Home Security and Safety Terms

Heat detectors: A device that responds to changes in ambient temperature. Heat detectors are not meant to replace smoke detectors. They are often placed in rooms where standard smoke detectors are not suitable, such as laundry rooms, garages, and attics.

Home alarm: A warning device that, when triggered is designed to warn of an intruder, fire or smoke. Home alarms often make up a home security system and serve to call attention to and/or send a signal to a monitoring center or first responders such as police, fire department, and ambulance.

Home automation: Refers to anything that gives you remote or automatic control of things around the home. This can be as simple as having lights on a remote or automatic control to having your home electronics and/or home security system pre-wired or retro-fitted into a residential application system. Some systems include automation of outdoor/indoor lights with their home security system. More advanced home automation may include installing advanced controllers or a voice recognition system.

Home Burglary: When an unauthorized person or persons enters a residence, car, office or other enclosed property for the purpose of committing an offence. Burglary itself is defined as entering an enclosed property without authorization and with intent to commit a crime such as, theft, vandalism or physical harm. The nature of the crime does not matter to be considered burglary; rather it is the intent to commit a crime that matters. The type of burglary determines the degree of the crime.