Tag Archive for: Smart Home

The Smart Man Cave: The Ultimate Upgrade for Your Home

Between Father’s Day, graduations and the summer gatherings that come after them, June is the perfect month to upgrade the man cave room of the home. There’s good news for men who want to do this: It can all be done with one simple upgrade to your home’s security system.

How can a security system upgrade benefit your man cave? Here are some great possibilities.

Improved Security for Your Valuables

What’s an upscale man cave without a few heirlooms? Maybe it’s that liquor bottle passed down through the generations, or a framed baseball card collection. Whatever it is, placing an extra sensor on them can give them the protection you want. When you have a smart home component to your security system, you’ll receive a text alert to your phone when someone gets too close.

Smart Locks for Easier Entertaining

When everyone comes over for the big grad party or Father’s Day gathering, how great would it be to let everyone in without having to go to do the door? That’s another convenience a smart home upgrade offers. Guests will still ring the bell, but hosts can see who it is using their phones, and speak to them through the doorbell’s camera speaker. With a tap of the app, the guests will be let in when you unlock the smart lock. You can do it all without having to leave your spot, whether it’s the BBQ station or the couch.

What’s an upscale man cave without a few heirlooms? Maybe it’s that liquor bottle passed down through the generations, or a framed baseball card collection. Whatever it is, placing an extra sensor on them can give them the protection you want.

Total Automation with Doorbell Camera Systems

Automation is the hottest home upgrade, and your man cave can benefit from it too. Imagine being able to set the scene for a party – turning down the lights, turning up the air conditioning, and disarming the security system for guests – all with one tap on your phone. That’s one more thing that makes smart home automation the ultimate upgrade for the man cave. Your guests will be seriously impressed when you show them how the “scene” function on your system works – and when it comes to throwing a party, isn’t impressing people one of the most important goals?

To learn more about this ultimate upgrade for man caves in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, contact Security Instrument.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned integrator that offers numerous home security options, including security systems for senior citizens. In Delaware Valley, Security Instrument serves thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Making House Guests and Home Security Go Hand-in-Hand

Still hosting a few overnight visitors after the holidays are over? You want to create a friendly, welcoming environment for them to enjoy, but it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on home security while they’re staying. The good news is, you can have the best of both; here’s how to make your house guests part of your home security routine.  

Show them how the cameras work.

Home security cameras are fully mainstreamed – and yet, some house guests remain uneasy about the idea of surveillance. If your visitors appear to be nervous about the presence of cameras around your home, consider showing them how it all works.

Start with the settings on your home security app. When your guests see how the Geo-Services technology works – namely, that you can use it to prevent the cameras from recording indoor activity when people are home – your guests will surely be put at ease.

Give them a cozier guest room.

A winter wonderland is a beautiful sight, but most of us prefer to be warm inside. That’s what makes the temperature sensor a great accessory to a smart home security system. If the guest bedroom tends to be cold, then the temperature sensor can raise the temperature by communicating with the smart thermostat. The two devices work together to make the temperature throughout the home consistently warm. It’s an ideal way to make your guest room comfier and give your guests a more enjoyable stay.

Provide them a keyless entry code.

If your system includes smart locks, consider allowing your guests to use the keyless entry just like the rest of the household. You can give them their own unique code; the only difference is that theirs can be deactivated when their stay is over. It’s a big convenience for you and for them. But if you aren’t comfortable with giving guests a code, there’s an alternative: Using your smartphone app, unlock the door remotely when you receive the video alert clip during their arrival. Both of these options allow you to continue making use of your home security when company is staying over.

If your home security system lacks any of these components, let us help. Contact Security Instrument to request a free home security consultation; we would be glad to show you what’s possible.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with commercial and home security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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3 Reasons To Upgrade Your Home Security in 2019

Do you have a list of home improvement goals for the new year? Hopefully, home security is represented somewhere on that list. If an upgrade to your home security is on the agenda for 2019, here are some ideas for ways to improve it. 

No More Wires = Better Security 

If your system is still hardwired or connected to a landline telephone, it’s definitely time for an upgrade. A wireless connection to the central station ensures that your alarm signal will reach the central station, because there are no wires that could be cut by an intruder. And in the case of a fire, the system can’t be destroyed because the connection is not dependent on external equipment. When an emergency happens, the central station will be immediately alerted no matter what.

Improved User-Friendliness & Mobile App

User-friendly technology is a must these days; if there are too many steps to follow, most of us quickly tune out. So if improving home security is on your 2019 itinerary, make sure easy-to-use technology is covered. Now, there are systems that can be managed entirely with your smartphone, via an easy-to-use home security app that can be set up during your installation. There are no more hard-to-remember steps to follow; instead, there’s just user-friendly technology that your whole family can quickly master.

