[Tips For Having A Great Home Security System
Jamar Lizarraga
While it's difficult to protect your home from professional thieves, most home burglaries are done by amateurs. These thieves are more easily thwarted if you employ some of these simple security precautions:
Garage Security
Garages present special challenges for security. Here are some tips for keeping your garage secure.
- If you frost or cover your garage windows, burglars won't be able to tell if your car is gone.
- Keep your garage door closed and locked even when your car is not in the garage.
- Install a peephole in the door separating the house from the garage. If you hear suspicious sounds, you can check without opening the door.
- Are you worried about someone entering your house through your attached garage? If the garage door lifts on a track, a C-clamp can provide extra security since the door cannot be opened if you tighten the C-clamp on the track next to the roller.
Protecting Your Valuables
The most obvious way to protect your valuables is to store them in a safe-deposit box or in a secure home safe that is too heavy to be moved. When buying a wall safe, be sure it's fireproof. If you don't want to invest in a safe, other less-expensive alternatives can limit theft potential:
- A chiseled-out space in the top of a door makes a great "safe" for small valuables.
- Devise a hiding place in an acoustical ceiling. Remove a tile and restore it afterward with magnetic fasteners or a similar device. Be careful not to leave finger marks.
Devise a hiding place for valuables in an acoustical ceiling.
Just as a comment - If you have a serious requirement for a security system I would strongly suggest a standalone alarm system that has some form of integration with Homey. It will be much more reliable and likely cost the same if you can self install. eBay prices on new systems are very attractive and you can use dependable wireless sensors.
3). DisArmed = I have this mode to automatically set at 7.00am each morning (only if someone is home) . If no one is home or everyone leaves during the day then the system will automatically set to ARM., There is no use having an alarm or numerous notifications go off during the daytime when the family is at home or is active around the house. Too many chances of false triggers during the day. Someone will know if a thief shows up, .
Even completing just a few tasks on the above list can greatly reduce your chances of being burgled. And if you are invaded, having camera footage of the perps will increase the likelihood of arrest and conviction. Still, the best defense is a good offense, and installing a home security system with cameras is the single most effective way to prevent home burglaries.
I'm a new user and first time poster (probably first of many). I am looking for information about integrating Hubitat with a wired security system. There's a concurrent thread that is very similar but I didn't want to hijack the other thread with my question even though it is similar.
In the existing thread, OP has an alarm panel that he wants to integrate with Hubitat. I don't have an alarm panel yet. I have a very thorough alarm system that is prewired, but no panel. What is the best way to proceed if I want to use the alarm sensors as triggers for automations, want to remotely see sensor status, etc.? And so there is no confusion, I want to use it as an actual alarm, not just use the sensors for automation purposes. Is there a best panel to use right off the bat? If you were in my shoes how would you proceed?
Without knowing much about all the options, it sounds like the Konnected Alarm Panel wired alarm system conversion kit is just right. Or at least their website makes it sound. Is there something else that would be better? Does Konnected have any limitations that another panel wouldn't have?
The konnected system is not an alarm panel. The connected board can REPLACE your alarm panel or interface to it (to read the sensors) but it will not provide the same functions of an alarm panel as far as having keypads and an interface to interact with it.
Just to clarify...you are looking for an alarm panel that has some type of TCP-IP or serial interface to allow you to have an independent alarm system but also use those sensors with Hubitat, correct? You are not trying to use Hubitat Safety Monitor as your alarm system.
What are your other requirements? Does the panel have to have professional monitoring? Cell backup? Are you planning on interfacing the armed state of the alarm to HSM to get remote notifications? Are you looking for a DIY or professionally installed panel?
To add to the above, Konnected actually has a new product, the Konnected Interface Module, that enables a Konnected board to work in parallel with an existing alarm board rather than replacing it, as the Konnected product has traditionally done. But as stated above, you'll still need to decide what your requirements are for the actual alarm portion. Hubitat can be used with just the traditional Konnected board (no Interface) and be your alarm system if you're OK with Hubitat Safety Monitor (or really whatever automations you choose) handling that, but the reality is that Hubitat is not primarily a security system, so it may not meet every need you have there. If you're like me and don't use it much, you may be fine.
