December 9, 2019
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What to Get the Person Who Has Everything: Smart Home Security
Deck the halls with safety,
peace of mind, and convenience for that special someone
‘Tis the season when we rack our brains for perfect holiday gifts for those special people in our lives. But choosing gifts for the person who has everything can make you shop ‘til you drop.
So, instead of scouring the malls until your feet ache or browsing online until your eyes blur, consider giving the people you love some of the best gifts of all: convenience and security.
We’ve put together the 2019 Ultimate Home Security Gift Guide to help you easily uncover the perfect gift for someone who has everything. Keep in mind that these items can only be purchased individually if you’re upgrading an existing Frontpoint Security system. For those who don’t already enjoy the benefits of a wireless smart home security system, start with our home security packages that include professional monitoring as the first step. (And a truly excellent gift!)
What do you give the person
who has everything? Peace of mind might be the best gift of all
In many states, burglaries peak in December—as much as 18 percent over other months, CNN reports. And the week after Christmas suffers the highest risk in some areas, with the heaviest burglary caseloads reported.
It’s not hard to grasp why: Many families take off after the holidays, leaving homes unattended and filled with amazing gifts. Boxes by the curb broadcast the tempting loot inside. And social media posts (#vacay!) or winter storms that leave piles of snow unshoveled can make it obvious that nobody's home. The average property loss per burglary: $2,799 in 2018, the FBI reports.
Boundary-protection sensors that detect open windows and doors or broken glass help lock down the perimeter of a home. As soon as an entry point is breached when the system is armed, these sensors will trigger an alarm, alert a monitoring service, and send instant email, text, or push notifications to the homeowner or renter. If the system isn’t armed, the sensors will still notify the owner, who can then check home security cameras (another great gift to consider) to determine if there is a threat.
Gifting these sensors is giving protection to the people you love: 9 out of 10 convicted burglars say they won’t break into a house with an obvious security system. More than half say they would leave as soon as an alarm sounds.
Motion sensors stand ready as a second line of defense, sounding an alarm if burglars somehow sneak past perimeter protections. If burglars are bold enough to continue, Frontpoint’s home security cameras all start recording as soon as the alarm is set off—often providing the only real clues police have to an intruder’s identity.
Frontpoint’s sensors don’t only guard against intruders. Many parents use window/door and motion sensors to protect children, triggering instant alerts if they wander near unsafe areas of a house like medicine or liquor cabinets. These sensors are also great gifts for people caring for elderly relatives. For instance, they can generate alerts if medicine cabinets aren’t opened when aging loved ones are supposed to take their meds, or if they are opened unexpectedly.
Another gift idea for the
person who has everything: home security cameras that help ensure loved ones
are safe
Home security cameras are a great gift for working parents or adult children caring for aging parents.
Gone are the days when parents anxiously sit at their desks at work, worrying about what their kids are doing when they are home alone. Frontpoint’s Indoor and Premium Indoor Cameras have two-way audio, letting parents see and speak to children at any time from anywhere. Parents on your holiday list will be grateful for the chance to keep an eye on their kids when they can’t be there, making sure they are safe, really doing their homework, and haven’t snuck any guests inside.
Home security cameras are also a great way to monitor nannies, babysitters, or caregivers for elderly relatives. Doorbell Cameras even let users remotely answer the door, making it seem like adults are home and letting kids see who’s there without approaching. And even when adults are home, doorbell cameras are a great way to distinguish friendly holiday carolers from porch pirates.
Home security cameras are also a perfect gift for pet owners who have everything, letting them check on their beloved furry friends and comfort anxious animals with the sound of their voice. Friends doing extensive remodeling work on their homes would love to unwrap a home security camera as well, as they’re a great way to keep an eye on workers left alone in their homes.
And consider this: Frontpoint’s Premium Indoor Camera offers a unique capability that makes it the perfect gift for people caring for aging relatives—even if the relative lacks a smart home security system. Premium cameras can be added to a home security account but placed in a different home to help ensure loved ones are doing well.
There’s one other home security camera feature that’s sure to delight the kids on Christmas morning and add a touch of high-tech magic to a favorite time of year. For a few days in December, Frontpoint’s cameras offer “Santa Security,” letting people “capture” digital snapshots of Santa in their homes. There’s finally proof that jolly old St. Nick really can visit everyone’s home in a single night.
The gift of fire and life
safety: smoke & heat and CO sensors
Nothing spells contentment like the crackle of a fire on a wintry day, with festive holiday decorations twinkling in the background. And giving Frontpoint’s smoke and heat and carbon monoxide sensors can keep fire-related risks from ruining these holiday-card-perfect moments, protecting your loved ones with the best in fire and life safety technology.