Professional Installation and Support

While user-friendliness is important, it still requires serious technical acumen to install and integrate – and only a professional security integrator has that. This is why the first step in your home security upgrade should be contacting a professional integrator; not only do they offer a complete installation experience, but ongoing support after the installation as well.

To discuss your options for new year upgrades to home security, Delaware homeowners can call Security Instrument. We would be glad to offer you a free home security consultation.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with residential, commercial and hotel security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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4 Ways Smart Garage Doors Can Improve Your Life

The garage may not get a lot of notice, but if you are fortunate enough to have one, the garage is a vital part of your home-life. It keeps your car safe and out of the elements and keeps larger and lesser used items safely tucked away, among many other uses. Whether your garage is for storage, used as a man cave, or is home to your teen’s garage-band, there are some good reasons to make getting a smart garage door the next really smart thing you do.

1 Smart Garage Doors Improve Your Safety

There is one huge problem with regular garage doors– forgetting to close and lock them. That is a pretty big deal since over 70% of Americans use the door from the garage to the house as their primary entrance. When you couple that with the knowledge that most burglars make their entrance through an unlocked door, it is a small mistake that can lead to catastrophe. The smart garage door solves this problem by using geofencing and your location as a trigger to automatically close the door when you leave or close it behind you when you get home. This means that even if you have a million other things on your mind, the garage door still gets closed and the home is secure.

2 You can Control Access

Whether a neighbor needs to borrow a tool, a package is getting delivered, or the kids use the garage to house as their preferred entrance when getting home, a smart garage door lets you both provide and control access.Not only can you open the door remotely as needed, you can also provide unique access codes with expiry dates. This eliminates the need for physical keys so you never compromise your home security.

3 Set Up Alerts

A smart garage door can also help increase your security through alerts. Each time your garage is accessed, or each time someone tries to access your garage it sends an alert to your phone through the smart garage door app so you can check on the activity. You can know who got home through unique codes, or know if someone not authorized is trying to gain access. If it is also connected to security cameras, you can tap in to see the activity.

4 Trigger Other Actions

There is no place like home and a smart garage door makes your security system home even better. If your smart garage door is connected to other smart devices, it can serve as a trigger for other actions. By using geofencing, it can trigger the lights to go on or signal temperature adjustments when you draw near or lock the doors (aren’t you glad you got those smart locks?) and arm your system when you leave.

About Security Instrument

Since 1960, Security Instrument has worked diligently to earn a reputation for delivering quality by using state-of-the-art technologies, highly trained and qualified technicians, and providing the best 24/7 support and monitoring services.

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Smart Home Cameras for Newbies: 3 Facts You Should Know

In previous eras, homeowners could only dream about knowing what was happening at home when they weren’t there. But today, knowing what’s going on at home is easy to do – that is, provided there are smart video cameras integrated in the home security system. When smart home cameras are installed, all homeowners need to do is take out the phone, open the home security app, and get an instant view of the activity being captured on camera.

Here are some other details for smart home camera newbies.

 

They come in all shapes and sizes.

Homeowners have a wide range of choices when it comes to smart home cameras. With guidance from the right security company, they can decide what model will work best for their home security needs based on home size, family size, and household budget. As a private company since 1960 that has serviced countless homeowners, Security Instrument can provide that guidance.

They come with high quality monitoring service.

The smartphone app is a homeowner’s portal to the numerous features in a smart home system. One of those is the notifications feature, which allow the homeowner to customize which events they want alerts for; when people come home and when someone is at the door are two prime examples.

But what if one of those events is a true emergency, and the homeowner misses the notification? Security monitoring service is there to fill in the gap. At the central station monitoring center, trained security operators are standing by ready to respond to alarm activations – and with smart home cameras, there is footage to verify the nature of the emergency. This is how smart home systems make alarms and video work together.

They aren’t just for security.

Smart home technology is excellent for security, but it does more than offer an extra layer of protection for the household. It can also help simplify the essential processes after a disaster. For instance: After a house fire, the video can be submitted to the insurance company as critical evidence documenting how the fire occurred. Real homeowners have benefited from this service, filing more successful insurance claims when a fire originates from circumstances out of their control.

To learn more about smart home cameras for home security newbies, contact Security Instrument. We will be happy to answer your questions.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous residential and commercial security options. We serve thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Important Facts for House Fire Awareness

October is a time when fire awareness is emphasized, as it marks the final month of fire season for many areas and fire crews are already training for next year. How does this affect homeowners? Wildfires may not threaten homes, but house fires are always a possibility. Test your knowledge of house fires with these facts from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Most Common Room for House Fires

It may not come as a surprise that the kitchen is the most common room for house fires. More than half of all house fires start in the kitchen; it’s the space where food is cooked on open flames, placed in hot ovens and heated in high voltage microwaves.

