If you're shopping for a home alarm system, you're probably motivated by a desire to keep intruders out or protect your family from fire or carbon monoxide, and those are great reasons to have a home alarm system. However, hopefully, you'll never experience a burglary, fire, or carbon monoxide leak. Even if you do, these would certainly be rare occurrences. What if you could get more day-to-day use out of your home alarm system, as well as alerts about emergencies? Take a look at some home security system features that can help you get the most out of your home alarm system.

Monitor Moisture

Some home alarm systems offer water detectors that can let you know if they detect moisture near your toilet, hot water heater, or other appliances. You could also place them under your sink or near other pipes. One big benefit of a moisture alarm is that it can alert you to the existence of a slow or hidden leak that you may not have noticed for some time without the alarm. A slow leak can cause a lot of water damage before you notice it on your own, and can also lead to mold growth that can make you sick.

What's more, if your system has the capability to alert you by mobile phone or internet when you're away from the house, then you'll be able to get a notification if a pipe bursts when you're away or out of the house today, which can allow you to get a faster start on damage control. Some water alarm systems can even shut off the water supply to a particular device in the event of a leak, which can significantly reduce the amount of damage sustained.

Reduce Your Energy Bill

Many home security systems come with motion detection sensors. In addition to sounding the alarm if someone is moving around in your home when no one should be there, they also can help you cut down on your home's energy bills by noticing when no one is moving around in your home.

By linking your security system to other systems in your house, like the HVAC or lighting system, you can use the motion detection feature to allow your home security system to turn off the lights when nobody is using them, or to adjust the thermostat when no one is home, so that you don't use unnecessary energy heating or cooling the house when everyone is away.

Check in On the Family

You're probably aware that many of the newer home security systems offer live video feeds. If you get an alert that an alarm has been tripped, the video allows you to check in from your phone or computer to see firsthand what is happening inside your home. However, you don't have to wait until an alarm goes off to see what's happening in your house.

Do you want to make sure that the kids got home from school okay, or do you want to make sure that they are doing their homework and chores? A live video feed allows you to check in and see exactly what's going on when you're not there. Some systems can even let you know when people enter or leave the house – so you'll know if your kids have unauthorized friends over or if they're leaving during a time when they're supposed to be at home.

When you're shopping for a security system, it's important to make sure that you choose one that won't let you down in an emergency. But why not also look for one that can improve your day-to-day life at the same time? Contact a company like Videotec Corporation to learn more about your security system options.