With Thanksgiving behind us, holiday gift-shopping season has swung into high gear. If you read our post on Following the Latest Home Security Trends, you will recall that many homeowners now purchase and install their own security equipment as a DIY project. Additionally, you may also recall that modern alarm systems act as a smart home hub. This allows you to install smart home appliances that provide both security and convenience to your day-to-day living. Along with this DIY-friendly trend has come an increasing focus on security or smart-home related gifts. In this post, we focus on building your holiday home security wish list. Whether you plan on asking for these items or gifting them to others, this post will guide you towards security and smart-home related gifts that will make any tech-savvy homeowner happy.
We will begin with a focus on the best alarm technology that money can buy. Our latest security systems come loaded with features, combining benefits that increase both security and user-friendliness. After that, we will show you some of the smart home products that you can install once this alarm is in place. From there, we’ll discuss adding cameras to watch your home. Cameras have greatly increased in popularity and easy of installation, making them great gifts.we’ll discuss the smart home devices that you can install after upgrading to the latest alarm panel. We will also look at safes that secure firearms. These sturdy safes make a great gift for any family’s sporting enthusiasts. Let’s begin with a look at how a security system upgrade can open the door for security and smart home-related improvements.
The QOLSYS IQ Panel 2 offers cutting edge security and technology, as well as a sleek design and intuitive user interface.
The “Latest and Greatest” in Security Technology
Installing the latest security panel can create a whole new world of possibilities for homeowners. The QOLSYS IQ Panel 2 delivers many unique security benefits. In this section, we focus on the ways this alarm system offers increased home security. After that, we will also discuss adding smart home equipment that communicates with this alarm. Let’s begin with a look at the advanced security measures offered by the QOLSYS IQ Panel 2.
A Game-Changing Alarm System Upgrade
Obviously, it takes a good amount of technological skill and know-how to create an alarm system. Still, until recently, these alarms did not “wow” homeowners with their features. While customers get excited about new smartphones and computers, the same could not be said about security systems. However, recent developments have changed this. The QOLSYS IQ Panel 2 comes with a sleek, touchscreen design that smartphone and tablet users will immediately find familiar. This makes it the most intuitive and responsive alarm system to date.
Furthermore, this alarm panel packs plenty of technology-related security upgrades. For example, this security system snaps a photo when disarmed. This image captures the face of the user disarming the security system. If someone with an alarm code comes back at a later time to burglarize your home, this feature can help catch the thief in the act. This alarm also features Bluetooth connectivity. Homeowners can set their alarm system up to disarm automatically as they approach the house. Finally, the QOLSYS IQ Panel 2 comes equipped with our interactive cellular dialer. This dialer, powered by Alarm.com, contains its own set of impressive features. Let’s take a look at how this dialer can enhance security, as well as your overall experience with your alarm system.
The Ability to Use Your Smartphone to Control Your Alarm
Adding interactive cellular monitoring marks a huge upgrade in alarm system functionality. As we mentioned above, the QOLSYS IQ Panel 2 comes equipped with this ability. However, we can add this monitoring to many existing alarm panels as well. So, what exactly does this monitoring service add to your alarm system monitoring? For one, it creates a direct connection between your security system and your smartphone. Any alarm system activity will create an alert notifying you of the condition. This could include actual alarm activations or alerts such as low sensor batteries. Additionally, you can elect to receive alerts whenever anyone arms or disarms the security system. For a comprehensive rundown of the benefits of Alarm.com, check out our blog on Alarm.com Features. Now, let’s focus on how adding our cellular dialer can turn your home into a smart home.
Your Alarm.com phone app can be used to control any connected smart home devices, such as smart lights as shown here.
Smart Home Appliances that Add Security and Convenience to Your Home
As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, our interactive cellular dialer acts as a smart home hub that can communicate with a wide variety of smart home devices. This allows you to control your lights, thermostats, garage door openers, keypad deadbolts, and any number of other appliances through the same Alarm.com phone app that you use to control your alarm. These devices add unique and powerful security, and also make your day-to-day home life more convenient. For example, controlling your lights remotely can make it less obvious when your house is empty. From a convenience perspective, smart lights allow you to return home to a well-lit house every night.
Smart thermostats can alert you to home temperatures outside of a customizable range. This can alert you to issues with your HVAC equipment. Additionally, this technology also ensures that you do not come home to uncomfortable temperatures after work or coming back from a trip. Smart keypad deadbolts allow you to let visitors in without providing them with a key or a code. From a convenience perspective, you can unlock your doors from your car, allowing you to enter without fumbling with keys. This is especially helpful when returning home with bags or other items to carry inside. For more information on smart home items that might find their way onto your home security wish list, we recommend our 7 Important Security System Add-Ons for Your Smart Home. Now, let’s look at an increasingly popular security item that becomes more popular with homeowners every year.
A Way to Watch Your Home at All Times
Installing cameras brings homeowners a great deal of security. Additionally, adding surveillance allows you to check in at any time to make sure all is right with your kids, pets, or house. This combination of security and peace of mind makes cameras a great idea for anyone’s home security wish list. Furthermore, just as with the smart home devices described in the previous section, we can install smart cameras that pair perfectly with your Alarm.com app and boast an impressive array of features. These cameras allow you to use your phone for a live look-in at any time. Additionally, they also record motion-based clips that you can view on your phone or computer and save if needed.
Want to receive a live video alert when a camera senses motion during a certain timeframe? You can set up individual alert schedules for each camera you have. This can help you catch events such as the arrival of kids from school or an important package arriving with the mail. Conversely, you can elect to receive an alert when an expected event does not happen. For example, if a scheduled contractor fails to pull into the driveway during the expected timeframe, you will know immediately. These types of features make smart cameras a great gift for any homeowner. Now, let’s look at an item that adds security for households with firearms.
Gun safes, such as these models made by Gardall, can safeguard your guns against both accidents and burglars.
Gun Safes for Secure and Convenient Weapon Storage
Many families have at least one hunting or sport-shooting enthusiast in their ranks. For these individuals, a gun safe can make a great gift. We offer safes specifically designed for certain types and quantities of firearms. These safes check off a couple security “checkpoints.” For one, they keep guns out of the hands of intruders and children. Furthermore, as we pointed out in our Best Practices to Improve Bedroom Security, these safes help keep gun owners on the right side of the law. Massachusetts law requires keeping guns in a locked container if they are not locked with a tamper-resistant safety device, such as a mechanical lock. The critical nature of the safety provided by a gun safe makes them a great addition to any home with firearms.
Creating Your Own Home Security Wish List
We hope that this post has helped you grow your own home security wish list. These products bring security and convenience to your home, as well as that “wow” factor that make them great gifts. If you have any questions about the material in this post, we encourage you to contact us. We provide free home site surveys for both new and existing security customers. Additionally, we can show you hands-on demonstrations of many of the products described here. Together, we can help provide you with everything you need to keep you and your loved ones as safe and secure as possible.