Numerous functional and lifestyle-related aspects play an important role in homeowners choosing home extensions and renovations over moving to a new home. In most common circumstances, the homeowners and their families are accustomed to their current neighbourhood and are happy to continue staying there. However, when the family increases, home extension and renovation becomes a necessity mainly due to the need for extra living space.
Whilst the interior design and exterior appearance are on top of everyone’s mind when remodelling or extending their living space, home security undeservedly takes a backseat. Often overlooked, one of the key aspects an owner should bear in mind when renovating his/her house is a reliable home monitoring system. Since a majority of the population in developed economies, such as the UK, comprise working couples with their children and senior citizens spending a lot of time alone, security systems that integrate seamlessly with home automation modules and can be controlled remotely are what is required.
With the socio-cultural landscape teaming with more and more nuclear families, the ability to monitor one’s home from afar becomes increasingly important. As a result, having a security system that keeps you updated about any untoward incidents, including fire and burglaries, is a must. Homeowners thinking about renovations should lay equal importance on installing a home monitoring system. Whilst deciding which system fits your needs, look for the following parameters:
Most systems have a central control device or a master panel that communicates wirelessly with different devices, including smoke detectors, IP video cameras, and motion detectors. More importantly, this central device should be capable of communicating with your smartphones, tablets, and PCs using high-speed Internet. It is preferable to choose a system which is compatible with different devices and makes those devices more functional and convenient to use.
As a homeowner, you need an integrated home monitoring system that can be controlled via a single interface and that can add comfort to your lifestyle. Fragmented or uncoordinated devices with individual control interfaces add little value. For instance, a single home security device that sends push notifications to your smartphone about your IP camera’s footage and the status of your smoke and motion sensors is more convenient than discrete systems that communicate separately with video cameras and emergency sensors.
Another important consideration when selecting home monitoring systems is the number of ways you can control your devices. Some devices can only be controlled by a remote control whilst others can be controlled in multiple ways: a physical switch on the device itself, a remote control, and a smartphone or any web-enabled device. Systems which have more control interfaces offer greater flexibility and more convenience.
Some wired/wireless home automation systems require a complete rewiring of key electricals; others can simply be retrofitted and require replacing existing sockets and configuring those to be controlled by your smartphones. The less hassle-free the installation and configuration process, the more comfort it adds to the homeowners and their families.
To effectively monitor and control your home even when you’re away, your monitoring system should be linked to several essential sensors that detect motion, temperature, smoke, weather, and light levels. All these sensors work in tandem with other sensors and the IP camera so that the central control device sends warnings and notifications to your smartphones. As a result, you can notify your neighbours, the fire service, or any emergency rescue service if anything untoward or dangerous is identified.
Whilst individual homeowners can decide how simple or sophisticated their home monitoring system should be, an ideal system should combine technology with the family’s desire for simplicity, comfort, and convenience.