Keep an Eye on Your Orange County Property from Anywhere – Home or Away

It’s always important to stay aware of your surroundings and not become complacent when it comes to security. No matter where you live, potential thieves look for opportunities wherever they may be. A home cloaked in darkness at midnight is an easier burglary target than one that is blanketed in protective landscape lighting. Visible security cameras and video doorbells also serve as deterrents to potential porch pirates.

To make protecting your home second nature, consider a security camera installation on your Newport Beach, CA property. Though it may seem like a daunting endeavor, it doesn’t need to be – let us help you! Keep reading below to learn how Launch Systems can implement a security solution that improves your peace of mind and protects those you care for the most.

SEE ALSO: Learn How Security Camera Installations Can Keep You Safe

What Is It Like to Have a Smart Security System?

Imagine synchronizing lighting, shading, intrusion detection, surveillance cameras, door locks, and more into one comprehensive control platform. With the press of your finger on a customized wall keypad, you can orchestrate a smart response from all of these security devices, and from your smartphone, you can even tap into live security camera footage!

The “Goodnight” smart scene sets the following smart responses in motion: Shades lower to provide privacy, lights turn off in sleeping areas, locks and the alarm system are armed, and exterior landscape lighting illuminates your home for an additional layer of safety. If you believe you heard a ‘bump in the night,’ you can view the live security camera feed from the comfort of your bed to reassure yourself and go back to sleep.

4 Camera Locations to Consider to Deter Thieves

Everyone in the country is spending less time doing typical activities such as going into the office, shopping, or taking the kids to school. Instead, Californians are spending more time in their homes working, cooking, and conducting e-learning with their kids. Likely, online shopping habits have picked up, along with home deliveries, which is a side effect of staying at home and avoiding crowded spaces. Since everyone in your home is busier than ever before for the sake of social distancing, it’s likely that you may not notice packages left on the doorstep before nefarious porch pirates see them or if a car is broken into. Smart home security will help you keep your Newport Beach, CA, property safe and secure while you’re at home on a video conference call or away on a vacation in the future. Read on to learn how a security camera installation by Launch Systems can bring you peace of mind.

SEE ALSO: Confused on Where to Start with Your Security Camera Installation?

Doorbell Camera

We’ve mentioned before that security cameras installed on the first floor of your home are useful since over 80% of burglars enter homes through the first floor. A doorbell camera gives you a view not only on your front porch but usually into your front yard as well, depending on the orientation of your home and doorbell. Video doorbells give you an up-close and personal view of whomever – or whatever – steps on your front porch. From delivery person to the kids coming in from their afternoon walk, the footage is captured, and you’re able to watch, rewind, and replay footage as needed.

Interior Entryway

When you receive the notification and live video feed on your smart device of the delivery person with a package, you can communicate with them. If you’re enjoying music on the back porch with the family yet want to maintain social distance while keeping your package safe, you can remotely unlock your smart locks and ask the delivery person (through an intercom) to drop off the package inside the front door. This ensures the package is kept safe from potential thieves. Security cameras that are installed in the interior entryway of your home will capture this footage. Once the delivery person is done with their delivery, you can remotely lock the front door, then come indoors to safely retrieve the package when you are ready.

Perimeter Cameras

When school is out or people find themselves with more time on their hands than usual, crime rates increase. Installing security cameras on the perimeter of your Newport Beach-area home can do two things – deter potential thieves and provide footage if anyone tries to trespass. Any motion detected by these expertly installed cameras trigger your security system. You are then notified via text or push notification and can view the live footage immediately on your smart device. If the incident occurs at night, remote security monitoring services can notify law enforcement for you.

Learn How to Deter Burglary and Theft on Your California Property

Since the original burglar alarm was manufactured in the mid-1850s, home security has evolved leaps and bounds. Not only are there burglar alarms that make a siren sound upon unwanted entry, but systems now include motion detection, surveillance cameras, tracking devices and more to protect the modern American home. There are a few security measures you can take in order to keep your California property safer to deter burglary and theft. In this blog, we’ll cover a few of the ways you can use a smart home security system to protect your Newport Beach, CA home. Read on to learn more!

