When it comes to providing home security, we strive to live up to our company’s name. We offer a variety of solutions to help keep your home as safe as possible. These run the gamut from locking hardware to alarms and everything in between. However, one piece of advice we give every homeowner revolves around creating ways to see what happens in and around their homes at all times. Of course, keeping the wrong people off your property, scaring them away, and receiving a dispatch from the proper authorities when needed goes a long way. However, nothing helps you piece together events as they unfold or after the fact as effectively as adding image-based security to your home. Today, we show you some of the many methods we use to help you create this security!
First, we’ll review some surveillance options for your home. These will include traditional standalone surveillance systems with hardwired technology. Additionally, we’ll also take a peek at some unique cameras that integrate with your alarm equipment as well. From there, we’ll look at a couple alarm-related methods for adding image-based security to your home. As part of this discussion, we’ll show you how your motion detectors can also give you “eyes” in any room you install them in. Then, we’ll turn our focus to an alarm panel that uses images to track who enters codes into your alarm for some unique security! Now, let’s get started with some surveillance options to increase your property’s security.
Video Surveillance Options for Your Home
Over the past decade or so, it’s gotten more popular to install residential security cameras than ever before. We’ve recognized a couple reasons for this. For starters, the evolving technology of the industry has made cameras more effective and user-friendly than ever. High-definition picture and simple operating procedures have combined to form a powerful, convenient security experience. Furthermore, these same technological advances have made cameras more affordable than ever. In turn, cameras no longer represent the “exclusive” security product they did in years past. In this section, we’ll look at a couple ways to incorporate cameras into your plans for adding image-based security to your home. Let’s get started with a look at dedicated home surveillance systems.
Installing security cameras on your property can add help you both deter and solve any crimes that occur at your home!
Standalone Surveillance Systems
When we refer to a surveillance “system,” we generally have traditional “standalone” surveillance systems in mind. By this, we mean that these video systems do not rely on any other equipment to operate. These systems generally involve installing a recorder that captures and records video at all times. Therefore, even when your cameras do not sense any motion or action, the tape is still rolling. We then run wires from the recorder to your various camera locations. If desired, we can also connect the recorder to your home network. Doing so allows you to view your cameras on your smartphone or on any internet-connected device.
These systems come with a couple unique benefits. For starters, you receive video footage captured 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, these recorders have their own powerful, dedicated video server to capture and store camera footage. This allows us to connect your recorder to the most robust cameras on the market. We can install cameras with a picture that far exceeds the image quality seen even on a high-definition television! We recommend checking out our post on Choosing IP vs Analog Cameras for a detailed description of how we measure and describe video resolution for more information on this topic.
Integrated Video Equipment
Of course, getting the most robust security equipment on the market involves paying for the best as well. Therefore, we also offer “integrated” video equipment that works with your existing alarm system. Unlike their standalone counterparts, these cameras only record clips based on sensing motion rather than recording video constantly. Integrated smart cameras allow you to add images to your home security at the most aggressive price point possible. Furthermore, these cameras come with some unique video analytics features. For example, our smart cameras powered by Alarm.com can let you know what type of motion event triggered a recording. Therefore, you can sort between clips created by people, by vehicles, or even by animals!
Additionally, you can also install a smart doorbell to add images to your home security. These doorbells allow you to receive live video alerts when someone approaches your door. From there, you can have a two-way conversation with your visitor. Moreover, if you suspect someone stole a package from your porch, you can watch the recorded video clip to see what happened. For these reasons, we’ve had many customers install our Alarm.com smart doorbell camera over the past few years. Next, let’s look at how we can add unique image-capturing capability to your home’s security system equipment!
A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words
It surprises many of our customers to learn that we offer equipment other than cameras to capture images of their property. In this section, we show you exactly how we accomplish this feat. We’ll begin with a look at a unique type of security contact that sends video of break-ins to both you and to our central station. Then, we’ll explain how our latest and greatest security system uses images to help customers identify alarm users. Let’s get started by focusing on motion detectors that both detect and capture motion events in your home!
Security System Components that Capture Images
A few months back, we created a Guide to How Alarm Systems Work. As part of that post, we discussed how motion detectors communicate with your alarm upon detecting motion. This allows customers to secure large areas of their home with a single detector. Upon detecting motion, these sensors create an alarm activation, sounding your sirens and potentially creating a police response.
Some motion detectors, such as this model by QOLSYS, capture images upon alarm activation to help you verify alarm events in your home.
Additionally, some motion detectors provide you the chance to add images to your home security system! Image sensors, such as the one pictured, have both infrared motion-detecting and image-capturing capabilities. If these detectors catch motion after you arm your system, they will send a succession of photos to our central station to help verify the alarm. Furthermore, you will also receive these images on your phone for both live and future viewing. This can help you determine how to handle the alarm event in real time. In this manner, image sensors combine the security of an alarm contact and a camera in one device. Next, let’s check out how the keypad you use to disarm your alarm can add image-based security.
A Modern Alarm Panel with a Built-in Camera
Over the last couple years, we’ve adopted the QOLSYS IQ Panel 4 as our alarm of choice. This security system combines our standard home security features with all the bells and whistles provides by the latest and greatest advances in alarm technology. The panel features a modern touchscreen interface for a convenient and intuitive user experience. Furthermore, it combines the panel, keypad, and siren into one tablet-sized all-in-one system for incredibly simple installation. Last but not least, this alarm system includes a unique way to add images to your home security. The IQ Panel 4 holds a camera that captures images upon disarming of the alarm. This can help you see who disarms your security system, and when. Therefore, if a contractor or house sitter that you trusted with an alarm code comes back uninvited down the road, they won’t get away with their crime.
Putting it All Together and Adding Image-Based Security to Your Home
We hope that this post assists you in adding image-based security to your home. As always, we encourage you to contact us with any questions this post may raise for you. We will happily answer any and all of your security-related inquiries. Moreover, we also encourage you to have us out for a site survey to help you incorporate the tips found in this post. We’ve worked with over a thousand homeowners in our 36-plus years of business to provide the latest and greatest in security technology. Furthermore, we know that no two properties or customers are alike. Therefore, we strive to provide individualized security, as well as the desired security experience for all of our customers. Together, we can create a complete security plan to keep you, your home, and your family as safe and secure as possible.