There are many threats facing property owners, including break-ins, vandalism, and theft. Crime deterrent solutions like security gates in Houston, wireless alarm systems, and monitoring services can help keep all types of property safe.
Unfortunately, no security solution is perfect. Trespassers can circumnavigate barriers and gates, and outside factors like weather conditions can interfere with video surveillance systems. That’s why SentriForce recommends taking a multi-step approach, spearheaded by managed video surveillance services, to security.
Learning the pros and cons of various security systems and exploring your options will help you better protect your home or business.
This article will examine the pros and cons of physical barriers and managed video surveillance so that you can determine the best solution to safeguard your Houston property!
Using Physical Barriers in Houston
Physical barriers serve as an obstacle to anyone who poses a risk to your property. While intruders can overcome most barriers with enough persistence, these obstacles can significantly reduce your exposure to threats. Just the presence of a barrier can be a significant deterrent.
Physical barriers in Houston are a cost-effective security solution that should play a role in virtually any business security plan. Many factors should be considered, including your location, risk level, and needs.
There are many different physical barriers that can help protect vulnerable properties. Popular options include:
Fences in Houston
Chain-Link Fences
Residential and commercial property owners often use these affordable physical barriers in Houston to deter vandalism and theft. Chain-link fences are typically made from steel wire, and they are designed to obstruct human and animal intruders.
Barbed-Wire Fences
Sharp spiked wire can be added to other fences as an additional deterrent. Because barbed wire can cause painful injuries, it can help keep people from hopping a fence.
Security Gates in Houston
Barrier Gates
Physical barriers aren’t limited to fences. Many Houston businesses use barrier gates to block vehicle traffic. An automated system or security guard can raise and lower the bar of the gate, allowing approved vehicles to access the property.
Security Gates
Electric security gates make it possible to control access to a facility. There are several different types of security gates that Houston commercial properties can install. These include slide, swing, and vertical lift gates.
Access Control Systems
As the name implies, these systems help control who has access to a building or area. Many access control systems in Houston use key cards, passcodes, or remotely controlled locks to keep a property secure.
Fences vs. Video Surveillance Systems
Fences can be an excellent way to protect your property. They act as a theft deterrent and provide privacy from prying eyes. However, would-be thieves can climb fences, allowing them to steal valuable assets from your company or irreplaceable personal items from your home.
Therefore, having a protective fence installed around the perimeter of your commercial building or home is a great place to start. But bolstering it with additional digital security measures, such as a video surveillance system, is the best way to ensure maximum security for your facility.
Using Video Surveillance Systems
Video surveillance systems work to monitor properties so that security breaches can be identified and recorded evidence can be gathered. These security systems are multi-faceted tools, as they are a visible deterrent, and they can be outfitted with audible functions such as alarms and warnings. Meanwhile, physical barriers alone don’t offer Houston properties much more than an obstacle for trespassers to overcome.
When a property has a video surveillance system in place, activity on a property can be recorded and checked as needed. For maximum effectiveness, it’s best to monitor video security footage.
Plus, with the help of SentriForce’s managed video surveillance services, you’ll be able to focus on business while we focus on your security needs. Our security experts help protect the chain of custody when video evidence is needed for legal proceedings.
SentriForce’s live video monitoring services, which is available for commercial properties, make it easy to detect, document, and deter trespassers. If necessary, we can also contact local law enforcement so that your business has all the protection that it needs.
When it comes to security, we never take a one-size-fits-all approach. We can provide isolated or comprehensive coverage as well as threat detection. We can adapt our services to better serve your needs as your business grows and expands.
Not only can we help you to protect your property, but we also offer rapid forensic video review, making it easier to deal with issues like false alarms and employee theft. We even offer managed video surveillance services for Homeowner Associations, making it easier to answer the WHO, WHAT, and WHEN questions that arise after an incident.
We offer affordable alternatives to physical barriers in Houston so that you can have the peace of mind you deserve.
What Impacts the Effectiveness of Video Surveillance & Physical Barriers in Houston?
Even the best security systems aren’t perfect. Factors outside your control could cause your security system to fail. Unfortunately, you may not know about these issues until it’s too late.
Common factors that can keep security systems from working properly include:
Weather Conditions
Heavy rain, snow, and other extreme weather conditions can interfere with the function of your security system. Weather changes can impact the quality of video feeds, and bad weather could potentially damage access systems.
Although precautions can help prevent these issues, predicting the weather in Houston is not always possible.
Blind Spots
There are limits to the range of every camera. This means that video monitoring systems have potential blind spots. If a threat occurs outside of the camera’s line of sight, there won’t be a way to see that threat.
Trespassers and criminals can exploit this issue. Thus, video surveillance systems might not record footage of every illegal action.
Outdated Facilities
Outdated infrastructure has the potential to be a security risk. When relying on equipment or technology that’s past its prime, you’re more likely to encounter issues like system downtime and security holes.
Because of this, it’s important to find security solutions developed with your needs in mind.
Electrical Grid Problems
Houston has seen issues with the power grid in recent years, and unfortunately, these problems can damage security systems. Without access to the grid, both physical barriers and surveillance solutions could fail entirely.
Thankfully, SentriForce offers managed surveillance systems designed to overcome these kinds of obstacles. Since we offer solar-powered mobile surveillance for construction properties, we can continue to provide you with protection even during power outages.
Additionally, SentriForce regularly monitors our video system’s health and manages software updates. That means we deal with potential issues before they arise.
Furthermore, our monitoring personnel are licensed by the Department of Public Safety. Every security team member has extensive training and understands what can keep security systems from working correctly. We’ll work with you to create a security solution that’s designed to serve the unique needs of your Houston property.
Managed Video Surveillance vs. Physical Barriers: What’s the Best Way to Protect Your Business?
While you’ll see clear advantages and disadvantages when you consider barriers/fences vs. video surveillance systems, the best security systems don’t rely on a single solution. In fact, the best solution is a multi-faceted approach. Most Houston businesses and residential communities benefit from using physical barriers alongside managed video surveillance.
Security cameras are a powerful deterrent and can provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur, but they still have their drawbacks. Cameras can be bypassed or damaged, especially by criminals who scout for blind spots ahead of time.
Since physical barriers can slow intruders down, they can buy time for law enforcement to respond to threats detected by alarms, surveillance cameras or security guards. Our managed video surveillance services will ensure that incidents are dealt with in real-time.
Protect Your Property With Monitoring Services
The best security solutions are intelligent and scalable. SentriForce provides effective and personalized security solutions for businesses, construction sites, apartment communities, homeowner associations, and more.
We’ll work with you to identify security risks and find affordable solutions that meet your needs. Why take chances on using physical barriers alone when it comes to securing your Houston property?
SentriForce can handle all of your video surveillance needs, including supplying and maintaining equipment and managing recorded evidence. We’ll work with you to create a multi-faceted security solution that meets your needs and budgets.
