Nest Security System
Start With Planning
It is important to ask the question "What are the risks to be mitigated?" For example:
Fire / CO2 gas
Exterior theft / vandalism
Unexpected movement
Front door
Children playing too close to outdoor pool
Garage intruder
Yard intruder
Yard gates left open
Order the risks by importance. In the following I will discuss my top four priorities.
Fire / CO2
Problem
When planning a security system the threat of fire and CO2 gas may not be on your radar, but it should. In the US, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds. The goal is simple: alert you to the threat so the occupants can evacuate the premises. In most cities fire alarms are required by law and some building codes insist on an alarm in every room. At a minimum, an alarm should be placed on every floor and close to any potential threat. Although some may feel the need for CO2 detection is excessive, it is important to realize home appliances may change over time. If supported, an electric kitchen stove or laundry dryer may be replaced with a gas equivalent. Smoke detectors on the other hand are not replaced all that often.
Solution
Source: Wired
Having an escape plan in an emergency can make all the difference. Every room should have an identified route. If available, an alternative should also be identified. If members of the home include pets, their safety should also be discussed. A safe designated meeting place should be identified where all occupants gather and are counted. Cell phones and any other necessary items should be kept in a location at night where they can be quickly found on the way out. Determine how you will reach out for help. Be mindful the technology for doing this may no longer be available and in rural areas this may require coordination with neighbors.
When a fire alarm goes off it is critical you have all the facts. Many people don't want to believe the threat is real, so they need to be convinced before they will take action. And some will want to try to deal with it themself (not recommended). A second generation device like the Nest protect not only sounds the alarm, it tells you what is going on. It knows about smoke, CO2, and steam and is capable of responding appropriately. It also knows to run self-diagnosis regularly to ensure proper operation in an emergency.
Exterior theft / vandalism
Problem
A risk for many people is their car, if it is parked under a carport, in the driveway, or on the street. These locations provide an opportunity for auto thefts. The term auto theft isn't restricted to the theft of the vehicle. It can also mean cars broken into to remove an item inside, the removal of exterior items like tires and rims or in demand parts like a catalytic converter. The other side of the coin is vandalism with the intent to destroy personal property. This includes scratches in the paint (keying), breaking mirrors, slashing tires, and adding damaging substances to the fuel.
Solution
Source: Google
The solution is to install an exterior camera with floodlights in a place which has a view of the vehicle when parked. The flood lights act as a deterrent as thieves like to work without an audience and provides a visual cue that some activity is in progress. The ideal scenario is the light only comes on when you want. With the help of AI, the Nest Cam with Floodlights knows the difference between people, animals, and vehicles.
Unexpected movement
Problem
This is the core of most security systems. The discovery of unexpected movement of someone or something in or around your home. The threat may be to those who are in the home, or it may be to the individual whose movement is detected. Examples include: a child who is sleepwalking in the night, a disoriented elderly person, a pet getting into mischief, and an unwanted visitor.
Solution
Source: Google
The solution is to install a motion activated camera which is capable of operation in the day and night. Google's solution is the Nest Cam, which is a device which can be placed interior or exterior to the home. It contains a 1080p (1920 x 1080) HD camera with night vision, a microphone, and a speaker. For those who are concerned about their privacy, its operation can be programmed as follows.
Turn on and off at specific times, regardless of whether someone is home or not.
Respond to motion or sound events.
Record video when certain events occur.
Send notifications to your phone when certain events occur.
Create custom routines that automate your home security.
There are some caveats with this solution. The wired version requires a 110v AC outlet to plug in the power adapter. This works well for most indoor scenarios, but does not work well with an outdoor deployment. The current outdoor solution is battery only and although it's easy to install, some may feel it's not convenient to maintain. The typical time between charges is 1.5 to 3 months. This can be extended by only operating the camera at times of need and creating custom schedules.
Front door
Problem
A stranger or group of strangers come to the front door wanting to speak with you. You do not know if their true intent is to gain entry into the residence.
Packages delivered to the front door are stolen. It's estimated that 36% of Americans have had a package stolen from outside their house at least once and the average value of a stolen package is $140.
Solution
Source: Google
The Nest Doorbell is a dual function device. It serves as a replacement for your doorbell and it also serves as a security camera. But more than this, it is programmed for this role. It can alert you to the arrival of a package or food delivery. It can alert you to the presence of an individual or individuals outside your door. It can alert you via a paired device when the doorbell is pressed and it can receive audio input and play audio output allowing for a conversion. All of this can all happen without opening the door.
One problem with all video doorbells is their location and the risk an intruder will simply rip it from its mount. In that circumstance, call the police.
Putting it All Together
Source: Midjourney
Example Nest Design
The following is a base design which attempts to provide the best coverage for the smallest investment. The assumptions include the home has reliable internet service, the floor plan is less than 2,000 square feet, and sits on a 1 ⁄ 4 acre or smaller lot with a reasonable amount of exterior visibility.
Exterior
Install a Nest Cam Floodlight to the front of the home and another to the rear. Add a Nest Doorbell. The total cost is $740 without installation. This solution gives you general coverage of the front and back yards with the deterrent of auto activated lighting and specific coverage to the front entrance.
Interior
Install a Nest Protect smoke and CO2 alarm near the kitchen and if the home has another story or basement, a unit on every other floor. Satisfy code requirements with another brand with similar capabilities such as the Kidde smoke and CO2 detector with a 10 year battery. Assuming a single story residence without a basement the total cost with four additional secondary devices is $359.
Interior cameras are optional but I will include one in the budget as a way of checking on a pet when you are away. The cost of a single wired Nest Cam is $100.
The grand total for this system without installation charges is $1,199.
Source: Mashable
Another optional item worth considering is a Nest hub which pairs wonderfully with the other devices. It provides an additional way to monitor your devices and another way to get help from Google assistant. Prices begin at $100.
What it is Not?
Cheap ($)
Building a Nest home security system can be expensive but you don't have to purchase all of the devices at once. At a minimum you can start with one device: let's say the Nest Doorbell. I have the battery version and it has served me well. I get about 3 months on a charge and it easily recharges overnight. As re-routing the doorbell wiring can add significant costs to the installation, the battery option is popular.
The same can be true for the Nest Cam Floodlight. This device requires 110v electrical service and unless you are replacing an existing unit the cost of installation could be substantial.
Foolproof
Just because you have a security system doesn't mean you will never have a home invasion or be robbed. Some thieves simply don't care and are willing to take their chances with law enforcement. The goal of a security system is to reduce the risk. The other tool at your disposal is home insurance and homes with security systems often get a better rate.
All of the devices depend upon WiFi. I don't know if I would call it a single point of failure, but if you lose WiFi the system will struggle. One exception is Nest connect which will continue to operate in manual mode if WiFi is unavailable.
What it Is?
Reasonable
A home burglary happens about every 18 seconds in the United States. That translates into approximately 4,800 incidents each day. Based on a report by the University of North Carolina (Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology), about 60% of convicted burglars agree the lack of a security system influenced their decision to target a home.
Perhaps the greatest strength of a home security system is in its ability to identify a potential threat and to alert you to that fact. The Nest product line comes with sophisticated hardware assisted by AI software to help you manage potential threats.
If you are looking for a hands off security monitoring service, this can be accomplished with companies like ADT.
