Control4 on your ipad, you should feel just as comfortable opening it up on your smartphone and controlling things through there. For people with multi-room audio and video systems, the Control4 remote is a very popular device because it is like a regular smart TV remote but it also give you access to control all of your smart devices such as your lights, alarms, and security cameras. Another cool feature of Control4 is that it supports voice control devices such Alexa and Google Home.
Add-Ons
Once you have your Control4 system installed, you’ll learn that there are seemingly endless options of add-ons you can get and things you can do with your system. You now have a huge range of in-house tech equipment to choose from such as a plethora of speaker and TV options. Luckily, the smart home system is capable of working with over 35,000 devices and services such as Nest, Sonos, Yale, Spotify, Pandora, Apple TV and Music, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and many many more.
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How Do You Get it Installed?
Control4 is a very complex and special system that should only be installed by professional technicians who know the system well. Once you find a company with well trained technicians in Control4 you’ll learn that this team will not only install your system but also become your on-call support team whenever you may need them.
All and all, control4 is a super high-quality and reliable smart home system that can really help you control and enhance your entertainment system.
The art of television watching has changed drastically within the last decade. Where we once gathered around with our whole family around one TV screen to watch a scheduled program, and now we can view any channel, nearly any video or movie, from the most popular platforms, in any room! No matter the size of your home or the complexity of your wants and needs, most Smart Home professionals today can help you by creating streamlined solutions for your multi-room video distribution.
What Are Multi- Room Video Systems and What Does Video Over IP Mean?
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At the most basic level, a multi-room video system connects all of the TV displays throughout your home to one universal control system. There is nothing worse than having to go through your one hundred different remote controls just to find which one to lower the volume. With a multi-room video system, you can throw out all of those useless black sticks with hundreds of buttons! You now can control every TV in your home, no matter how far apart they are from each other, from one controller which can be activated on a control panel, smartphone, ipad, and more. Also, if you already have smart home features such as motorized shades and security cameras, you can integrate your video system to your home and be able to control all of these features on the same device!
Throughout our experience, we’ve witnessed a lot of our clients who are beginning the home automation process raise concerns about visible equipment in their homes. This is where video over IP and equipment rack comes into play. Video IP basically means that all of your video sources such as cable boxes, Blu-Rays, or Apple TV boxes, are stored and hidden in a centralized location such as an equipment rack in a closet and all of those signals get distributed to your multiple televisions through a wired connection.
No Need to Pause!
Our favorite part of multi-room video systems is that you can change locations without missing a minute of your favorite show or movie! So let’s say you’re in bed and decide it’s time for a snack but you don’t want to stop watching your show, you can simply stream your show in the kitchen or living room… and voila! You don’t have to miss a minute of the action. A lot of our clients are big sports fans and they are thrilled to find out that you can use one cable box to play the same Bucs game on different TVs throughout your house or you can stream different games at the same time on your different TVs. This saves you cost on cable while creates simplicity throughout the home.
Do More With Your Devices
Integrating both multi-room video and audio systems into your smart home gives you the ability and ease to do so much and get really creative with the vibe of your home. We like to call this “creating scenes” in your smart home. Basically your universal controller allows you to create specific scenes in your home for different moments in your life. So hypothetically, if you’re throwing a New Year's Eve party in your home, you can set up an “entertainment scene.” This can automatically play the annual NYC Ball Drop Special on all of the TVs in your house while this year’s top hits plays on your sound system, and all at the same time your lights and blinds will be on specific settings to perfectly match the mood of your party.
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Integrating a multi-room video system into your home is not an easy process and can be super difficult for a non-experienced person to figure out themselves. Luckily, today there are many professionals who can ease your mind by installing the smart home system of your dreams.
Today there is such a wide variety of speaker products available on the market. From simple bluetooth speakers or high fidelity two-channel, to ultra-high-end multichannel audio for home theaters; the possibilities are endless and each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Installing a multi-room audio system in your home may seem like an easy project. However, crafting the perfect sound system that offers easy control and high-quality sound without disrupting your interior decor with hanging wires or bulky speakers can take a lot of work, especially for the do-it-yourselfer. There are so many awesome possibilities when installing an audio system in your home but we recommend preparing and considering all options, and most importantly, hiring experienced professionals to ensure it is installed properly.