Fire hazards abound during the winter holidays. Between 2013 and 2017, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that U.S. fire departments responded to about 160 home fires every year that started with Christmas trees. Failing to supervise lit menorahs or using electric menorahs with frayed wires present other serious fire hazards. Flickering candles, holiday meals left unattended on the stove, and holiday decorations placed too close to a heat source can also turn this festive time of a year into a devastating one.
The number of emergency room visits for carbon monoxide poisoning more than doubles during the colder winter months as well. As temperatures drop, people turn to fuel-burning heaters and other appliances to stay warm, increasing their risk of exposure to the toxic, odorless gas. Carbon monoxide is produced when gasoline, natural gas, propane, and other fuels are not completely burned during use.
Wireless smoke and heat and carbon monoxide sensors proactively protect your loved ones from dangers during the holidays and year-round. Unlike typical smoke alarms, Frontpoint’s smoke and heat sensors can detect small amounts of smoke, high temperatures, or a suspicious rise in heat—catching fires before they can cause significant damage and giving people in the home time to get to safety. Carbon monoxide sensors trigger alarms if unsafe levels of the gas are detected.
These environmental sensors don’t need to be “armed” to offer around-the-clock protection—instantly alerting 24/7 professional monitoring professionals (and the homeowner and renter) if a problem is detected. In contrast, traditional smoke detectors are usually unmonitored, rendering them useless if no one is home to hear the alarm or if someone is unable to call for help.
Dazzle that special techie
with smart-home conveniences
Looking for a present for that tech-loving loved one who’s always first to snap up all the latest gadgets? Frontpoint’s Z-Wave hub connects its smart security system to other smart devices in a home, making people’s lives not only safer but more convenient. It enables users to control their homes remotely from Frontpoint’s app and take advantage of Geo-Services that instruct their home to automatically perform actions based on their smartphone’s location.
For instance, the instant your loved one (and their smartphone) crosses the “geofence” around their office at the end of the day, the app can automatically trigger their home’s smart lights to turn on and a smart thermostat to adjust to a comfortable temperature. Even better, users can create multiple geofences that all maintain their own set of rules.
The app can remotely control their home from anywhere at any time; arming the security system, turning off lights accidentally left on, adjusting the temperature, unlocking the front door for holiday guests, viewing footage from home security cameras, and much more. Frontpoint systems will even send alerts if something seems off, such as a reminder to remotely close the garage door if it’s left open for too long.
Users can also set smart devices to automatically perform actions at certain times; for instance, setting smart lights to turn on at sunset. They’ll never arrive home to a dark house and save energy by not leaving the lights on all day. In addition, Frontpoint’s Wireless Light Control can turn any light or small appliance into a smart device that can be remotely controlled, even automating holiday lights for extra energy efficiency.
Users have the ability to create “scenes” that let them control several alarm or smart home features with a voice command through smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home. Apple’s new Siri “Shortcuts” feature offers this capability as well, through any device with iOS12 installed such as iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and CarPlay-enabled vehicle dashboards.
That means arming the security system, turning off the lights, and locking the door at the end of the day can be as simple as saying, “Alexa, tell Frontpoint goodnight.” If your loved ones use Siri, they can also incorporate the settings of the “goodnight” scene to control their Apple devices, perhaps setting their iPhone’s morning alarm and activating its “Do Not Disturb” mode.
One last gift idea for the
person who has everything: other smart devices that integrate with a home
security system
Of course, there’s always a chance that a person who has everything has already maxed out all the cool components of a Frontpoint smart home security system. In that case, how about giving that tech-lover a cool new device that works with the system?
As mentioned, smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home let users control Frontpoint systems with voice commands. Amazon Fire TV Sticks or Apple TV consoles not only allow people to view their favorite streaming shows, but they can also show footage from up to four home security cameras at once on the biggest screen in the house.
Frontpoint also offers a special version of its app that runs on Apple Watches, making intuitive awareness and control of what’s happening at home as easy as checking the time.
And each of these items is, of course, a great gift in its own right!
This year, make it easy to check that person who has everything off your holiday shopping list. Give the gift of safety, peace of mind, and convenience with a wireless smart home security system and its components.
Frontpoint systems are customizable, offer incredible capabilities, and, with installation as simple as sitting a sensor on a shelf, we promise it will be easier to put together than any toy you pick out for your kids. Best of luck with that Barbie Dream House.