ELECTRICAL
DIRECT
SAFETY FIRST:
ARE YOU SECURITY SAVVY?
Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director at Electrical Direct, discusses technological
advancements in security systems and how electrical contractors can make the most of
the increasing need for customers to keep their homes and properties safe and secure.
A
ccording to the latest Office
for National Statistics
(ONS) figures, 551,000
people had their homes
burgled in the year ending
June 2016, highlighting just
how many people are affected by this type
of crime which can have traumatic as well
as financial consequences.
A recent report from Research and
Markets highlights that the global home
security system market is expected to
grow at a rate of 27.12 per cent during
the period 2017-2021 as businesses
and homeowners start to see the value
of investing in security to protect their
premises and properties.
The rise in popularity of smart homes
will encourage consumers to invest in
quality interactive security systems that
offer enhanced features such as remote
locking and App based monitoring. There
is a host of new and existing technology
that can keep homes and property
safe and secure, meaning the market
and growth opportunities are there for
electrical contractors to make the most of
as long as they are security savvy.
who go on multiple trips to make it seem
like someone is home.
Those looking for a simpler way to give
the appearance of presence in a property
can use timers. New digital versions offer
easy to set programme periods per day
and per week on simple to view screens
and are compatible with new LED lighting.
CCTV
‘It takes
less than 10
minutes for
burglars to
ransack a
property.’
Alarms
According to SafeWise, it takes less than
10 minutes for burglars to ransack a
property. Therefore, it is important that
systems are easy to operate to ensure
that the premises or homeowner can
quickly set their alarm, even if they’re only
heading out for a short period.
New wireless alarm systems
come pre-linked for easy
programming and some
have remote keypads that
can be used as an additional
unit to arm or disarm the
system. Remote keypads can
also be used to secure separate
doors, including backdoors and
upstairs so that the entire home
is monitored and secure.
14 | June 2017
Security & Fire Safety
Other new alarm features include
accessories, such as smoke detectors,
panic buttons and even a pet friendly
PIR motion detector, so that users can
confidently leave their pets at home
during the day and not worry about them
setting off the alarm.
Locks and timers
Window locks, indoor lights on a timer,
double door locks and external motion
sensor lights – if all used together –
could mean a property is almost 50
times more protected than a home
without any proper security in place,
according to a 2015 study published by
the Royal Statistical Society.
New keyless smart locks replace
traditional key locks for doors and
remove the need for keys that can be
easily copied or door locks that can
be ‘bumped’. The locks are operated
by keypad, keytag or keycard or via an
App. They can also be connected to an
existing smart home alarm, CCTV
system or Smart Living Hub and
have a tamper alarm fitted if
the wrong code is entered
incorrectly over three times.
Homeowners can give
visitors a 24-hour PIN to
allow people access to a
property when they are
away – ideal for people
Despite the abundance of surveillance
cameras in the UK, it’s estimated that
50 per cent of equipment in privately
owned CCTV systems generate poor
images. This is usually because they
are old and have not been updated in
years. For the police, old cameras and
bad footage present a huge problem as
they can’t use the images for evidence
to help make convictions.
Some home and property owners may
also own CCTV that they never check,
either because it is a hassle to download
the files or they only have the cameras as
a deterrent and so have never set them
up to record.
New, premium CCTV systems offer
users the opportunity to view and
record simultaneously, with real time,
widescreen HD video recording and
playback. Owners can view footage live
or playback on an HDTV, LCD, LED or
plasma TV, via an HDMI port, through
their PC or even via a smartphone using
a specialist App, making monitoring and
sharing footage simple.
For electrical contractors, smart
home technology will be a large source
of income for the foreseeable future and
smart security should be the first port of
call for all sensible home and property
owners. ElectricalDirect.co.uk offers a
range of security options from alarms
to locks and timers, all available online,
seven days a week with next day delivery.
For further information visit:
www.electricaldirect.co.uk