One System, Endless Music
There are many systems that allow numerous creativity and exciting opportunities for your audio system. Our favorite system is Control4 because of its seemingly endless options and benefits. First off, with high-quality control systems such as control4, you can consolidate every single one of your music components such as streaming devices, CD players, satellite receivers, and more onto one simple-to-use product that distributes music from every source onto the speakers in your home. Not only that, but the music can be different in each. So let's say you are having guests over for a nice dinner and want to play some relaxing jazz music but your son and his friends want to listen to rap upstairs, you can both have your preferred music on in different rooms at the same time! With a multi-room audio system you can direct different songs to different speakers- as well as the same song throughout the entire house. It does not matter how far you roam in your home- the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, front porch and even far into your backyard can be accompanied by high-resolution music.
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Convenient and Easy Control
With a high-end smart home system such as Control4, you can pick and choose where and what you want to hear from multiple device options such as touch screens, remotes, and even with your voice. There is no longer any need for multiple confusing buttons on dials and buttons on different audio devices throughout your house. Smart home multi-room audio systems are extremely user friendly today, figuring it out takes less than a minute! You can easily view your song and all other audio choices on your tablet, TV screen, tablet, or touch screen and simply select what you want to listen to and in what location, and just like that your system has granted your wishes. More than that, if you have an event or party at your house you can get really creative with playlists and locations of your music.
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Invisible Equipment
A huge issue people would face in the past with their sound systems is messy wires, equipment, and bulky speakers sticking out unattractively in their homes. Luckily, today’s high quality multi-room audio systems look better than any other music system you’ve ever had. The only visible hardware throughout your home will be speakers which can be rendered to be nearly invisible. Smart home professionals are able to install your speakers into your ceilings and paint them properly so they match the surrounding surfaces. Additionally, some people choose to build your speakers into your walls so they can’t be seen at all! Now you may wonder, how will the speakers work if there are no wires or equipment? All of the gear that makes the system work is neatly stored and activated on a special rack that can easily be stored in a small closet. With your speakers and gear completely hidden, your home will maintain its clean and uncluttered look!
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There are endless possibilities when it comes to multi-room audio systems. This is especially because when you opt in for a professionally set up system you can integrate it with your other smart home systems such as your lights, blinds, and televisions. By synching your audio system to a unified control system such as Control4, music can become a part of settings that will completely alter and enhance the ambience of your home.
Home is where we’re supposed to feel at our most relaxed, always feeling comfortable and knowing that we’re safe and sound. No matter how safe your neighborhood may feel though, extra feelings of safety are always worth having. Fortunately, the home security market is currently booming. With features like window sensors, automatic sirens, HD recordings, infrared detectors, and connectivity to Alexa and Google, home security systems are more advanced than ever before!
Before continuing into our favorite security products, it’s important to note that all smart security products including alarms, cameras, garage door openers, etc; are there to give you more information and control about the safety of your home. The main difference between a traditional security system and a smart one is that with a smart security system you can control all of your products on one device such as a tablet or smartphone.
1. A Video Doorbell
If you don’t want any fancy cameras in the front of your house, a video doorbell is a great option for you! Going downstairs to answer the door for a stranger can be really annoying and also a little bit scary, that is why smart video doorbells have become so popular. With video doorbells, you can see who is outside before answering your door and you can even talk to them through the device if you’re not home or uncomfortable getting the door. Our favorite video doorbells that we recommend to our clients are the Control4 Door Station, Nest Hello Video Doorbell and the Ring Video Doorbell 2. They are all very impressive in their hardwire and feature sets, they offer two-way communication, motion-detection alarms, and features HD video with night vision. However, through our experience we learned that the Control 4 Door Station reigns supreme because of its video quality, user friendliness, and fast connection speed.
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2. Smoke Alarm to Alert Your Phone
One of the down sides of traditional smoke detectors is that when the alarm goes off, you can only hear it if you are in your home. If you are at work, or just outside in your backyard you may not hear your alarm until the serious damage has been done. This is why smart smoke detectors are so important. The minute your alarm sounds, the device will send a push notification to your phone and let you know there is a problem no matter your location. Out of all of the smoke detectors we’ve used, The Nest Protect is by far the most effective and it monitors both smoke and carbon monoxide. A little bonus feature is that it tests itself every month and alerts your phone when the battery is low, so no more random chirping from your detector in the middle of the night!
