The concept of security encompasses different scenarios and is normally associated with various personal and societal situations. It can range from day-to-day personal security to political security involving different nations around the world.
Security is not limited to political and personal security. It also involves economic security, food security, environmental security, and health security, among others. But most people focus mainly on personal security, particularly home security since it poses the biggest threat to their freedom and ability to safely live in their homes.
Weapons for Personal Security
Some people rely on gun ownership when it comes to home security. These individuals use the Second Amendment as their reason for owning a weapon since it gives the people the right to “keep and bear arms.” Around 42 percent of U.S. households own at least one gun in 2020. They even practice regularly at shooting ranges across the country to allow them to improve their skill. They typically purchase weapons through websites such as evolverangesolutions.com.
Reasons for gun ownership have shifted over the last two decades. Initially, people own rifles for sport-shooting and hunting purposes. But it later moved towards the purchase of handguns for personal protection and self-defense.
A Pew Research Center study showed that around 67 percent of gun owners bought a weapon for protection while around 38 percent bought it for hunting. Only 30 percent indicated that they bought the gun for sport shooting. This is in contrast to the 1990s, when around 57 percent of gun owners purchased their weapons for sport shooting or hunting.
Home Security Systems
But gun ownership isn’t the only way for people to stay safe in their homes. People also use home security systems to protect themselves and their property. The concept of home security systems started in the 1700s when inventor Tildesley of England created a home security system made of chimes that were mechanically collected to a door lock.
While the concept was archaic by today’s standards, it was a notable attempt at securing a home without the need of a guard watching the door all the time. But home security systems have evolved ever since.
Security Cameras
Modern home security systems now feature security cameras that allow homeowners to check the exterior of their homes without opening the door. While older models of these cameras provided low-quality videos, the newer models offer high-quality videos that allow people to identify people they catch easily.
Some cameras even feature motion sensors that activate the camera once the sensors detect movement. Wired outdoor cameras are also known as bullet cameras due to their long, cylindrical shape. It’s not necessary to plug these cameras into an outlet and need a professional to install them.
On the other hand, outdoor wireless cameras send footage to a cloud through the Wi-Fi network of the house. These cameras are mounted on walls and other solid structures. They have a wide field of view and cover wider areas compared to many wired outdoor cameras.
Video doorbells look like ordinary doorbells but have a motion-detecting camera installed on them. They also feature two-way audio that allows people to communicate with each other. The system also records the video to allow the homeowner to review the footage later.
Remote Control Capability and Automation
Smartphone applications allow homeowners to control their home security systems remotely. They can control it anywhere and even check video footage from the security cameras. With the integration of smart home devices on the Internet of Things (IoT), they can also control just about anything else in the home that’s connected to the network.
Since the smart devices at home are connected to IoT, the system can automatically detect something wrong inside the house. For instance, the smoke detectors detect smoke, the system will automatically act depending on its programming. It can shut down the air conditioners in the house to prevent the smoke from spreading. This gives the homeowner time to escape the fire.
Cybersecurity
Since modern homes are connected to the internet, it is necessary to protect the system from hackers who may want to access it. This highlighted the importance of cybersecurity when it comes to keeping a person’s home safe and secure. While it may have some built-in security features, homeowners should also do their part to protect the system by using a strong password to protect it, avoid using public Wi-Fi when accessing the system, and using a two-factor authentication protocol as added security to the password. All of these have become necessary to protect the home from intruders.
Even with the current developments in home security, it is still essential for homeowners to do their part to ensure their homes remain their safe sanctuary from everything that is going on around the world.
