17 / 32
2016 Spring Home Improvement
LINCON DAILY
NEWS.comMay 2, 2016 Page 17
Having a home of your own can be a
great thing. But whether you are living in
your dream home, transitioning into your
starter home with bigger things to come,
or renting a place, there will always be
concerns about keeping yourself and your belongings
safe and secure.
For many this predicament will lead to investing
in some type of home security system. In today’s
market, there are dozens of options from the highly
technical and sophisticated to the simple yet effective.
What you choose may very well be based more on
peace of mind than on what you need. But that is a
decision you’ll have to make.
So, before beginning the shopping process, it would
be good to take a step back and look at the question on
the whole. “What do I need in order to have peace of
mind?” Then, couple that with “what can I afford?”
Today, technology, wi-fi and the “Cloud” are up
and coming in home security systems, but they are
expensive and not without their faults.
For example, ADT has an advanced system that
can be connected to light switches, window blinds,
thermostats and more. At about $400 for the
product and a monthly fee of $50.00, this is a $1000
investment for the first year. In addition to the system,
the home will need some upgrading in technology.
Items such as smart switches on lights and thermostats
and a wireless control for blinds and door locks
will increase the installation cost by $500 or more
depending on how many doors and windows need to
be set-up with smart devices.
Wi-fi connected monitoring systems that allow you to
view your home from your cell phone are still in their
infancy. Though they are heavily marketed as the next
best mousetrap, the risks of security hacks are still
high.
Another pitfall to these systems is “Cloud space.”
Systems that work through the Cloud and are not tied
to your home computer require additional Cloud space
for good functionally. While you can monitor the
system from you cell phone the additional Cloud space
is going to cost you additional dollars on your monthly
device bill.
The
gamut
of home
security
products
CONTIUNED ►