Getting home and finding out someone broke in while you’re away can be scary and traumatizing. Finding out that the burglar took house valuables and family heirlooms is not only heartbreaking but an added stress.
If you live in a reasonably safe but dense city like Vancouver, these types of crime may likely have a higher rate than in less populated areas. Also, most home break-ins are simply the result of opportunity. Burglars will take their chances with homes that have easy entry points or no security camera system in place. They scout the property looking for vulnerable spots they could use and a landscape that makes it easy for them to move and escape unnoticed.
According to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), from 2019 to 2020, property crimes have decreased by 20 percent. Still, business break-ins have increased by 18 percent. The worst-hit areas in Vancouver for residential break-ins are the Downtown Eastside, Grandview-Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise, Strathcona, and the West Side.
More and more homeowners are stepping up their security game by contacting reliable security companies in Vancouver and investing in sound home security systems. However, it's always best practice to take precautions and prevent your home from being added to the statistics.
Here are our top 7 ways to secure your home or business with a home security system in Vancouver. These should adequately prepare you to tackle your security needs and upgrade your home safety or business security with a reliable security surveillance system.
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Audit your home's vulnerable areas to define the technical features you need
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Find a trusted security company in Vancouver
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Contact the company’s security experts and tell them your needs
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Evaluate the suggested quote and home security systems details
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Finalize your order and buy the security system that best matches your home or business
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Install the home security camera system and final test the features and functions
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Check the home security camera system at least once a month to make sure that it’s working appropriately
Audit your home's vulnerable areas to define the technical features you need
Let's start with some home safety basics. How to secure your business or house entry points and decide which security products you need?
Assess your home through a burglar's eyes. Please pay attention to the landscaping and its bushes, shrubs, and fences that could be used to provide cover. Ensure your yard is clear and properly maintained. Trim your bushes and shrubs so they don't cover doors and windows. By doing so, you’re making it easier for a neighbor to spot something suspicious and report it.
Another good investment is outdoor lighting, as burglars don't want to be seen when breaking into a home. But, again, give preference to having them motion-activated because that would be cost-effective and give them a good scare.
Ensure your fencing provides the privacy you need and doesn't prevent your neighbors from keeping an eye on your house. Also, reinforce your windows security. For example, install windows that aren't easy to open when you're not home and maybe add a second lock—secure sliding windows or glass doors with a piece of wood.
A usually hidden entry point to your house is through the basement. Protect your basement by adding outdoor lights and reinforcing its doors and windows with locks, window well covers, and strategically placed furniture.
There's only so much our fellow neighbors can do. So, finally, after auditing your home and taking these initial precautions, invest in some cutting-edge home security cameras, or maybe on one of the best home security systems available in Vancouver or Canada.
Security camera systems play a massive role in providing real-time and thorough surveillance. So, where to place these security cameras in your home or business? According to the VDP, 90% of burglars enter through the front door in Vancouver. So focus on entry points and in your yard.
Luckily, new developments in the security camera industry provide consumers with software and apps that help them place the CCTV surveillance cameras where they'd like and adjust them until satisfied. Other features include remote viewing, smart night vision, audio, intelligent analytics, motion detection, local storage, and much more.
What if you decide to go with a complete security camera system for your home or business? Keep reading for some tips on finding one of the best home security cameras in Canada.
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Find a trusted security company in Vancouver
The safety of our home and loved ones are a top priority, so choosing your security camera company should be taken seriously. So what should you take into consideration?
Give preference to security companies in Vancouver. It's more likely that it'll have the expertise to address your needs based on its experience with clients with similar security risks and issues in your area. In addition, by choosing a local company or supplier, you'll have more chances of accessing the company's full array of services offered in your city. Also, take a look at the customer's reviews to assess the company's products’ quality and any red flags that you should be aware of.
It's essential to pay attention to the company's products’ quality and features. Do the products come equipped with original chipsets and high-quality materials? What resolutions and features do they support? Understand how are the features and quality of their products since you want to be sure you're working with a professional security camera provider.
Once you’ve found the security camera company you want to work with, it’s time to see if it has the best home security system for your home.
How to find the best security companies in Vancouver?
Contact the company’s security experts and tell them your needs
At this stage, you’ll have some understanding of your business or home’s pain points and what kind of security products might help you there.
Ensure your company knows some of your concerns so that it can present you with suitable options of plans or specific security products for your home security camera system. For example, with most burglars in Vancouver breaking in through the front door, you might want to have a CCTV security camera placed there or a combo of an external CCTV camera and a smart doorbell camera.
Home security camera systems are a great way to deter crime since the mere sight of them can be intimidating. Even if you’re not up to anything, this is a great way to find out about any suspicious people in your neighborhood and follow along on their activities. Communicate your expectations for your home security system and security cameras with your security company and surveillance supplier.
By doing some research, you can find some statistics and recommendations from the Vancouver Police Department on securing your home, business, and assets from a breaking-and-entering. These can help you list your needs to your security company in Vancouver, as they'll likely be familiar with those as well. Let them know your primary target for buying security camera systems and other necessary information.
Evaluate the suggested quote and home security systems details
Once the company is clear on how to serve you best, it should send you a quote with the security systems and services adequately detailed. Next, make sure you compare the offered products’ details and features against what's available on the market.
Also, when it comes to outdoor home security cameras in Canada, consider that some of them might not work in the winter, even if you’re in Vancouver. So pay attention to the company’s cameras technology and endurance to cold before closing the deal.
The costs of home security systems and CCTV surveillance kits can vary significantly. It all depends on the quality of the product and the amount of them being monitored by the company. Also, if the product offerings are wired, wireless, or a combination of both. Check for other fees included in the quote, as most companies will charge an installation, activation fee, and monthly fees.
Don't be shy to ask questions since you want to be sure you have the best home security system for the safety and security of your family and belongings.
Finalize your order and buy the security system that best matches your home or business
You’ve done your homework, checked the quote, and figured out which security cameras and security systems best match your needs. That’s great!
With so many options available, the decision process can get overwhelming. I mean, what to take into consideration when choosing the best home security cameras in Canada? Thinking of the cold and dark days, having a CCTV surveillance camera equipped with infrared smart night vision can give you a clear picture of what’s happening around your home or business when it’s dark. These surveillance cameras could also be intelligent and can differentiate humans from animals’ movement. Some of them are also set with motion detection, an innovative feature that may deter burglars if the security camera follows them around.
Confirm with the home security company which forms of payment are available, which fees are one-time requests, and which ones are recurring. Some companies in Canada might charge a monthly monitoring fee or offer to replace your surveillance products at little cost. So make sure you’re clear on their offerings to make sure you have the best home security system that fits your needs. During the home analyzing and bidding process, the company’s professionalism should be part of your final decision.
Once the order is complete, the next step is the installation process, which will next dive into more detail.
Tips for choosing the best home security camera system.
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