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3. Smart Outdoor Security Cameras
To further protect your home even further, we suggest installing smart outdoor security cameras. What makes these cameras smart is that they will allow you to monitor what the camera is catching on your smartphone, computer or tablet. If you have a smaller house or only want to monitor one area, we suggest getting one smart camera rather than an entire security surveillance system that is in multiple locations. In this case, the Nest Cam Outdoor is an amazing option because it is extremely high quality and user-friendly! It is important to keep in mind that Nest Cameras work best when you also have the Nest Aware Plan to go with it. The Nest Aware plan allows multiple customization options such as the ability to be alerted when it detects human figures in motion, not just anything in motion. So basically you will be able to prevent any false alerts and create shareable video clips. The Nest Aware Plan starts at just $5 a month.
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4. Video Monitoring to Keep and Eye on Your Little One
Any normal parent is constantly worried or just thinking about their babies. In order to ensure they’re safe and secure at all times, you definitely need to get a high-quality baby monitor. There are many different baby monitors that have very similar features as a smart camera but they are specially designed to alert you about your baby’s movements. Panasonic currently has really great baby monitoring devices on the market. They have video monitors that can range up to 1,500 feet and allow you to pan, tilt, and zoom the camera from a remote location on your smartphone. The device also allows you to set up both motion and sound alerts so you’ll be alerted the minute your baby wakes up! With a smart video monitor in your baby’s room you’ll feel extra confident knowing that your little one is safe and sound.
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If you are not looking to install an entirely new security surveillance system in your home but want to feel a bit safer, these four products are a great start!
“Smart Home” is one of the most popular buzzwords in 2020. If you are new to the concept of home automation or you’re just interested in learning a bit more and how it can improve your life, we got you. A smart home means that you have certain devices in your home that are all connected to the internet and can all be controlled by those living in the home through a smartphone, tablet, or computer! Smart home products include anything from lights to television, blinds and shades to sound systems, and yes, security cameras.
As a home automation company that provides everything we just listed and much more, we find that most of our clients put home security at the top of their priority list. When it comes to smart home security, products include cameras, sensors, touch panels, video doorbells and more. However, in our experience, setting up cameras is the first step you should take to assure the security of your home and your family. Below are some tips and tricks that you should keep in mind when setting up your camera security system.
1. Don’t Hide Your Cameras
Burglars are way more likely to step away and steer clear of a residence in which they know there is a chance they will be caught in the act. It is best to keep your home security cameras out in the open and visible in order to avoid anyone even attempting to disturb your security in your home. Unless you are trying to catch someone doing something specific like breaking into your car, don’t bother hiding your cameras.
2. Secure More than Just Your Front Door
Finding the right spot or multiple spots to place your security cameras really depends on the layout of your home, but there are key areas that are better than others. The front door is of course a great spot because it’s the area that receives the most traffic such as visitors and deliveries.We recommend using a video doorbell camera and connecting it to your smartphone to be able to get notifications and alerts on the activity that takes place at your home entryway. However, to truly protect your home from intruders you should cover all of your bases. Unfortunately, back doors and ground floor windows tend to be the most common place for an intruder to try and break into homes.
3. Make Sure to Set Up Motion Detection
No one has the time to monitor their security cameras for 24 hour 7 days a week, so that’s the job of motion detectors! Many cameras today allow you to set certain spaces in your camera's field to monitor for motion. For example, your camera will be set to alert you when a human figure is approaching your door but not when a cat runs through your yard. One of our favorite motion-detection security cameras are Nest cameras because they are really decisive in what movements are cause for concern. We recommend considering what kind of activities you want to monitor around your home and activate the right features on your smart cameras!
4. You Got the Power?
Your cameras, specifically your outdoor cameras, will need a powersource. This should go without saying, but you would be surprised how many times people look over this crucial part of the security system process! You will need to decide if you want your cameras to be connected with a power cable that snakes through your home or if you want wire- free and battery powered cameras.
There is so much to consider when starting to set up your security cameras but if you keep these four tips in mind it should be a smooth sailing process!
