Smart Home Security & Safety

With over 69% of American consumers owning a smart device in their home, it’s pretty much common knowledge at this point: it’s important to keep your wireless network secure to prevent intrusion by hackers.

While we’ve covered the subject of smart home network security in-depth elsewhere on this site, we haven’t taken a dive into the particulars of smart home technology—specifically, the range of practical devices available that are focused on security and safety.

From smartphone-enabled garage door openers to automatic lights, carbon monoxide detectors, and high-definition outdoor cameras, there are all sorts of devices available to minimize risk, whether that risk entails theft, fire, flooding, or something else entirely.

Help protect your family (and your property) by installing one or more of the following types of smart home devices.

Sensors for Fires, Floods, & More

Smart devices are much more sophisticated than they used to be. It’s not all motion-activated exterior lights and doorbell camera panels anymore.

Smart sensors can do everything from monitor the temperature in your home, notifying you if it exceeds a designated threshold, to alert you to the presence of leaks.

Here are just a few of the advantages you can expect when you install specialized smart sensors around your property:

• Fast water leak notification – Troublesome washing machine or dishwasher? Detect the presence of leaks before they get out of control, and avoid the exorbitant fees that accompany any such damage to your home.

• Carbon monoxide detection – Get instant alerts as to the presence of this potentially deadly gas on your property—if you connect the sensor to your smartphone, tablet, or other smart device hub, you can stay worry-free.

• An extra eye on temperature fluctuations – That power bill can really bite you in the butt if you’re not paying attention; what’s more, extreme fluctuations in temperature could signal serious issues with your home—smart thermostats reduce that risk by a huge margin.

Security Technology

There are all sorts of easy-to-install security devices available out there these days. It can be hard to identify which one is right for you.

Here’s our quick list of must-haves for those interested in a modest smart home security upgrade:

• Remotely controllable indoor lights – While not straightforwardly a security device, indoor lights coming on at the right time of day signal to passersby that a house is occupied—connect your smartphone with your lights to turn them on and off at will.

• External surveillance camera – Small, discreet, and simple to install, many of today’s cameras can stream live directly to your device, in addition to capturing high-definition footage—some even offer night vision options and built-in sirens to ward off suspicious visitors.

• Smart locks – Stylish in appearance, smart locks take the place of regular old door locks and can be wirelessly connected for easy opening/closing through your smart phone or smart device hub.

Data Collection & Privacy

Some companies gather consumer data and other metrics about user behaviors remotely from the devices installed around your home.

If you’re sensitive about data collection, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with your product’s terms of use, since privacy laws aren’t particularly robust here in the United States.

Find out if (and how) your smart home products are collecting information about you by reading their privacy policies or by searching for consumer reviews and other coverage of the products you’re interested in online.

If it’s possible to disable the tracking features of the device, then by all means feel free to do so. If not, then you may want to reconsider the brand of smart device you’re using and explore other options instead.

Ready to start installing smart devices in and around your property? After you find a product that works for you, you won’t regret it. Start exploring your options today.

"This post was originally published on mortgages.com."