HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS
New Innovations Abound
By Robert Hessel
sensitive materials and data. If you want
high-quality security, you will have to pay
for it. Offers of cheap DIY systems are just
that — cheap. And they usually are not
very effective or user-friendly. Between the
hardware, electronic devices, monitoring,
and maintenance, it can amount to a big
chunk of your overall home budget. Despite
the cost, most homeowners will pay the
price for peace of mind.
False alarms can be triggered by pets, or
at times for no apparent reason. When they
are, it causes stress for the homeowners
and can throw a wrench into their daily
lives. Unfortunately, false alarms are a
common occurrence with many home
security systems. Sensors may be calibrated
improperly, or malfunctions can occur. At
nighttime, false alarms can be particularly
stressful. Repeated false alarms can result
in a slow response to a real breach of the
system. Typically, a higher quality system
will have fewer incidences of false alarms.
One of the first decisions in choosing
a security system is whether to select
hardwired or wireless. The wireless security
systems offer a lot of convenience and
flexibility, but they can also have issues
with reliability. Just like WiFi routers,
wireless systems can have issues with
internal communication that impact
sensors throughout the home. They can
132 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2019
be interfered with by baby monitors,
microwave ovens, and even power lines
near or on your property. Having the
option to monitor your home security
system on your phone is attractive, but it
does have its weaknesses.
Security professionals are, in general,
in agreement that hardwired systems are
more reliable than wireless systems. The
hardwired systems are still dependent on
electricity, and if it goes out, so does the
system, unless you have battery backup.
They also have some limitations of access
unlike wireless, where you can practically
put sensors almost anywhere.
As the threats to security continue to
evolve, technology companies identify
opportunities for products to deal with
them. Currently, the answer seems to
be smart home security. Smart systems,
appliances, and a myriad of IoT devices
seem to be answering these problems. Smart
security systems for homes and businesses
are bringing strategic innovations to increase
the level of personal safety, comfort, and
peace of mind. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Hessel at Source 1
Solutions can be contacted at (727) 538-4114
or visit source1solutions.com.
Families across Tampa Bay who are
concerned with personal safety and
home security plan to return home
to a place of rest, comfort, and
enjoyment despite an increasingly troubled
world. That is why the sale of home
security systems is on the rise to help
homeowners maintain a safe environment.
However, many security systems may have
problems that homeowners should be
aware of when considering what to install.
Whether you decide to get an alarm
system, surveillance cameras, cyber threat
protection, motion detectors, or smoke
detectors and fire alarms, understanding
some potential vulnerabilities or issues will
help you make the best decision.
Criminals are very crafty and have
found ways to sidestep security systems.
They expect that most homes will have
some type of security system and come
prepared. They look for ways to disable
a system so they can enter residences
without triggering alarms. Sometimes they
will succeed, and sometimes they won’t.
You may get a video of the perpetrators on
your surveillance cameras, but there are
no 100 percent guarantees. This statement
also applies to your personal information.
Even with firewalls on your personal
computers, hackers are smart and use
phishing and other techniques to access
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