To reduce the risk of kitchen fires, keep the oven and stove top clean – and always, always keep flammable items like dish towels and pot holders away from the heat. As for the microwave: Only use containers that are microwave safe, keep aluminum foil and other metals out of the microwave, and never plug in a microwave with an extension cord.

More than half of all house fires start in the kitchen; it’s the space where food is cooked on open flames, placed in hot ovens and heated in high voltage microwaves.

Other Common Rooms for House Fires

Bedroom fires can happen too, accounting for 6% of house fires. The cause of many bedroom fires is the flammable mattress, which is combustible and should never have candles or lighters sitting nearby. Even if a mattress is newer and sold as “fire safe,” it’s not safe to burn anything near them.

Fire risks are also present in the living room, as a variety of fire sources are present: fireplaces, chimneys, cords, lighting, and more candles. Combine these with flammable furniture or curtains, and that’s a recipe for a house fire. Keep candles away from flammable items, practice safe plug-in of all your electronics, and have older lighting re-wired if necessary. The fireplace and chimney should be cleaned when residue builds up to 1/8th of an inch inside; a professional cleaning is recommended.  

How Your Security System Can Help

Your home security system can be your best assistant in house fire prevention. With a smart home security system, you’ll receive a smartphone alert if smoke is detected in the home – and, your smartphone notification will say what room the smoke is coming from. The security operators monitoring your alarm will reach out to you immediately and make sure help is on its way to your home. After getting up to speed on house fire awareness, Delaware homeowners can contact Security Instrument to inquire about home security monitoring services.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous residential and commercial security options. We serve thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Environmental Protection at Home with Your Security System

We’re in the thick of the storm season, making this the perfect time to talk about environmental protection with the help of your security system. Whether it’s a thunderstorm or bonafide hurricane conditions, harsh weather is risky weather. It can get unsafe outside, and homeowners need all the help they can to secure their homes and families.

Help for Protecting Loved Ones

Your smart home security system can indeed help. With real-time weather alerts that come straight from the National Weather Service, we send notifications to your security panel and smartphone so you can get ahead of what’s about to happen outside. Ideally, it will give you time to make sure the whole family’s safe in the house or another shelter location. Likewise, you’ll receive an alert when these weather conditions have passed.

Help for Protecting Homes

First, you want to protect your family; next, you want to protect your home. Smart home security systems protect both. Your home can be spared the damage that comes with leaky roofs, frozen pipes, and other byproducts of severe weather. The features that enable this are the low temperature alerts (to alert you to impending freezing) and water detection (to alert you to possible flooding on the floor). With the low temperature alert, you can heat the basement near the pipes to keep them from freezing, with the goal being to prevent the pipes from freezing. With the water detection, you can avoid paying thousands of dollars to repair flooded rooms in the home.

Environmental protection isn’t just for the outdoors; it’s for inside the home as well. To learn more about a smart home security system that provides this, contact Security Instrument for a free home security consultation.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned integrator that offers numerous home security options, including security systems for senior citizens. In Delaware Valley, Security Instrument serves thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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4 Ways Investing in Smart Home Technology Saves You Money

We all know that smart home technologies are widely available, affordable and effective, but can they also save you money?  Yes, and in ways you may not have guessed. Here are 4 reasons to opt into smart home and automation technologies.

Smart Thermostats

Investing in a smart thermostat is a smart, cost-saving decision for a number of reasons. Heating and cooling account for nearly half of a home’s energy costs, so getting that under control can provide substantial savings. Smart thermostats can do this by learning your usage and preferences and adjust accordingly so you are never heating and cooling unnecessarily. You can also use it to turn on your heating or cooling from afar, so you can adjust the temperature just before you get home, rather than leaving it on all day so that you can come home to a comfortable home.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting lets you upgrade your space with features such as motion sensors, dimmers, and app access, but even better -these features save money on your utility bill.

  • Using LED lighting, dimmers save money on a 1:1 ratio so dimming 50%  reduces energy usage by 50%.
  • Motion sensors ensure that lights go off when not in use and on when you need them.
  • App Control provides a way to turn off and on lights from anywhere, so you can still return home to a well-lit home without having to leave them on while away.

Remote Power Management

We’d probably be quite surprised if we could add up all of the wasted energy we use and measure it against our actual needful usage. Leaving lights, fans, electronics, appliances, and things like curling irons is a huge and costly waste. Energy consumption by televisions and other electronics that are in the “always on” mode (but look off) is also a big contributor of wasted energy. With smart home technology, you can control all of these things from an app on your smartphone or tablet, and precisely manage your energy use.

Pro Tip: Energy consumption by televisions and other electronics that are in the “always on” mode (but look off) is also a big contributor of wasted energy.

