Adding Security to Smart Homes

Integrating home security features into your smart home system is a very wise decision, but there are going to be very important choices to make when doing so.

Integrating home security

Integrating home security into your smart home system is a very wise choice, but there are right and wrong choices to make when doing so. Smarter Homes of Austin is here to help you make the right choice because we believe that your safety is the top priority when we install your smart home system. We have certain criteria for the security alarm systems that we install. 


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The system must feature the security direct alarm which can also bypass third party monitoring and directly notify first responders. The fire module detects which smoke alarm is sending the alarm signal and notifies the fire safety panel to display a red light indicating which area (zone) of the house the emergency is located. The direct alarm notifies the Fire Department that there is an emergency at your home, as we mentioned, bypassing any third-party monitoring.

These systems also have a security module that works in the same way as does the fire module. The difference is the alarm trigger. The most common trigger is the magnetic sensor, installed on every window and door that has access to the outside of the home. If a burglary takes place or is attempted, the alarm is triggered and notification is sent directly to your local authorities, and again, bypasses third-party monitoring. That bypass or what we call the direct alarm saves thousands of lives every year in the United States alone. Why even use a third party alarm system?


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Another function that our alarm systems must have is motion detection. If by chance a burglar bypasses the window or door alarm, which is highly unlikely, motion sensors are installed around the home, and the all seeing eye sees everything that moves in rooms that are possibly dark. These are the same type of motion sensors that are placed on external lights on your home, lighting up the perimeter of your home when the sensor is triggered. The sensors can also send a signal to activate a digital video recorder to start recording the feed from the video cameras connected to your security system, recording everything that is happening inside and outside of the home. 


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Our next requirement is that a security alarm system is able to double as an energy saver and provide safety measures throughout the home. The motion detectors can trigger our smart system to turn on and off in every room as someone enters or leaves. If the room is vacant and still the sensor tells the smart system to shut the lights off. It can can also turn off devices like TVs and music players, saving you from higher energy bills. 

We have learned the requirements of the security alarm system, the pros. Now let’s talk about what we know to be the cons of other security alarm systems.

We’ll start with cloud based security systems. We consider them to be a big no, no. Why? It’s because the technology to use the direct alarm modules are severely limited. There could be a delay in the time that fire rescue or the police get the alarm on their end, and any fire person or police officer will tell you that saving time in an emergency saves lives. Lost time can cost lives. 

Next, we need to touch on those third party security companies. They do not enable their alarm systems to be integrated, because our direct alarm module would bypass their action system, thus eliminating the need for their service. If you want to integrate a security alarm system with your smart home system, cancel your security subscription and let us set up an alarm system that speed up the time of getting the help you need. Third party alarm companies are just an extra step that you do not need in an emergency. Their call center calls you to see what the emergency is, then call the fire or police department for you. That’s the extra step that wastes time getting help. We aren’t able to integrate our alarm systems with other companies like ADT. 


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Let us help you make the right decision when it comes to your home security alarm and smart automation system. We care about the families in the homes that we service, and that’s why at Smarter Homes of Austin the owner and staff ensure that the work we do is done correctly with the right systems and equipment. 

To schedule a free consultation, please call our owner Peter Sandford at (512) 785-0032. 

If you would like more information about security and other smart home features that we offer, please visit our website at this link www.smartertx.com.

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Prewire installation calculations assume you would like your home fully wired for ALL home automation technologies shown throughout the budget calculator, including 'future-ready' wiring. Prewire pricing can vary substantially based on what features you would like in your home. The wiring budget is for low-voltage wiring, not for electrical.
Prewire pricing will vary based on exactly what features you would like in your home. Read this article about the importance of wiring/cabling in today's "wireless" world. Your local Smarter Homes integrator is the best resource for exact prewire pricing. Wiring budget is for low-voltage wiring only, not electrical.
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Higher-quality sound or higher-grade architectural finished speakers can range from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 PER ROOM
Basic background music system pricing ranges from $1,500.00 to $5,000.00 per room including all equipment, labor, and programming.
Range includes video sources such as AppleTV, a Blu-ray player, satellite receiver, and remotely-locating them for best aesthetics. A basic soundbar is included for better audio.
This is called “video distribution” and reduces the amount of audio/video equipment located at each TV location/room.
A surround sound system creates an immersive sound experience, much like a dedicated home theater room, though in a dual-purpose room such as a Family Room, Master Bedroom, etc. If you would like more than one surround system location, click on the "Add Another Surround System" button below
Typically, homeowners want to see the following areas: front of house, front door, driveway / gate, sides of house, and pool. If you are more concerned about security, you may want to add cameras for the perimeter of your property. Good-quality cameras see about 75 feet of distance on average. The high range of the budget estimate includes higher resolution cameras, better night vision, and longer surveillance recording time.
The installation of a lighting control system reduces wall clutter, allows preset lighting scenes at the push of a button, increases security through programming automation, and adds convenience.
Motorized shades add beauty, convenience, address privacy concerns, and can be used to save energy. If desired, provide your best guess on how many windows/shades you want to motorize. The higher-end of the budget range includes higher-end fabrics, large windows, and dual-roller shades (both sheer and privacy shades on one window).
For example, a house music app, an app to operate your TV, an app for lighting automation, an app for locks, an app for cameras, an app to open close garage doors & gates, etc. Or do you want to control the entire house through a single unified app that controls all the automation systems within the home?
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