Security Gadgets For Your Home | Types, Efficiency & Costs

Table of Contents

Having a safe place to live is one of the basic needs of humans, the absence of which can have serious adverse effects on one’s quality of life.

You can never be too careful when it comes to home security and must do all that you can to protect your home from threats such as burglaries, intrusions, and vandalism.

There are numerous ways in which you can do so, many of which require basic common sense such as keeping the doors and windows locked and hiding valuables away from plain view.

Other security measures involve the use of modern systems and gadgets made specifically for the purpose of securing your home.

Here is a list of the best security gadgets for your home along with their various types:

SECURITY ALARMS

Security alarms are one of the most common security gadgets used by millions of homeowners around the world to protect their homes against unauthorised access.

They use a series of sensors to detect intrusions and trigger an audible alarm, oftentimes accompanied by flashing lights, to alert the homeowners and scare away the intruders.

They can be placed in all high-risk areas that can be used as possible entry points for intrusions. The type of sensor you use depends on where and how you want the intrusion to be detected.

There are three main sensors used by the security alarm systems:

Door and window frame contact sensors – consist of two parts that have a magnetic contact between them which, that when the door or window is opened, is broken triggering the alarm to go off.
Vibration detectors – set off by movements (read vibrations) detected within their range, the sensitivity for which may be adjusted depending on the surroundings and environmental factors.
Passive infrared (PIR) sensors – offer greater intelligence and control than their counterparts, are set off by variations in infrared body heat and come with advanced features such as pet-friendliness.

When it comes to choosing the best alarm system for your home, you need to make the decision based on whether you want a response, such as calling the authorities, or simply want to scare away the intruders.

The different types of alarm systems include bells-only burglar alarms, dialler burglar alarms, monitored systems, and smart alarms.

Bells-only burglar alarms just make a noise and are used to scare off intruders, hopefully alerting someone in the neighbourhood of the intrusion.

The efficiency of these systems depends on the people present nearby and how, and if, they respond to the alarm trigger. They may be a viable option if you have a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme because if not, chances are that they may go unnoticed, especially if the homeowners are away and the house is empty.

Monitored burglar alarms come in three different forms: dialler systems, keyholder monitoring, and police monitoring.

In dialler systems, a device is built into the system which contacts a group of people you’ve chosen to be contacted during an alarm trigger.

In keyholder monitoring, a professional security company is in charge of monitoring your system who will either respond to the alarm trigger themselves or contact your family and friends who you have nominated as keyholders.

In police monitoring, instead of contacting the nominated keyholders, the security company will verify the alarm and alert the police to be dispatched to your property right away.

You may also opt for smart burglar alarms that integrate with other smart home devices and enable push notifications to be sent to the homeowners in the event of an alarm trigger.

SMART LOCKS

Keeping your doors and windows locked is the basis of home security. However, the effectiveness of this security measure depends entirely on the quality of the locks being used.

Smart locks are a great security gadget that not only let you control access into your home but also eliminate the use of traditional keys and with it, all the worry related to them being stolen, lost, or easily copied.

Smart locks are keyless electronic or mechanical locks that allow you to lock and unlock your door wirelessly using either an app on your smartphone or various other authentication methods.

In addition to providing added control over who enters your home, smart locks also allow you to monitor the activity of users to see when the door was opened and by whom.

They also allow you to grant temporary access to users, such as service providers requiring entry into your home and revoke their privileges as soon as their work is done.

Instead of waiting for and ensuring that they have returned their keys (and not copied), and getting the locks replaced or rekeyed every time they leave, you can simply ‘cancel’ the access codes, barring them from entering your premises without your permission.

Some of the most common types of authentication methods include access cards, access codes, fobs, biometrics, and Bluetooth.

The type you choose for your home depends on the level of security you require, with biometrics and Bluetooth more secure than access cards and codes.

For added security, you may also enable two-factor authentication where the system would require two different types of authenticators to grant access.

SECURITY CAMERAS

CCTV cameras. They’re everywhere. With millions of businesses and homeowners using them for surveillance purposes, they have become one of the most effective security gadgets out there.

What started as something that only the rich and affluent could afford has now become a common sight in both public and private properties.

CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) cameras are one of the most feared security gadgets among criminals with most of them avoiding homes under CCTV surveillance.

The recorded footage can be used to identify and catch criminals, in addition to being used as legitimate evidence in the court of law. This fear of getting recorded, identified, and caught is what keeps criminals away from CCTV cameras and the homes that use them.

With advancements in technology and an increase in demand for surveillance systems, CCTV cameras have become extremely affordable as compared to when they were first introduced.

