Bucking the national trend, the crime rate in Louisville, Kentucky isn’t weakening. According to CityRating.com’s analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statistics, the violent crime rate for the Louisville metro area was higher than the average national violent crime rate by more than 45% for projected 2012 numbers. The website also reports that the property crime rate in the Louisville Metro was higher than the national average by nearly 58%. Clearly, learning the top home security tips can be crucially important.
If you live in Louisville, Kentucky, you might wonder how you can protect your family and your home from crime, especially burglary. A home security system that also provides automation may be the answer.
What is a Home Automation System?
A home automation system, like the popular ADT Pulse system, allows you to control your home remotely, through a web-enabled device such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer. A few key features of ADT’s Pulse home automation system include the ability to remotely lock/unlock doors, monitor surveillance camera videos, and control thermostat levels.
5 Benefits of a Home Automation System
1. Temperature and Light Control
ADT Pulse gives you the convenience of controlling the thermostat, lighting, doors, and security system remotely. Turn the thermostat up as you start your commute home, and turn on the lights as you pull into the driveway. Home automation helps you save on energy costs and creates a safer and more comfortable environment to come home to.
Burglary prevention tip: Use the light control feature to set lights in specific rooms to turn on and off, making your home appear occupied while you’re on vacation.
2. Recurring Events
Use Pulse’s recurring event feature to unlock the door every day when the babysitter arrives, set the thermostat to activate at specific times of the day, or program lights to turn on as your teen gets home from school.
Burglary prevention tip: Use the recurring event feature to activate your home’s exterior lighting in particularly dark areas.
3. Customization
You can add entertainment components, appliances, lights, video cameras, and a number of other devices to ADT Pulse. This allows you to control the devices remotely. Turn the coffee pot off from your office, check a camera to be sure your kids got home okay, or turn your phone into a remote so you can turn on the game. A key feature of ADT Pulse is a real-time video that allows you to see who is at your door. Or any other identified areas of your home, inside or out) right from your web-enabled device.
Burglary prevention tip: According to ASecureLife, 64.2 percent of residential break-ins occur while the homeowner is at work. Use the customization feature to activate the exterior cameras of your home during these hours.
4. Security Alerts
You can get notifications via text or email of your home’s status, as well as video clips from your security cameras. Whether it’s an emergency situation, like an intrusion. Or just to let you know the plumber has arrived, you can leave your home and remain completely in control.
Burglary prevention tip: ASecureLife reports that 34 percent of burglars enter through the front door. Use the security alert feature to make you aware of when it is left unlocked.
5. Peace of Mind
Perhaps the most significant aspect of ADT Pulse is the peace of mind it offers. Especially if you live in or near a high-crime city, like Louisville.
NeighborhoodScout reports that the chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Louisville is 1 in 20. The chance of becoming a victim of violent crime is 1 in 170, resulting in an overall crime index rating of seven. According to NeighborhoodScout, this means Louisville is safer than just seven percent of all U.S. cities.
Which home automation feature do you think would benefit your home the most?