If you want to use an "industry standard" system and just put Hubitat on top of it (e.g., you'd be able to also use those sensors for Hubitat automations), the Interface Module sounds like it might be a good fit. They claim it works with any brand of standard panel, so I would look at your needs from the panel perspective first (as above) and not factor Konnected or Hubitat into your decision at that point.
Thanks for the info about the differences between Konnected and an actual alarm panel. On their website they advocate using tablets in place of keypads. And they recommend Fire tablets (What?! My experience with Fire tablets is they get very laggy unless you reboot them regularly.). My traditional idea of an alarm system is that it has keypads to arm and disarm. What is the alternative with a Konnected panel? If it is using your cellphone to arm/disarm I hate that idea.
Yes, I am looking for a panel that has an interface that will allow me to have an independent alarm system and also use the alarm sensors with Hubitat. I'd also like the ability to trip the alarm with Hubitat -- for instance, if a light switch is turned on while the alarm is on. I don't know much about the Hubitat Safety Monitor, sounds like it just sends you notifications when sensors are tripped. If that is all it does, yes I'd also like to get HSM notifications.
Professional monitoring, cell backup and battery backup are all desired. I will probably have the people that did my prewire set up the panel so DIY or professional panel doesn't matter much, whatever best suits my needs.
I'm aware the Konnected interface module can be the middleman between the panel and Hubitat. And it sounds like this might be the way to go for me. But will it really work the same with any panel? It doesn't integrate better with some panels than others? And will one interface module handle anything the panel throws at it? In the other thread, there was some mention of needing several interface boards depending on the number of zones, and it could get messy.
The other thread also mentioned zwave sensors that could simultaneously be wired? That seems like a good option too, although I'd rather do more work up front to eliminate battery powered sensors (Or will wire supply sufficient power for z-wave?). Someone there said "Some have interfaces that permit monitoring and control by home automation systems (for example, ELK M1)." And another comment said "However, if a security panel does offer a native, or third-party, device that connects directly to its bus, it allows for a neater and simpler installation. Like a keypad, [Envisalink] gains full access and visibility to the security panel's operations (with a lot less wiring connections and adjustments)." These comments sound like some panels come ready for integration with something like Hubitat, so no Konnect would be needed? Is that right?
No true alarm panel will allow this. The alarm panel alone decides when an alarm condition occurs... The only external control is ARM/DISARM and zone bypass (when disarmed). You could achieve a similar effect with a Zwave or Zigbee siren... but that as external to the alarm panel. You could, if you can get the programming right, allow the HE to press a "panic" key to initiate an action.
The AlarmDecoder line of devices (The AD2USB/AD2PI/AD2SRIAL) are not directly compatible with HE. They require a middleman computer (IE: Raspberry Pi). On their own, they do not have any ability to do either DIY or professional monitoring... The Alarm Decoder can not be used for central station (professional) monitoring. The Alarm decoder devices work with DSC Power Series alarm panels and Honeywell Vista Plus series panels.
There are other alarm panels that are available... The newer "all-in-one" systems are definitely ones to stay away from... The tend to be (a lot) less automation friendly... (IE: Honeywell Lynx/Lyric, Qolsys, etc)... Also, the less popular alarm panels have far fewer options for connectivity and automation (GE Simon, Interlogix, Paradox, etc) and the options that are available are many times locked to a proprietary cloud system.
Also, beware the connectivity add-ons... The Vista Automation Module provides WiFi connectivity to the Honeywell Vista Plus series, but does not provide a usable API for automation... The various Honeywell Tuxedo Touch touchscreen control panels offer home automation capabilities (It has a built-in Z-Wave controller) but does not integrate with external automation systems (and provides VERY limited Z-Wave device compatibility). The GE Simon connectivity devices only integrate with the proprietary website...
795a8134c1