The last thing you want after a vacation is to come home to a house that has been completely ransacked. Our Smart Home tips will help you keep your place as secure as possible.
Before you get fully into the vacation spirit, it’s smart to set aside some time to keep your home safe while you’re away. Fortunately, modern smart devices make that a lot easier. The entire ecosystem of your Smart Home can keep an eye on you while you’re on vacation. That way, you don’t have to rely on your half acquaintances or a new babysitter.
Setting up a Smart Home for a vacation does require a few changes. We’re happy to help you with it. The tips below will get you well on your way to making your home extra secure.
Going on vacation? Here’s how to best secure your Smart Home
Protect your Smart Home well so you can go on vacation extra relaxed. You deserve that after all those months of work. Here are some tips!
#1 Engage vacation routines
Vacation routines allow smart lights to turn on and off, both indoors and outdoors, making it seem like you’re just at home. They can also control other smart devices in your Smart Home, such as irrigation systems and cameras. After you set up the routine, you can use it over and over again for different trips.
#2 Lock your Smart Home with a smart door lock
A smart door lock is an electronic device that allows you to control your door remotely via a smartphone app. You can lock and unlock the lock, and even set timetables for automatic locking.
By using smart locks, you can lock or unlock your door from anywhere. Ideal if you’re going on vacation for a while. In addition, smart locks work particularly well with video doorbells.
‘Sesame open you’ (Image: Unsplash)
#3 Set up a ‘listening service’ before you go on vacation
Many smart speakers use simple algorithms to recognize important sounds, such as breaking glass, smoke detectors and loud barking dogs. Home security systems such as Abode or Ring also offer these features.
Amazon Alexa smart speakers, for example, have the Alexa Emergency Assist service, which costs about $6 a month. With this you get sound detection, 24/7 emergency assistance and contact with emergency services for your family. This is useful for when you are away from your Smart Home for long periods of time.
#4 Place a leak detector under vulnerable areas in your Smart Home
A leak detector is a smart device with an open circuit that you place on the floor. If water falls on the circuit, you get an instant notification on your phone. This way you know exactly when there is a leak somewhere. This is extremely handy if you are going to be away for an extended period of time.
You can place them by the toilet, under the sink, next to the water heater or under pipes that may freeze during the winter.
A handy leak detector (Image: Kangaroo)
#5 Adjust your heating and cooling
Smart thermostats like Nest and Ecobee, have Eco and Absentee modes where you can set separate vacation schedules. This keeps your Smart Home at a healthy temperature when you’re not around.
The ideal temperature range varies by season, but should be less than normal when you’re home. In summer, this means setting the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees higher during the day, with a maximum of 25 to 30 degrees to protect your houseplants. For winter, on the contrary, you would want to set the thermostat around 10 degrees during the day.
#6 Be careful what you post on social media
This tip may seem old-fashioned, but it remains a very effective one. After all, it is tempting to share your vacation plans on social media, but this can also invite burglars to drop by your Smart Home. To stay safe, it’s smart not to post any information or photos about your travels until after you get back. Then you can post everything on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