SEE ALSO: The Top 2 Home Security Camera Installation Locations

Video Doorbells & Smart Locks

Online ordering and direct to consumer shipping have blown up seemingly overnight! This influx in package deliveries has resulted in an increase in porch pirates – the ne’er-do-wells who take advantage of your unattended packages on your porch. To avoid dealing with package thievery, invest in a video doorbell and smart locks. This combination of devices serves as an integral piece to your smart home security system. A video doorbell allows you to see and communicate with people that not only ring your doorbell but even those that trigger motion on your front porch. By adding smart locks, not only can you can view and speak with the delivery person that rings your doorbell,  you can also unlock your front door to allow them to place the package inside your doorway. Once the delivery person has completed this task, lock the smart lock remotely from your smart device. No more unattended packages left to entice thieves!

Cellular Backup

Many traditional security systems communicate with an alarm company via a conventional landline. While this works well in most instances, burglars have been known to cut the phone line to prevent the alarm signal from going through to the company. Other issues like bad weather or fire could also cause the landline to become damaged or otherwise unable to communicate. Thankfully, many smart security systems provide additional backup protection for this issue. A cellular backup assists you in receiving 24/7 continuous monitoring with no phone or internet connection. It operates wirelessly on a dedicated cellular network. Your smart home security system is left communicating with your monitoring system without a hitch.

Motion Detection

While surveillance cameras can be placed throughout your property to help you keep an eye out and deter potential thieves, you can also use them in conjunction with motion sensors. Motion sensors can trigger surveillance cameras to begin recording and send you a mobile alert of the action. From your smart device, you can view live footage of the incident and determine if further action should be taken – perhaps call the authorities – or if there’s no cause for alarm.   Launch Systems can design a smart home security system that’s perfect and unique to your family’s individual security needs. Call us today at (949) 515-7030, chat with us below, or fill out our online form to get started on your free personalized consultation. We can’t wait to help you make your California home safer.

Make Your Irvine, CA Home Safer with These Smart Solutions

So, you’ve decided to make your home safer and more secure, but how exactly are you planning to do that? Beyond having an alarm system, intelligent placement of security cameras can improve the safety of your property. Once you’ve decided to go forward with a smart security camera installation, Launch Systems assesses your Irvine, CA property, and inquires about your security system preferences to determine the perfect placement of security cameras and the ideal system for your home. Read on to learn two security camera installation areas you may not have previously thought to consider.

SEE ALSO: Confused on Where to Start with Your Security Camera Installation?

The First Floor

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 81% of burglars enter homes through the first floor, with 34% of those coming through the front door. Some may think video doorbells are a novelty, but they can truly help you surveil your home and potentially deter theft of packages and unwanted entry through the front door. Not only are you making your home safer, but you’re able to add convenience because you can see who’s at the door without before answering. Other ground-level security camera locations include the rear entry, garage doors, and by first-floor windows. Placement is also essential. Wide-angle cameras should be placed to see 75 to 180 degrees without obstruction, while focus cameras should aim at specific areas with around 45 to 75 degrees of viewing space. And of course, be sure to place your outdoor surveillance cameras out of reach, typically about nine feet above the ground.

Detached Structures

There are likely valuables on your property beyond the walls of your home. A tool shed, a detached storage area or garage, and cars in the driveway are all valuables that are often overlooked when homeowners take a DIY route to security camera installation. Often, thieves target these structures due to the lack of visible security cameras or poor lighting. Avoid thieves taking advantage of your home by placing cameras in high and visible locations, and add exterior lighting around your property to deter thieves. Launch Systems has a long history of serving clients in Irvine and the surrounding areas. From our initial personal consultation assessing your needs to security camera installation to post-installation support, we pride ourselves on our work.   Call us today at (949) 515-7030 or use our online contact form to get started on your no-obligation consultation. We can’t wait to help you make your California home safer and bring you peace of mind.

Deter the Dreaded Porch Pirates This Holiday Season

The holidays are filled with festive activities with family and friends, and shopping opportunities for that special someone – or someones – in your life. Online shopping and store deliveries have become very popular in recent years, and it’s not uncommon to see packages lying on the porches of your Irvine, CA, neighbors, or even on your own front porch. Unfortunately, a new term exists for individuals that take advantage of this burgeoning trend of home deliveries: porch pirates. These individuals take advantage of a convenient service to many. From video doorbells to surveillance cameras, keep reading to learn how you can leverage your smart home security system to your advantage this holiday season.  

