Alarm system with Smart Home
We planned to equip our house with Smart Home and to integrate our alarm system into it. The possibilities with Smart Home are very diverse. Regardless of whether you put in place it with bus systems such as KNX or use radio solutions such as RWE Smart Home. Window contacts on the windows, panic switches, motion detectors. Central reporting unit that sends malfunctions and movements to the cell phone and so on. In the end, we said goodbye to the Smart Home topic for reasons of cost. Because if you want to do it right, you have to budget EUR 10,000, which is our not to let. In our house we will rather put in place the classic burglar protection. But also look together with the electrician to see. What options we have and what the price framework looks like smart home.
What does burglary protection include?
That is the fundamental question and every builder must first decide for himself. What he wants to secure everything in the house and how. You can find some good advice and checklists on the Internet. E.g. the advice on burglary protection on idealo.de or from ABUS. Both show the weak points in the house and how you can protect yourself. Beside to protection against burglars, protection. Against fire and gas also plays an important role. This is particularly important in houses with a chimney or gas connection. A solid home security can divide into different criteria:
- Deterrence
- Life saving measures
- Securing the house
- Alarming measures
If you want to feel safe, all these points should met as far as possible.
Deterrent measures
This includes all devices and measures that dissuade. The unwanted visitor from breaking into the house.
- Alarm siren mounted on the outside wall
- Outdoor lights with motion detectors
- Notice stickers on doors and windows “Attention! Alarm will sound”
- Outside cameras (or good dummies)
- Lamps with timer / clock function (switch lights on and off when you are away)
- Shutters with Astor function (shutters close according to the day and night times)
- Why not a chilling “Here I watch!” sticker on the front door?
Life saving measures:
Measures that warn of smoke, fire and gas.
- Smoke alarms in all rooms
- Gas detector (for houses with a gas connection)
- Carbon monoxide alarm (in houses with a fireplace)
- Fire extinguishers (one per floor) and first aid kit
- Lightning rod, grounding
Measures to secure the house:
If burglars have not deterred, the next thing that counts is securing the house. Such as extra locking mechanisms.
- Extra security lock on the front door
- Lockable windows and doors (at least on the ground floor)
- Shutters throughout the house
Alarming measures:
If, in spite of all the deterrent measures. Someone else lends a hand on one’s own house, a corresponding alarm must gave. Either to yourself, the neighbors or to the police or security guards.
- Window and door contacts (at least on the ground floor)
- Alarm-secured house entrance door
- Alarming outdoor siren
- Alarm doorstop (wedge-shaped, battery-operated doorstop)
If the alarm system in the house arm and windows or doors open. The corresponding door or window contacts react. And the alarm system triggers an alarm. Good alarm systems pass this on to the police. If the alarm system retrofitted, the window and door contacts send the signals by radio.
Which alarm system is the right one?
On the one hand, this depends on the needs of the client. The budget and the environment in which the building project is taking place. If the budget is irrelevant, I would definitely prefer a bus-based. (I.e. not wireless) Smart Home solution. This can adapt and expanded at any time. Sends extra information via app or email and can also operate. Beside, different scenarios can map, such as, for example. The outside motion detector switches the light on inside.
For the smaller budget, simpler solutions must found, but they do not have to be less secure. It is advisable to ask an expert for an opinion on this. It is also advisable to think about it in good time. If certain precautions can take or prepared. By the electrician during the construction phase. Every now and then one reads the advice to ask the local police for an opinion. Sometimes it is also worth taking a look at the statistics of break-ins in your own neighborhood.
Insurance against burglary:
This is also part of the protection against burglary and theft. If the house brake into and valuables stolen or things damaged. You have to protect. Even if the burglar may not have entered the house, it is possible that he has left damage to the door. You should also protect against this. In any case, you should check your home insurance again before moving into the new house.
How are we going to secure our house?
At this point it may not make sense to describe your own protection of the house in detail. Also to name the type designation of the alarm system. How exactly we will do it is also not yet clear. First of all, at the next meeting we will ask. The electrician about his opinion and experiences with other builders. The next step will be to go to a security expert. Who will present us with various solutions with advantages? And disadvantages as well as prices. We also get roller shutters throughout the house, which can later also operate. Which means that we also feel a bit safer.
In any case, we will get a good quality alarm system. We will read various test reports and also on testreports.de look for test winners.
