Making It Smart: The DIY SmartThings Home Security Review

”Did I lock the door?”

Perhaps this is a question that makes you uneasy the first time you ask. The more you ask, the more uneasy you get.

“Did you really lock the door?”

Apparently, there’ll be no need for that extra trip back home just to make sure you’ve locked your doors and windows. SmartThings offer a security system that will not only remind you but also makes your home smart by locking the doors for you.

Brained by SmartThings Hub, the SmartThings Home Security System needs little effort on installation. It only requires that you have an internet connection and a free 15 minutes to do the set up. Afterwhich, you can connect it to several smart devices to date.The best feature on this?It has no monthly fee.

• SmartThings hub gets all of your sensors at home connected and synced together through a mobile app.
• It has a SmartSetup, a customizable program, where you can key in several names and devices into the application and to set custom settings for each one on the list.
• You can also view every detected motions in your home through the activity feed.
• You can control your home appliances, lightings and sounds. It includes your door locks, too.

The Basic: Smart Home Security Kit

For a lesser cost, you can get the best security with just the basics. The Smart Home Security Kit notifies you for any unexpected movements at home or if there’s water accumulating in your basement. This is SmartSense Motion and Moisture Sensor’s ability to recognize leaks and motions. It can also notify you if you left your doors and windows open or if they are opened unexpectedly. You can also get notified for every person leaving or entering your home. That includes your pets, too.

Package includes:

• SmartThings Hub
• SmartSense Motion Sensor
• SmartSense Moisture Sensor
• SmartPower Outlet
• SmartSense Presence Sensor
• SmartSense Open/Closed Sensor

Price: $389

The Better:  Smarter Home Security Kit

If you feel that sensors aren’t enough to keep intruders away, try adding lights.

This is what Smarter Home Security Kit did. It included the FortrezZ Siren Strobe Alarm to deter burglars. With the combination of a loud alarm and strobe lights, the security kit could startle any uninvited visitor in your home. The package also included additional sensors so you can cover a wider area of your home.

However, you have to pair the FortrezZ Siren Strobe Alarm with SmartSense Motion or SmartSense Open/Closed for it to be fully functional.

Package includes:

• FortrezZ Siren Strobe Alarm
• SmartThings Hub
• SmartSense Open/Closed
• SmartSense Moisture Sensor
• SmartSense Motion Sensor
• SmartSense Presence Sensor
• SmartPower Outlet

Price: $579

The Best: Smartest Home Security Kit

With an added feature to trigger lights, you’ll also have brightness and dimness control with SmartThings’ most complete package. Through the Smartest Home Security kit, you can control and adjust your lights with the Jasco Pluggable Light Dimmer Outlet. You can best place it on areas where movements are not expected, but intruders would assume otherwise. The package also adds more sensors to keep your home more covered.

The Jasco Pluggable Light Dimmer Outlet connects to a standard wall outlet. You synced it with the app and by mobile control, you can set the light to turn on at night or even have it adjusted by morning.  You can also use it if you want to keep your lights dim and even to extend your Z Wave’s range.

Package includes:

• Jasco Pluggable Light Dimmer Outlet
• SmartThings Hub
• SmartSense Open/Closed
• SmartSense Moisture Sensor
• SmartSense Motion Sensor
• SmartSense Presence Sensor
• SmartPower Outlet

Price: $759

SmartThings can keep your home secured through its range of sensors. More than that, it can also monitor your home for early signs of damage.

• Water Detection Kit
  • It immediately notifies you at the first sign of water accumulation.
  • It detects water drops in places where water isn’t supposed to be such as your basement, stairwells and even under the kitchen sink.
  • It also monitors temperature changes and can be programmed to adjust accordingly.
  • It can help prevent water damages which in turn can save you money on repair and rehabilitation of your house.
• First Alert Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Alarm
  • It can detect signs of possible fire before it bursts into flames.
  • It immediately notifies you so you can warn people at home to do appropriate measures.
  • You can also connect it to a smart bulb or a Smart Power outlet and program it to turn lights on when it detects signs or actual fire.
  • It can also be used to light emergency exits in case a fire takes place
  • As panic is the most common and primary reaction in such cases, this can help make sure that family members inside the house can get out safely.
• SmartSense Temp/Humidity Sensor
  • It can be attached on a mounting plate by adhesive tapes. It can also be installed on floors, walls or even on a household item.
  • It can save your furnitures and belongings by detecting extreme temperatures and humidity at home.
  • It reads by Fahrenheit and Celsius and can be adjusted to respond to your thermostat and air cooler.
• SmartSense MultiSensor
  • It can detect temperature changes and even your mail arrival.
  • You can use it to monitor a personal belonging. It can alert you if someone has lifted your valuable or even change its location.

All of the sensors can be purchased and attached to a single SmartThings Hub. It’s a cheaper shot as you won’t have to buy several hubs for different sensors. The application, SmartThings App, is also available for free and can be downloaded via Google Play, App Store and Window Store.

THE CHECKLIST:

 There is no installation and monthly fee.
 A single SmartThings Hub can be used for all the sensors.
 SmartThings App can be downloaded for free.
 It’s very easy to install.
 The program requires a smart phone. It doesn’t work on computers.
 All devices are ZigBee compatible.
 There is no home monitoring capabilities.
 The SmartThings App’s interface is complex.
 A Smart Home Starter Kit is available at $199.