SEE ALSO: Let Control4 Ease the Stresses of the Holiday Season

Video Doorbell

Control4’s door stations offer your home a video and audio intercom experience. Full-motion video and high-quality audio capabilities allow you to communicate with, and see, whoever has rung your doorbell, plus notify you of any detected motion. Packages sitting on your porch or not, this is a beneficial system to incorporate into your Irvine, CA home. If a potential thief approaches your door, you will be notified via text or push notification of the detected motion; then, you can tap the screen to view live video footage. Your audio will automatically be muted, but if you see a thief nearing your front door, you can turn on the audio function, communicating to the pirate that you will call the authorities and that you have them on camera in the act. Hopefully, this never happens, as the security cameras serve as a deterrent in and of themselves, but you can rest easy knowing you have a course of action to take.

More than a Doorbell

Control4’s video doorbells are more than just a doorbell. Extend the video and audio capabilities inside your home using Intercom Anywhere. Intercom Anywhere allows you to greet guests at the front door, communicate with specific rooms of your home, and call people outside of your home with a Control4 touch screen or from the Control4 app. The same functionality that allows you to deter porch pirates keeps your family connected!

A Piece of the Puzzle

Smart home automation from Control4 allows for easy control for the solutions mentioned above, plus grants you the ability to manage your motorized shades, lighting control system, home theater, security system and more. Not only can you deter porch thieves, but you can keep your Irvine, CA home safe with security systems and surveillance cameras, too. It’s all operable with Control4 automation!   If you’re ready to deter porch pirates this holiday season, plus keep your family communicating, contact us today at (949) 515-7030 or use our online contact form to reach out. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Make Your Home Merry and Bright with Home Automation

Not to add to any existing stress you may have regarding the upcoming holiday season, but here’s a reminder: the holidays are right around the corner! No matter which holidays you celebrate this winter, it’s sure to be a time full of merriment, gift-giving, and gatherings with your family and friends. Why not make life a little bit simpler by incorporating the capabilities mentioned in this blog with your existing Control4 system? Or, if you want to treat your Huntington Beach, CA home to an extra special holiday gift this year, invest in a new Control4 home automation system to unleash a whole new world of possibilities for yourself, your family, and your holiday guests. Keep reading to learn more about how Control4 can help you ease the stresses of this holiday season.  

SEE ALSO: Why You Should Have Control4 Home Automation in Your Home

Individualized Access Codes

The holidays are a hubbub of activity, with family and friends entering and exiting your home more often than usual due to holiday parties and get-togethers. Do you remember the days of hiding a key under a fake rock or other un-safe yard locations so your guests could enter your home while you were away? Those days are gone, thankfully, and your Huntington Beach-area home no longer needs that potential security breach hiding in your flower bed. Instead, send a smart lock guest access code to friends and family arriving from the airport while you’re away at work. You can text or share the code with them prior to their departure. Once they arrive at your doorstep, all they need to do is type in the code and voila, keyless entry. You can monitor your home from your smart device, too, and ensure they’ve locked the doors if they need to run errands before you arrive home from work.

Deter Porch Pirates

In addition to an influx of guests, you’re probably receiving package deliveries more frequently this time of year due to an increase in your holiday shopping. Instead of losing track of the safety of your packages, utilize smart home devices that work well on their own but even better when integrated into a Control4 automation system. Video doorbells are a great addition to any Huntington Beach, CA home’s façade. Whenever the device detects motion or when someone rings your doorbell, you’ll be able to monitor the camera feed and even speak with the person at the door. You can speak with delivery drivers, unlock your smart lock remotely, and have the delivery person place your packages inside the door. You can then lock the door behind them. Any potential porch pirates will also be deterred, knowing they’d be caught in the act on video.

Lighting

Lutron lighting control can also integrate with your Control4 automation system. As guests arrive, they’ll be able to easily locate your home from the street with luminous landscape lighting and holiday string lights that automatically turned on at dusk. There’s no need to manually operate your lighting or forgetting to turn lights on because you were busy prepping for the evening’s festivities. You can sync indoor lighting with a timer or with the tap of a button on a smart device, keypad, or touchscreen, and it can all operate in sync with the rest of your home. Cozy up next to the fireplace and get into the holiday spirit with festive colored lighting, and stream your favorite holiday playlists throughout your home with a multi-room audio system.   An integrated smart home is possible and easy to use thanks to Control4 smart automation. Chat with us using the live chat at the bottom of your browser or fill out our contact form to get started on your no-obligation consultation. We look forward to helping you ease your holiday stresses.