They are available in the markets in abundance with a plethora of options to choose from. Some of the most popular types of CCTV cameras for home security include:

Bullet CCTV cameras – one of the most common types of CCTV cameras ideal for outdoor use and in applications that require long-distance viewing.
Dome CCTV cameras – ideal for both indoor and outdoor use allowing wider angles to be monitored via 360-degree rotation of the camera.
C-mount CCTV cameras – can be switched to adapt to the distance and field of view and come in a rugged camera casing making them suitable for outdoor use as well.
PTZ pan/tilt/zoom CCTV cameras – can pan sideways, tilt up and down, and zoom in and out of objects to record a particular area of interest, best for remote monitoring.
Day/night CCTV cameras – built to effectively work during both the day and night-time, regardless of the lighting conditions. Can also withstand direct sunlight, glare, and reflections and are ideal for homes that require round-the-clock outdoor CCTV monitoring.
Infrared/night vision CCTV cameras – use infrared technology to record images and videos in absolute darkness and can also withstand fog, dust, and smoke, and record coloured footage during the daytime while capturing black and white during the night.
Network/IP CCTV cameras – connected over a network that allows the live footage to be accessed from anywhere in the world via the internet.
Wireless CCTV cameras – made for the sole purpose of minimising the installation time and use of excess wires for a cleaner appearance.
High definition (HD) CCTV cameras – come in a variety of resolutions ranging from 720p going all the way up to 4K offering unparalleled video quality and high-quality images with zooming capabilities.

Regardless of the type of CCTV cameras you choose for your home security, there are certain features that you must look for, such as motion detection, mobile notifications, remote monitoring, night vision, wi-fi capabilities, two-way communication, local or cloud storage, and weather-proof and tamper-proof casing for outdoor use.

MOTION SENSOR SMART LIGHTS

Motion sensor smart lights are excellent security gadgets if you are looking for added home security on top of your existing security measures.

They make use of motion sensors and turn on automatically when someone walks under them. They can be placed on the exterior of your home, such as on the front and back door, and the garden, garage, and shed to be alerted as soon as someone steps foot on your property.

Burglars hate attention since it increases their chances of getting caught, and these motion sensor lights do exactly that by literally putting them in the spotlight.

Additional features such as light timers and remote control can be used where the smart lights are set to turn on and off at certain times and also be able to operate remotely via a smart device such as a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop.

These two features can be particularly useful for when you are away from your home, the house is empty, and you wish to give potential burglars the illusion that someone is inside.

Motion sensor smart lights are also a great way to lower your energy bills since the lights would turn on only when someone is present and automatically turn off when no movement is detected.

SECURITY SAFES

Experienced burglars are not opportunists. Instead, they plan out their heists way in advance and know exactly what to steal and where to look inside your house for them.

You might think that the drawer in your closet or the area under your mattress are great hiding spots for your valuables, but trust us when we tell you that these are some of the first places that burglars check for items of value.

To keep your valuables safe from burglars and to avoid putting them in easy-to-find places, you must invest in a home security safe that not just protects your valuables from theft but also floods, fires, and other natural disasters.

Home safes come in a variety of types, shapes, and sizes, and can be used to safe keep cash, jewellery, guns, medicines, personal documents, and items with sentimental value.

The different types of safes for your home include:

Wall safes – installed into the walls of the home and fixed into position making it difficult to move them. Typically used to store cash, important documents, and other small valuables.
Floor safes – embedded into the home’s floor making them extremely sturdy and difficult to remove. They work great for hiding valuables and keep them protected against burglaries and fires.
Free-standing safes – one of the most common type and relatively cheaper than wall and floor safes, ranging from very small ones to bulkier ones weighing up to 2 tons.
Fire-resistant safes – built with the intent of keeping the valuables in them safe from fires along with being an effective deterrent for burglars. Typically used to store important documents that are difficult to replace and valuables such as jewellery.
Gun safes – made specifically for storing licenced guns and other weapons. Primarily used to prevent gun access to children, unauthorised persons, and burglars, and may include additional features such as fire and flood protection, and biometric locking mechanisms.
Diversion safes – disguised as ordinary household objects and usually purposefully small to not attract the attention of burglars raiding your home. Suitable for any kind of stuff that they can fit including money, important keys, jewellery, or even a small gun.

When buying the best type of security safe for your valuables, there are a few things to consider such as the size of the safe, its rating, the locking mechanism used, and obviously, its cost.

ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES

In addition to using the aforementioned modern security gadgets for maximising your home security, there are other very simple ways in which you can avoid your home being targeted for theft. They include:

Staying vigilant,
Always keeping the doors and windows locked,
Reinforcing the door and window frames,
Never opening the door without checking,
Not letting strangers inside,
Securing the perimeter,
Securing the garden, shed, and garage,
Eliminating hiding places and blind spots,
Being careful about what you share on social media,
Hiding valuables from plain view,
Being friends with the neighbours,
Setting up a neighbourhood watch scheme,
Getting a dog.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

At Calder Security, we understand the importance of keeping your home safe and secure and are here to provide you with a comprehensive security solution that includes not just professional installation but also monitoring, maintenance, and repair services for the best security gadgets out there.

We are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA), approved members of the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB), and also conform to all the relevant British and EU Standards.

We follow all the best practices in the industry and install only high-quality, state-of-the-art security equipment.

We offer various levels of monitoring via a 24-hour monitoring centre using Dualcom and BT Redcare signalling, which is the most secure alarm monitoring system and the largest supplier of intelligent alarm signalling services in the UK.

We understand the importance of having to regularly maintain security systems since the inability to do so might result in serious faults and consequent vulnerabilities in the security.

We provide professional maintenance checks and reminders for when the checks are due to help you stay compliant with the law and work fast to restore your security systems to excellent condition.

We offer a 24-hour call-out service for customers and can also repair systems not installed by us. Our engineers are highly skilled and can restore faulty systems to full working order in one visit.

Photo by the blowup on Unsplash

Security Gadgets for your home: Types and efficiency