 

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

It may seem like a small thing, but when all of the peripheral things are working efficiently, automatically, and smartly then you can, too. By using these things as a tool you can keep yourself on track, on time, and motivated. For example, using lighting and temperature controls can help you wake up on time, while enabled appliances are already at work so that you can get to work more quickly. You can also eliminate distractions with smart technologies like video doorbells so that you can accomplish your tasks without interruptions. All of these things ultimately make and save you money.

Adopting smart technologies for a truly connected home not only puts a lot of cool features and conveniences in your hand, it keeps money in your pocket.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently owned security firm, serving Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland with safety, security, and smart home technologies.

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Leaving That Door or Window Open Once Might Be All It Takes

Most of us think we have some idea of how burglaries happen. The burglar watches the home for signs of occupancy and when the coast is clear, they break a window or kick in a door and proceed to carry off your jewelry and electronics. The problem with that picture? Many times the burglar does not have to pick a lock, break a window or kick open a door, they just turn a knob and walk in completely undetected.

It’s Worse Than You Think

Of the 1,420,000 burglaries reported in the US in 2014, 504,000 -35.2% were categorized as unlawful entry, where the burglar did not have to force entry but simply walked in. When it comes to prosecution, it can make a big difference. What makes it most disheartening to the resident is that it was an error that could have been avoided.

Pro Tip: When you use contact sensors on your doors and windows, you can check their status via your smart phone security app and take care of the problem.

 

Where Security Slips through the Cracks

Life is busy and checking every window and door each time we leave the house can be a bit laborious. Even when we do check, there is usually another family member that comes along to open what we just closed. That is, of course, if we even remembered to do that as we rush out 10 minutes late for just about everything. It happens, but all it takes is it happening once to give the burglar all the opportunity needed to make off with an average of $2,250 worth of valuables per incident.

Smart Security Picks Up the Slack in a Big Way

While forgetting is normal and human failure to be expected, smart security is the big but simple fix. Here’s how using smart, connected devices, smart security, and home automation technologies can reduce the chance of unlawful entry burglary.

  • You’re immediately alerted if you leave a door or window open. When you use contact sensors on your doors and windows, you can check their status via your smart phone security app and take care of the problem. If it is a smart garage door left open or a smart lock left unlocked, you can even close the door and lock the smart locks from your phone.
  • Your doors can lock automatically. If you use geo-location and triggers, you can have your doors all lock when you leave the house.
  • The system can be armed automatically. Also using geo-location and triggers, you can have the smart security system lock the doors then arm itself when you get a predetermined distance from your home.

About Security Instrument

Don’t leave your door wide open to crime. Founded in 1960, Security Instrument Corp. specializes in smart security and associated monitoring services. Professionally engineered systems backed by unmatched professional support.

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When You Think of Parenting, Think of Home Automation

When you think of parenting, a million things come to your mind. Home automation may not be the first on that list, but perhaps it should be. Home automation offers a wealth of parental help and once you know, you will wonder what you ever did without it.
Parenting is one of the most rewarding jobs we will ever have, but also one of the most serious and monumental. That’s why experienced parents will recommend using all of the tools available to help navigate the various stages of parenting—and one of the most effective of those tools is home automation. Here’s why.

Home Automation Helps During Infancy

Bringing home a baby is one of the most joyous times of our lives. It can also be the most terrifying. Suddenly your life is filled with a million new concerns that must be managed while completely sleep deprived. The baby has a need for comfort and consistency while the parent has the overwhelming need to know their child is okay. These needs are easily met with home automation. By using smart technologies, you can keep the room at the perfect temperature and lighting just right to ensure the comfort of the baby. Parents, too, can rest easy with the ability to check the security camera from their phone or knowing they will receive immediate alerts if the door, wind, or motion sensors are tripped.

Keeping Toddlers Safe

Home automation is like a parental superpower when it comes to raising a toddler. Toddlers have an unending curiosity and are unaware of danger. While a parent never wants to quench that curiosity and desire to discover, they do want to keep their child safe. Home automation helps keep the little ones safe by sending alerts if door or motion sensors are tripped. Now, there is no chance of secret backyard excursions or early morning escapes.

Home Automation During the School Years

The school years are a whirlwind of activity that can have you going and coming several times a day. In the midst of all the activities, it is easy to forget to do things lick lock the doors, arm the security system, or turn off the appliances. Fortunately, home automation can take care of all that and prevent a small thing from becoming a catastrophic event. Home automation can also help gently guide kids through the day with cues, such as lights on means you need to get up, and music playing means you need to have your shoes on and be ready to leave.

Inspiring Independence in the Teen and Nearly Adult Years

Teens want and need a new level of independence but also need a new level of oversight. Home automation helps bridge the gap by giving parents much needed insights without sacrificing their teen’s independence or dignity. Alerts can let parents know when the kids get home or provide access control to off limit areas.

Parents want to give their children the best life possible and home automation is one of the best tools to help make that happen. If you would like more information about home automation, give Brinton Electric Security Services a call today.

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