Learn the Difference Between Local and Cloud Storage Systems

Many of our customers consult us for a variety of smart home solutions, and we love hearing from you. From whether or not to invest in a more robust network to incorporating lighting control systems into your home, we’ve learned our customers’ strongest desires relate to simple functionality and high-quality products. That desire spills over into the security and surveillance realm, as well. Several different components can go into a security camera installation, and surveillance cameras are typically the most significant component of many systems. Camera footage storage is an aspect of security installations about which we get many questions. If you’re wondering what the difference is between local storage and cloud storage, keep reading.

SEE ALSO: How Hidden TVs Help Designers Create More Beautiful Homes  

Components of a Surveillance System

Before you install a security system in your Laguna Beach-area home, make sure you’re informed about the variety of solutions available. Beyond cameras, door and window sensors, carbon monoxide detectors, motion sensors, video doorbells, smart locks and more are all components you could potentially incorporate into your own home. From dome to bullet cameras, wireless to wired options, and indoor to outdoor cameras, there are several options available, and each is suited for different needs. A professional security installation company will consult with you, performing a site visit to understand your current setup and clarify your vision for a future security system.  

Local Storage

Local storage does just that with your footage – your video and accompanying audio is stored locally. In the past, this meant bulky servers or computer storage. That’s a thing of the past, and cameras compatible with local storage have some type of SD or microSD card storage. You can easily access this footage, so don’t think this is some sort of old-fashioned method in comparison to cloud-based storage. Another consideration to make when planning a security camera installation is whether or not you want 24/7 recording or if you only want a recording to take place when sensors detect motion. This preference will affect your storage needs. Local security footage storage is stored in your home and is accessible by you when you need to access the archive. Storing locally keeps your data secure and unavailable to potential cyber thieves. The local storage option is also the generally more affordable option since you aren’t paying for monthly cloud-storage fees.  

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage, on the other hand, sends your security camera footage to a remote, cloud-based server, off-site from your Laguna Beach-area property. The primary benefit to this storage option is the ability to watch your security camera footage remotely, wherever you are, from a smart device app or your computer browser. Launch Systems can protect your home network from cyber threats so you can rest easy knowing your data is secure in the cloud. Security camera installations can accommodate a combination of both types of storage, so be sure to consult with a professional before you make your final decision. No matter your storage decision, a security camera installation can proceed without a hitch in your Laguna Beach home with Launch Systems. Call us today at (949) 515-7030, contact us online, or chat with us below. We can’t wait to hear from you.

An Expert Smart Home Security System Has Much More to Offer Huntington Beach Residents Than a DIY Setup

The saying “You get what you pay for” is more than a little cliché. That said, there are still many cases when it has the ring of truth. One of these instances is your home security system. There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of smart security products available at your local big-box store, but that doesn’t mean these devices are your best option for keeping your home safe. If you want to be sure your security system is protecting you, you want a professional installation. A technology integrator like Launch Systems can design and install a smart home security system that’s powerful and easy to use, perfect for homeowners in Huntington Beach, CA. Read on to learn more.

SEE ALSO: Explore our home automation solutions with our video library

SECURITY EVOLUTION

Home security systems used to be simple to install and control. Typically, your system included your standard-issue locks and deadbolts on your doors, along with an alarm system to monitor your doors and windows. If an intruder entered your home, an alarm would activate, and the authorities would be notified. A system like this is fine for what it is, but smart technology allows for much more advanced security and surveillance solutions. Smart video doorbells and locks give you much greater control over who can access your home. They also provide more information on what’s happening inside the house. Surveillance cameras have also come a long way in recent years, making it easy to install a network of cameras and sensors to keep an eye on every square inch of your property.

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

Modern security systems are much more advanced than their older counterparts. However, these systems are also much more complicated to design and install, requiring much more experience and training. That’s why you should have a professional handle your home security needs. At Launch Systems, we’re home automation experts. If you take a look at our past work, you’ll see we design systems that are both eye-catching and functional. We bring our passion, professional demeanor and enthusiasm to every project, no matter how complex.

WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE

What else do you get when you hire a professional to install your smart home security system? One thing to keep in mind is that we’re trained to install these systems. We know what components need to go where, how to link them to each other and how to make controlling the system easy. However, a professional installation from Launch Systems includes more than plugging the devices into your walls. For example, take your home network. No matter how advanced your surveillance cameras are, they won’t do you much good if the network linking them together isn’t strong enough. With inadequate network coverage, you’ll still be left with a subpar system. If you choose us for your home security installation, we’ll test your network and any other components that might compromise the system. This ensures total peace of mind for you and your family. To learn more about our home security and surveillance services, call us at (949) 515-7030. You can also visit our website and fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page, or you can leave a message in the chat box in your browser.