Best Security Upgrades for Your Home Ordinary homeowners can’t control crime, but they can control how they protect themselves. Installing security products protects homes not just from crime, but also from disasters like wildfires and hurricanes. Including security products, like Crimsafe Security and Storm Screens, in your home renovations can boost your property value significantly because you are adding a security and energy-efficient product to the property. To help you decide which innovations your home can most benefit from, we’ve listed a few of the most popular security upgrades and outlined their pros and cons. Smart Security Systems In 2020, the global smart home market had a value of $83.3 billion. Experts predict that demand for smart home systems will grow at a rate of 10.8% and reach a market share of $140 billion by 2026. The market’s demand stems from product convenience: smart home systems let homeowners control lights, electrical outlets, and HVAC systems directly from their personal devices. And with smart home security systems, homeowners can run security features, including locks, lights, and cameras, from anywhere around the globe. They also inform homeowners about any suspicious information collected environment and motion sensors. Smart home security systems are a great investment for people who want to have control over security remotely. However, they’re ill-suited for homeowners with limited tech literacy. Due to their digital nature, these systems can stop working during power outages. They’re also vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This puts your personal information at risk of theft. Motion Sensitive Lighting Motion-sensitive lights activate when intruders or animals approach a property. By drawing attention to these intruders, motion-sensitive lights deter them from pushing forward with their crimes. Bright lights also scare wildlife away, preventing accidents or damage. This makes it an effective way to prevent crime in less-populated places. Conversely, motion-sensitive lights aren’t a good fit for homeowners that live in very busy areas. The constant activity can cause lights to activate unnecessarily. This can significantly shorten the lifespan of these sensors and see you replacing them more often than usual. Even if you live in a rural area, oversensitivity can shorten the lifespan of your sensors as well. Animals like cats or dogs can also set off false alarms, leaving a lot to be desired in terms their accuracy. It may even cause you to ignore these alarms over time. CCTV Cameras One of the most useful security upgrades homeowners can add to a house is the security camera, also known as the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera. For the average criminal, the threat of surveillance alone is enough to discourage crime. On the rare occasion that intruders proceed with criminal activity, CCTV cameras will collect footage that police officers and other law enforcement professionals can use. Having evidence will help law enforcement professionals identify, pursue, and arrest the criminals that violated your home. However, CCTV cameras come with one minor drawback. As electronic devices, their intricate parts are vulnerable to external damage. Environmental factors, such as wind, wildlife, and storms — and human factors like thieves or robbers interfering with your cameras — can harm your CCTV’s internal system and require you to pursue frequent repairs. CCTV cameras require extensive installation procedures, so the vulnerabilities can take away from much of their value. Bulletproof Glass Bulletproof glass can protect homeowners from gun-wielding criminals, as well as making it much harder to enter the property. Historically, bulletproof glass is only used for buildings and vehicles that require high-level protection, such as jewelry stores, embassies, and military vehicles. However, the use of bulletproof glass in homes is slowly gaining traction among homeowners. Bulletproof glass does not stop bullets, but rather, it delays their impact. It uses polycarbonate layers to absorb the force of moving bullets, slowing them down. They can be great investments if you’re especially wary of gun violence. However, because the use of bulletproof glass is not yet very common, it can be very difficult to look for trustworthy companies to repair and maintain them. This should be considered especially since bulletproof glass requires regular maintenance. Security Screens We at Crimsafe believe security screens are one of the best — if not the best — way to keep properties protected. They strengthen the most vulnerable points of entry: doors, windows, and enclosures. Security screens use smart mesh innovations to protect against external damage from both human force and natural disasters. Their sturdy frames can withstand crowbars and other tools. Their mesh technology also blocks solar heat from entering the house, which can help save on cooling-related energy consumption. The security screen also doesn’t suffer from the other drawbacks you may experience with the security upgrades mentioned above. Unlike smart security systems, motion-sensitive lighting, and CCTV systems, security screens do not use digital technology. This makes them impervious to cyber-attacks, power outages, and short lifespans. They’re also a major security upgrade right now, which is why our Crimsafe team can help you install and maintain your security screens over time. Innovations like smart home systems, CCTV cameras, and security screens can increase the value of your home while providing you the peace of mind you deserve. By doing your research on home security upgrades before buying them, you ensure that you invest in one that’s perfect for your home. Written by Ricci Janelle Exclusively submitted to crimsafe.com
