50 THE QUEENS COURIER • AT HOME • OCTOBER 12, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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DIY home security systems: The smart,
aff ordable way to secure your home
With the holiday season approaching,
you may be thinking about giving
your family the gift of home security -
especially if you know you’ll be traveling
over the holidays. Yet high monthly
fees and lengthy security company contracts
could make you think twice about
installing a professionally monitored
home security system. In fact, a survey
by Strategy Analytics found many
Americans are interested in home security,
but dislike the high costs associated
with major security system providers.
However, a growing number of homeowners
are turning to do-it-yourself
smart home security systems to address
their security concerns. Installing your
own home security system can be well
worth the investment; while the average
system may cost hundreds of dollars to
get started, monthly fees are low, and
when a home security system is present,
60 percent of attempted burglaries fail,
according to StatisticBrain.
Crime doesn’t take a holiday
During the holidays, burglars know
many families travel to visit distant loved
ones. Plus, homes fi lled with gift s can be
a treasure trove for thieves. DIY home
security systems make it cost-eff ective to
keep your smart home safe and secure
during the holiday season and throughout
the year.
Here are ways these systems make it
easy for everyone to protect their homes:
• Affordability and flexibility -
Professional monitoring of a smart
home security system from traditional
players and well-known brands can
cost nearly $50 a month - and then lock
you in for four to even fi ve years or
longer. When you’re already spending
on holiday shopping and celebrations,
the extra cost of monitoring can seem
daunting. DIY systems typically off er
the same components, such as security
cameras, motion sensors and smart
locks, but without the costs of professional
installation and the long-term
contracts. Plus, you can still get aff ordable
24/7 monitoring; Iris by Lowe’s
Professional Monitoring is just $14.95
per month.
• Customize for your needs - DIY home
security systems typically off er starter
packages that contain the basic components
you need to set up a simple system
in your home, such as a smart hub
and some sensors. Once installed, the
smart system is scalable, and you can
add products or solutions that meet
your specifi c needs whenever you like
by just shopping at your favorite retailer
- no need to call up a security company
to come out to your house for an
expensive visit. For example, Iris off ers
a catalog of more than 150 devices
that pair with its smart hub, including
security cameras, motion sensors, locks,
light bulbs, light switches, thermostats,
smoke alarms and carbon monoxide
detectors, leak sensors and more. So
whether you want to secure and monitor
a door or window shielded from
sight, or you want to turn lights on and
off automatically to make your home
look occupied while you’re out, a smart
home security system can do that for
you.
• Mobile monitoring - Being able to monitor
your home security system from
your smartphone gives added peace of
mind, and many DIY systems also provide
apps that allow you to remotely
control and monitor home systems.
Whether you’re out shopping and realize
you forgot to arm the system, or
visiting out-of-state relatives, you can
manage your smart home security system
as if you were at home.
• Smart home compatible - If you’re
already using smart technologies like
a Google Home or an Amazon Echo
smart speaker, these components may
work with and even enhance your DIY
home security system. What’s more,
systems like Iris allow you to create a
fully integrated smart home experience.
For example, you can use the smart system’s
mobile app to turn on lights and
the home security alarm when you’re
away from home and control it by your
voice when you are home.
To learn more about home automation
and DIY security systems, visit www.irisbylowes.
com.
Courtesy BPT