Summer is officially here, and with the nice weather and kids out of school, many families have summer vacations planned in the coming weeks. Among the other benefits of smart devices that are becoming more popular in homes across the country are the safety features many of them provide that can make leaving home easier than ever before.
From smart outlets to thermostats, many people have been equipping their home with devices designed to cut costs, save energy, or add a level of convenience to life at home. What some users might not think about is that these new additions can also provide an added level of safety when you’re away from home. Here are some of our favorite devices that can make it easier to kick back and relax knowing that your home is secure, even when you’re not there to keep an eye on things.
Control your lights
A house that looks lived-in is far less appealing to would-be burglars than one that appears to be vacant for an extended period of time. Smart bulbs or lamps plugged into smart outlets allow you to control when your lights turn on and off, giving a more realistic look than leaving the same light or two on for a week straight. Outdoor motion sensor lights are also a great option in case anyone does decide to get too close while you’re away.
Video doorbells
Not only are these doorbells convenient for monitoring packages and food deliveries – they can act as your eyes no matter where you are. Most options can be controlled by an app on your computer or smartphone, allowing you to see (and in some cases speak to) whoever shows up at your door while you’re away. Many come with a motion sensor feature that sends an alert to your phone as soon as someone approaches your door.
Smart locks
If a house sitter or neighbor might be stopping by to check on pets, drop off mail, or generally keep an eye on things, a smart lock can take away any hiccups in managing spare keys – plus you’ll have real time access to see who is unlocking your door. Also programmable from an app, you can even provide a new lock code if someone else needs to get into the house while you’re away.
Keep an eye on your pets
Even if you do have a house sitter keeping an eye on things while you’re away, there’s an added level of comfort knowing you can check in on your four-legged friends, and even speak with them depending on the pet camera you have. These can be especially helpful to keep an eye on low-maintenance pets like cats, who might be okay for a short getaway without a sitter.
Avoid temperature fluctuations
Smart thermostats are valuable enough with their ability to help save on heating costs and allow for remote temperature adjustments when you’re not at home. They can also prevent bigger disasters while you’re away by monitoring the outdoor temperature, or temperatures in your home detected by sensors you can place in key areas. For cold regions, this type of technology can help stave off catastrophes like frozen pipes when outdoor temps drop too low.
The good news is that just about everything can be controlled remotely these days, and we’re only seeing more options becoming available. Start small – controlling your lights is a great first step – and work your way toward building a tech-savvy home you can feel confident in taking a vacation from.
Whatever smart devices you use to keep your home safe, be sure to have the speed you need to keep those devices running at their best. Check out our Bandwidth Calculator.
