Home security systems have been around for ages. But only the newest technology is now allowing for home automation systems. These integration systems can play a great role in reducing the costs of your home security. Automatic home systems allow you to track your home’s security. This is achievable through technology such as smartphones, without the added cost of a private security company. But is a home automation integration system worth your time?

Home automation systems usually function independently from private security systems. They are usually controlled using an app designed for most Android, iOS, or Windows devices. This allows you to manage various home features from your smartphone. This is even manageable at a distance, as long as you have internet access. This includes, but is not limited to:

Locks. You can have doors installed with special locks to communicate with your smartphone. If you forget to lock your doors, you can do so remotely!

Lights. You can automate your entire house’s locking system. This allows you to turn your lights on and off with your phone. If you’re away on holiday, you can toggle your lights to make your house look live-in to deter burglars.

Cameras. Camera systems are a common security measure. In a home automation integration system, you can track all this yourself. You can even set alerts if your camera senses movement.

Garage Doors. Much like the home automation systems’ door locks, you can open and close your garage doors.

In essence, your smartphone becomes something of a supercomputer. This allows you to control your integration system easily and inexpensively.

This depends on the provider. With many companies, recurring fees are a paltry amount on a monthly basis. With others, it can be difficult to say since they don’t provide pricing on their website. But it is quite simple to get a quotation if needed. It’s often a good idea to use these companies. They can give you personalised feedback on the packages that will best suit your needs.

But let’s grab a number for the sake of comparison. Extensive home automation can run into relatively high running costs. This is as much as two dozen movie tickets or a month’s worth of groceries. For some, that might be somewhat out of their range due to other expenses. For others, this will be less of an issue.

To be clear, almost every home security company these days will include some basic home automation features as standard. Usually, this is in the form of a smartphone app that can arm and disarm your home security system remotely. But when it comes to features such as remote lights, locks, and garage doors, that’s going to vary depending on the provider.

By this point, you’ve probably already answered this question. Is it important to you to have these tools available to you no matter where you are? Is this added peace of mind worth it? If you’re still on the fence, here are a few questions you might want to consider:

Are you a generally forgetful person when it comes to lights and door locks?

Are you trying to save energy?

Do you want to impress your friends, family, or neighbours?

Do you have enough expendable income to justify the upgrade?

If you answered yes to the majority of those, home automation is probably a good option for you. But before you open your wallet, call your home security company. Make sure they have the features you’re looking for. Top companies have different home automation packages. So, you might find the features you’re looking for in a different company. It pays to do your due diligence before you sign on the dotted line.