You value your home and you would do just about anything to protect it. In order to protect your home, you might have a home security system installed such as an alarm system, but many of these require a lot of electrical power to operate them. If your goal is to reduce the energy that you consume or your impact on the environment there are ways you can do this through green home security systems.
Using green home security systems is not only a wise decision as it is economically thrifty, but it does a lot more for the environment. Using technology can assist you in adopting more efficient practices that make your home security more eco-friendly. The following tips will help you choose an eco-friendly home system.
- Be smart about your lighting
Lighting is mostly used as a deterrent for crime and they are the most effective as well. This method is also a lot more energy-efficient. You can choose to upgrade your lightbulbs to smart LEDs which are eco-friendly and make it easier to save energy as they use 80% less energy and also last for years. They might be more expensive to purchase than incandescent bulbs, but they can assist in keeping energy consumption for lighting down.
You can make use of smart lights which are perfect for people who tend to forget to switch off their lights before they leave their houses. Smart lights use a smart home automation system that turns the lights on at sunset and switches them off at sunrise. You can choose to program the system to alert you when a light has been left on and turn it off using your mobile device. This is able to save you energy, increase the bulb’s life, and decrease energy costs. When you are not at home, you can schedule lights to turn on and off which gives burglars the impression that there are people at home.
- Choose a security system provider that uses eco-friendly materials
Many manufacturers are choosing to use eco-friendly products in the manufacturing process and the security industry is not excluded. There are many security companies that have started to provide their customers with products that are eco-friendly and energy-efficient. This is done by making use of recycled materials or materials that are more friendly to the environment.
Another benefit of choosing eco-friendly materials is that they are more cost-effective. You can recognize eco-friendly security system providers as they will have green certification which means that the products that they develop do not contain any dangerous substances such as chromium, cadmium, and mercury.
- Make use of outdoor lighting with motion detectors
You might be tempted to leave your outside lights on all night long to give the appearance that the house is not empty even when you are away from your home. This method wastes so much energy and increases your electricity bill. Lighting is a great method to keep unwanted people from entering your property, but there are other lights you can choose to use which are motion-based floodlights.
Motion-based floodlights are great as you do not need to leave them on all night to be protected. They will only switch on when they detect movement which scares away intruders. This will allow you to keep your home secure without using more energy than necessary.
- Choose smart intrusion detection system
All alarm systems contain an intrusion detection system which triggers the alarm when an intruder attends your home. In some instances the alarms can be triggered by the intrusion panel. Not only are false alarms expensive as security companies will send out a team to help out only to realize it was a false alarm, but it also uses up a lot for electrical power in the process.
To avoid false alarms, you need to invest in an alarm system that contains a false alarm preventing function. The detectors will only trigger the alarm system when they detect motion the second time instead of the first.
- Use window blinds
You can choose to use a method that does not use technology in any way and that is using window blinds which are perfect for when you are not at home. Window blinds help you bring more ambiance and privacy for your home. This makes it difficult for burglars to see what is in your home or whether the house is occupied or not.
Window blinds also help reduce energy consumption and costs in summer and winter. In summer they make your house cooler and minimize your air conditioning usage. In winter they can warm up your house when you open them up to let the sun in and allow the sunlight to provide warmth in your house.
- Go wireless
Choose to use an alarm system that is completely wireless. An alarm system that uses less wires is a lot more friendly for the environment as it uses up less power. These alarm systems make use of batteries that can be changed twice a year, ensuring that you still receive the best protection for your home as long as you change them.
- Choose an IP surveillance system
When installing surveillance cameras for your home, instead of installing traditional digital video cameras, choose IP cameras. IP cameras are a smarter solution as they are able to cover a wider range and consume far less energy than traditional digital cameras. They can do so because they can send, receive, and save video footage digitally. Before purchasing one, ensure that the IP camera that you are choosing does not have a large carbon footprint as some of them do.
Conclusion
Technology can be used for many things including enhancing home protection and reducing home energy consumption. In a time where going green is a trend and is essential, it is important to make use of eco-friendly technologies in home security and it doesn’t hurt that most of the methods will help you save money in the process.
Also take a look at the Load Shedding Guide – Alternative Energy Solutions for Your Home & Office.
