Top Smart Tech to Thwart Holiday Security Threats

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 28 November 2017 14:57

Nothing puts a damper on holiday cheer quite like a burglary. Thankfully, the newest technology in home security can protect your home from uninvited holiday guests. If your home lacks a security system or you’re looking to upgrade, follow these tips and add some smart home security devices to your wish list.

Make Your Home Look Occupied

If you’re planning on traveling this holiday season, your unoccupied home will be a prime target for a burglary. Deterring potential thieves may be as easy as creating the illusion of an occupied home with smart lighting and other devices.

The newest smart lightbulbs from BeON learn your routine through daily use and store your lighting patterns. Using a smartphone app, you can tell your home’s lights that you’re away, and each lamp will replicate your nightly routine to fool any would-be burglars. BeON’s lightbulbs also include backup batteries keeping your lights on through a bad winter storm.

Additionally, smart power strips can add to the illusion by turning on your stereo or television on a timer. Your neighbors won’t even realize you’ve left.

Watch for Uninvited Visitors

Unless you’re planning a Home Alone remake, you’ll want to keep an eye on unexpected guests. AI-powered security cameras from BuddyGuard utilize facial recognition technology to monitor every individual that enters your home, logging a database of trusted faces to quickly and accurately recognize any unknown individuals.

AI-powered security cameras can distinguish burglars from the family dog to prevent false alarms, and these systems can notify you when your teenager or in-laws drop in at odd hours. For the worst-case scenario, some systems can autonomously contact emergency services, keeping your home secure even when you’re asleep.

Keep an Eye on the Front Door

Surprisingly, 69.5% of burglaries happened in residential homes in 2016, and a smart lock is an excellent first line of defense for your home. Devices from companies like August provide the convenience of keyless entry with features like automatic locking and a 24/7 activity feed. You can control door access with your smartphone, letting you provide your neighbor with temporary access to water your plants when you’re away.

Outside of a lock, smart doorbells with security cameras can help protect the endless stream of gifts and packages arriving on your doorstep, a prime target for theft during the holiday season. The Ring Video Doorbell provides a watchful eye over your front door while you’re away, protecting you from a typical snatch-and-grab of the holiday packages. You can also interact with visitors at the front door before letting them in, providing security against a home invasion.

Avoid a Holiday Disaster

The only thing burning in your home should be your yule log. Keep your family safe from fires and other disasters with smart smoke detectors from Roost, which provide advanced features like notifications for you, your family, and your friends or neighbors during an emergency. These clever smoke detectors also provide updates for low batteries, eliminating the dreaded 3 a.m. chirping.

Also, take extra care with your holiday lighting and tree. Christmas tree fires accounted for an average of $14.8 million in property damage between 2011 and 2015. Avoid becoming an unfortunate holiday statistic with smart outlets like the Belkin Wemo, which lets you turn off your Christmas lights when you’re away from home.

Smart outlets can also be used to turn off (or on) kitchen appliances and other potential fire hazards, preventing an overcooked turkey or a burnt ham from spoiling your holiday dinners. Plus the benefits last long after the holidays. The plugs can be used to turn on your coffee maker while you’re still in bed or to turn off your forgotten hair straightener when you get to the office.

Upgrade to Whole-Home Security

Your home isn’t as secure as it could be from a break-in until you’ve upgraded your home security system. These systems are a last line of defense and critically important for thwarting holiday threats. Smart security systems combine the security of a 24/7 monitoring service with smart home technology (like window sensors and indoor or outdoor security cameras) to provide around-the-clock defense against burglary, theft, and home invasion.

The integration of smart devices, like doorbells, smart cameras, smart outlets, and a monitoring service, provides whole-home protection from a variety of threats, letting you relax and enjoy your holiday season. Consider buying your family some smart devices as early presents, and go into the holidays with safety and confidence. 

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