Self-Monitoring Home Security

By -

A home alarm system can be monitored or unmonitored. There are pros and cons to both approaches, but if you’re here, I will assume you’ve already decided to go with the unmonitored, or self-monitored, kind. The self-monitored alarm approach is still relatively new. Companies like SimpliSafe have been in the game for a while, but there is an explosion of new companies offering self monitored alarm systems through the smart home market. With all the new choices, picking one can be a challenge. Below are our recommendations for the three best self-monitored alarm systems on the market at this time.

What To Look For in a Self-Monitored Security System

If you plan to self-monitor your alarm, you are solely responsible for responding to any emergencies. From a communication perspective, it’s important that a self monitored system can:

1. Send push or text notifications.
2. Call you if your system is breached.
3. Call designated contacts, like friends or family members.
4. Stay up and running if your power fails.

I would venture to say that communication is the most important feature, but the ability to self-service the alarm is also important. Look for things like:

1. Being able to remotely arm and disarm a system
2. Full control over system customization: time/day customization, sensors sending data vs. an alert, etc
3. Full control over modes like home, away, vacation, and sleep

Protecting your whole home, including the perimeter.

There are many home security systems that are trendy, but only protect the inside of your home. However, the goal is to frighten away an intruder before he ever enters your home. To do that you need:

1. Motion Sensors
2. Door/Window Sensors
3. A siren

Protection for things beyond burglaries.

A home security system means security from multiple events. That should include protection from things like fire or even rapidly changing temperatures.

Finally, if you are going to self-monitor a system you should know that there will be times when you receive a false alarm. The best way to deal with false alarms is through visual verification. That means that a system must include a camera for video surveillance.

The Three Best Self-Monitored Alarm Systems

With the criteria above in mind, here are the three best self-monitored alarm systems:

Gold: SmartThings
Silver: Piper NV
Bronze: iSmartAlarm

Beyond what’s included in the chart above, there are other differences in these products.

SMARTTHINGS

SmartThings requires a touch of creativity. Unlike the others, it starts with a hub and you add the equipment needed to secure your home. What makes it the best option is versatility. The new hub supports battery back-up and allows devices to work locally as well as in the cloud. The new app has a feature called “Smart Home Monitor”. From this one screen, you can arm your system, disarm it, check your system status, and even check the status of specific sensors. SmartThings can also connect to other devices, like Amazon Echo for voice control and web-based products or applications through IFTTT. You can even add professional monitoring for .99 per month through Scout’s (yes Scout’s) professional monitoring service.

Finally, SmartThings can support multiple home security cameras, including Dropcam and Foscam models, but it officially supports specific models from D-link and Samsung. The officially supported cameras support recorded video clips. The system uses video buffering to record not only what happened during an event, but also what happened before – starting at 15 seconds pre-trigger. This service does come at a cost. A monthly subscription to advanced video features is .99 per month. However, live streaming is free.

PIPER

Piper is an all-in-one device with a powerful camera and sensors. It has integrated Z-Wave so you can use it to automate some Z-Wave devices, like small appliances and lamps. In addition to being able to control devices directly, they will soon be launching their own IFTTT channel so that you can connect to other web-based devices and applications using recipes. Recipes work using an action and trigger like, “If Piper detects motion, trigger my smart lights.”

The Piper NV if first and foremost a camera. It offers night vision and a wide-angle view, so you can use one camera to monitor a large space. Through the mobile app, you can stream live footage of your home or even use the integrated two-way audio feature to interact with those in your home. If Piper detects motion or sound, it will notify you via text, push notification, email, or phone call. In fact, you can even use all four methods at the same time.

iSMARTALARM

iSmartAlarm comes with IFTTT integration. Through IFTTT, you can connect iSmart to other popular home automation devices like SmartThings, WeMo, Homeboy, Nest, Philips Hue, and more. In fact, if you wanted to get really wild, you could even connect iSmart to Scout.

The iSmartAlarm starter kit includes a siren, two door/window sensors, a motion detector, two key fobs, and access to their mobile app. If you don’t want to expand into home automation through IFTTT, you can add a smart plug to the iSmart system. The smart plug can be used to automate small appliances and lamps. iSmart offers three different camera options, but I recommend the KEEP or waiting on their newest baby, SPOT. KEEP and SPOT are their newest cameras, offering better reviews and better performance.

Other Self-Monitored Security Options

As of December of 2015, we no longer recommend Scout as a self-monitored home security system. In the past, they offered many features for free. But now, they charge. A paid plan is now required for:

• Push notifications
• Text message alerts
• Email alerts
• Phone call alerts
• Access to Scout’s web portal and mobile apps
• Cellular backup
• 24/7 UL-certified professional monitoring (Always On+ only)
• Police dispatch capability (Always On+ only)
• Integration with Amazon Echo, Google Nest, IFTTT and more