My wife can be a little anxious at times. So, if I can give her some additional peace of mind, I’d like to. We’re still working through Our Pregnancy To-Do List. I want to know whether we need a home security setup. I’ll also take a look at how secure we need to go and if it’s all worth the money. Hopefully this will lead to us getting the right home security setup for our new family.
What Is a Home Security Setup?
A home security setup includes products and services that you can have in or linked to your home to make it more secure.
The Balance Between “Most Secure” and “Convenient Peace of Mind”
Some people may prioritise the most physically secure option. While others might want some smart features so they can check the status of a security device.
For example, we are considering two options for our front door lock. A BS3621 approved 5 lever mortice deadlock is the more physically secure of the two. But a smart lock could allow us to see if the door is locked remotely. Both provide peace of mind, but in different ways.
I don’t think we can set one universal rule. We’ll look at each option on a case-by-case basis. Hopefully that will give us a good balance and lead to a suitable home security setup for our family.
Home Security Options
Cameras
Home security cameras allow you to know what’s going on when you’re not there. You can get indoor and outdoor cameras. An indoor camera could also double and an extra baby monitor.
Door Locks
Door locks are how you lock your doors (surprisingly). You can buy something like a BS3621 approved 5 lever mortice deadlock. This is a simple, secure option. Smart locks offer a wide range of convenience and peace-of-mind features.
You can also add additional measures. For example, quality locks often come with 3-inch screws for attaching the strike plate to the door frame. If your deadbolt’s screws are shorter, it’s wise to purchase 3-inch screws separately and use them in place of the shorter ones, which won’t embed deeply enough in the wall framing that lies behind the door frame. The longer screws will make it more difficult for an intruder to kick the door open. You can read more about this information by reading this helpful article.
You can also add a night latch.
Smoke Detectors
These devices are very common and sound an alarm when they sense fire or smoke. Within this category, it’s worth mentioning carbon monoxide detectors, which are usually separate units.
Entry Sensors
These small devices use magnets to detect when a window or door is opened. They are installed on the frame and can trigger an alarm.
Motion Sensors
A motion detector is an electrical device that uses a sensor to detect nearby motion. Some will only trigger for human movement. So, no pets will cause issues.
Alarm and Keypad
The sensors won’t be very effective without a central alarm. The keypad can be installed by the front door and allows you to arm the sensors.
Security Lights
Security lights are outdoor lights, usually with motion detectors. The intention that a light turning on may cause a burglar to try another house. One where they can break in with the cover of darkness.
Video Doorbell
With built-in motion detection, video doorbells often record video whenever someone comes within range. This can allow you to be notified if someone is at your front door. You can also review the footage if a crime was committed.
Glass-Break Sensor
These clever devices pick up the sound of a smashed window. This can then send a notification to sound the alarm. Many can determine the difference between a window and something else smashing, like a plate.
Water Sensor
Detects leaks and potential floods, so you can prevent water damage by acting quickly.
Package Services
Some companies offer to combine many of the options listed above. Additionally, they will also monitor the system and can send out emergency services if there appears to be a problem.
What We’ve Decided
We want to find the right balance between security and peace of mind. Smart products also present a new balance to strike. Some smart tech serves a functional purpose. Others are just cool nice-to-haves.
We Don’t Need a Package Service
We were originally looking at package services. But a few realisations changed our minds. We don’t live in a bad part of town. Of the options we considered, these were the most expensive. We were looking at SimpliSafe and the monthly subscription would have been between £12.99 and £19.99.
We were also concerned about access to the footage. If we needed to access a video quickly. If the SimpliSafe app is down or there are company-wide issues, we couldn’t see what we needed. This is a very unlikely problem to arise. But we found an alternative solution that did give us permanent local access.
Finally, for our needs, a package service felt like killing a fly with a cannonball. My was does get anxious at times. But, in her own words, she “doesn’t need to be wrapped in bubble wrap”.
The Options We’ll Get Before Due Date
Money is a little tight and there are a few things we’ll probably get later. But here is a list of things we’ve set price alerts for.
Smart Smoke Detectors
The consequences of a fire in your home can be tragic and devastating. Reliable smoke detectors are inexpensive and could save your life. I would also like one that can notify me on my phone if I’m not home.
I’ve found this one (made by FireAngel) on Amazon that looks good. But it doesn’t have a carbon monoxide sensor. That means I might have to buy an extra, separate unit. The Google Nest Protect ticks all the boxes. But it’s significantly more expensive. It depends on how the prices look over the next couple of weeks.
Fire Extinguisher
It’s just a small thing that could save us our lives or home. I found this Firexo 2 Litre Fire Extinguisher from Costco for a price I’m happy with. I’ll pick it up next time I’m near Costco.
Video Doorbell
We originally dismissed a video doorbell as unnecessary for us. But it would solve a clear cause of worry for Mrs Wrincs.
There is an alley that goes down the side of our home. Our front door opens to that alley. Mrs Wrincs hates the thought of a knock at the door at night and having to open up to the alley. There are some general conveniences, but if I’m not home, she can see who’s at the door before opening. Once we realised that, it became a very attractive purchase.
Naturally, we looked at the Ring, Nest and Arlo options. But with similar concerns to the (access to footage) package services, the relatively high prices and the ongoing monthly subscriptions, we wanted to take a look at some other options.
We think we’ve found an option that ticks all our boxes. This video doorbell from Eufy is a little cheaper, has no monthly cost, allows integration to a few other options we could get and gives us permanent local access to the recorded videos. This was the clear option for our needs.
Security Lights
We have two, off-road parking spaces down the alley. We just need some solar-powered, motion sensor lights leading to our car.
There are so many options available. It might come down to a good deal in the sales. But we’ve set a price alert for these lights from Claoner.
Camera
We don’t feel like we need any additional cameras for security. We are considering getting one as part of a baby monitor setup. But I’ll cover that in a future post.
Things We May-Add In The Future
We have been tempted by a smart lock for the front door. That will have to wait because we’re going to run out of money, we’d have to replace the front door and I’m having trouble finding an option that ticks all our boxes at the moment.
There is also a chance we’ll add motion detectors and an alarm keypad. But I’m not sure that’s necessary for our needs. If we decide to get them, I’ll make another post about it.
Price Tracking and Alerts
In this post, I’ve mentioned a few times about setting up price alerts. There are a few options out there. But, for Amazon products, I use camelcamelcamel. This site allows you to see price history charts and receive notifications if the price drops below any amount you set.
You should also know that the Amazon Prime Day sales will be on next Monday and Tuesday (21st & 22nd June 2021). Sales like Prime Day, Black Friday and others don’t always give the lowest possible prices. But if you’re expecting and know you need to get some stuff from Amazon it could be a great way to save a little money.
Setting some alerts on camelcamelcamel ahead of Prime Day could be well worth sorting out this week.
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