Whilst Singapore is considered a safe city, there are still a significant number of housebreaking cases that occur year after year. Especially for landed property in Singapore, like detached houses, semi-detached houses and terraces houses, home security should be an important consideration. The physical and symbolic boundaries on a property such as gates, walls, CCTV cameras and alarm systems can work effectively to deter theft or burglary, as noted by environmental psychologists, keeping you and your family safe.
Home security systems are an integrated network of electronic devices with a central control panel that protects against intruders. Typically, a home security system includes a control panel, CCTV cameras, door and window sensors, motion sensors, alarms, as well as signs and window stickers. We explain each of these in detail below:
Control panel
The control panel is like a central command centre for your home security system, a touchpad allowing you to arm and disarm the system with a passcode. This means that you can turn on the entire security system at once, or certain sub-systems like only the CCTV cameras or only the motion sensors and so on.
CCTV cameras
CCTV cameras do more than catch an intruder in action, they also work effectively to deter crimes like theft, burglary or housebreaking. When highly visible CCTV cameras are placed in prominent locations on the property, they function as a deterrent against intruders, reducing the chances that an intruder will choose your property as the target for their crimes. As such, bullet CCTV cameras that are long and cylindrical, work best when placed outside the property. Besides being highly visible, they also are resistant to dirt, dust and water, as well as have a ‘visor’ over the lens that prevents glare or water droplets from disrupting the recorded video. Day/night cameras that can pick up clear images in both bright and dark conditions are an excellent alternative.
Within the home, dome CCTV cameras are often used because their sleeker and more modern appearance makes them ideal for a styled interior. They also make it hard for intruders to identify the direction the camera is pointing, making them more successful at capturing identifying features. Indoor cameras are pointed at entry points like doors and windows to capture any break-ins.
Read more: Guide to Choosing and Using CCTV Cameras in Singapore
Door and window sensors
For door and window sensors, the opening of the door or window equipped with the sensor will be detected, resulting in the triggering of an alarm. The sensors work with two-piece equipment, one part placed on the door and the other on the door frame. Once the door is opened and the two pieces are separated, the security warning system is activated. As such, these sensors are usually only armed in the night or when homeowners are out.
Motion sensors
When you think of motion sensors, you might picture strobing laser beams panning a high surveillance room – just as you see in suspenseful crime movies. Whilst laser sensor motion sensors do really exist, more common types of motion sensors protect invisibly: passive infrared sensors that detect motion by body temperature, microwave sensors that use microwave pulses that measure movement according to pulse reflections, and dual technology motion sensors – which are the two combined. A motion detector senses when a person moves within a given area, triggering alarms when movement is detected. These are usually placed in rooms with highly valuable objects or places in large homes that are less frequented.
Alarms and lights
When the home security system detects an intrusion by door, window or motion sensors, high-pitched alarms and sometimes strobe lights will be triggered to notify the owners of the home, scare off intruders, as well as alert neighbours.
Certain home security systems are monitored by a professional alarm company, which means that the company is automatically alerted when your security alarm sounds off. The company might make contact with homeowners, and if an actual emergency is discovered, local authorities will be quickly notified. Other non-monitored home security systems will require homeowners to contact the police at signs of an intrusion. If homeowners are not at home, live footage captured by CCTV cameras will enable them to find out more about the situation before alerting emergency personnel.
Read more: How can I legally install CCTV for my home in Singapore?
Home security systems can be easily installed with the help of a trusted CCTV surveillance company. From choosing CCTV cameras, installing them in ideal locations, as well as pairing them with other subsystems like motion, door and window sensors, a good CCTV surveillance company will have you and your home covered in the most hassle-free manner. Get in touch with One Stop Office Solution (OSOS), a leading CCTV surveillance company in Singapore, for personalised security solutions for your home!