More and more we are seeing that a home security system is becoming a norm in local households here in Dufferin. Whether you are looking to simply alarm doors and windows, automation to assist in temperature control of a home, providing fire, carbon monoxide or flood protection, live streaming video or a combination of any or all of these components multiple options are now available. In some cases parents now use video cameras to insure that the kids are studying instead of playing video games or entertaining their friends.

A security system was once very simple. You engaged a company that would come to your home, review your requirements, suggest the appropriate equipment and install the system. This might be as simple as having windows and doors set up with contacts and a control pad. When you left the house or went to bed you armed the system and this would insure that no one could enter the home without detection. There was normally an audible alarm “horn” in the home which would sound and alert you or neighbors that something wasn’t quite right. In most of these cases, the system was also monitored through a phone line by a monitoring service who would call the house if the alarm sounded and see if it was a “false alarm”. In the event it was an actual invasion, police would have been dispatched.

Today things have changed exponentially. With the introduction of the smart phone and Ipad technologies many people now have the opportunity to monitor their security system themselves. I know a family who lives in a particular wet area of Amaranth and they have had several basement floods that have occurred when the power has gone off during a heavy storm and the sump pumps have stopped working, causing the basement to flood and causing significant damage when this occurs. The only way they could get home insurance after multiple claims was to install battery backups for their sump pumps and install basement flood monitoring alarms that are tied to both their smart phones. Whether this is monitoring and managing the home when you away on holidays on using in home video surveillance to insure that the kids don’t have 300 of their closest friends in the house when you are away for a weekend for an intimate get together, many, many options are available today.

There are a number of options available here in Dufferin. Individuals have a couple of options. You can use one of the big players in the marketplace – companies like Rogers, ADT or Costco or you can engage a smaller local company where you will get the hands on assistance you need to choose and install a system and the support and monitoring that will bring value to having a security system in your home. Whether you live in Orangeville, Shelburne, Grand Valley or Caledon there are experienced professional companies to assist you with your requirements.