Nothing can put a damper on a long-anticipated vacation like worrying about the security of your home while you’re away. Luckily, today’s smart home technology can help deter burglars and protect your property so that you can relax on the beach. Cnet.com outlines four ways your smart home can help prevent break-ins:
Randomize lights. One of the classic safety measures while you’re away is to put your lights on a timer, however, the savvy criminal can quickly deduce when lights are on a static schedule. Smart lights, on the other hand, can be set on a much more random schedule, one which varies each day. This will make it seem like someone is actually home.
Turn on the TV or stream music. With smart devices, you can also schedule times for your TV to be on for a realistic period of time. According to Cnet, this can be done with any newer television and a device called Harmony Hub. Set the TV to come on with the lights at different times each day and play live television.
Video Doorbell. New smart doorbells will let you know when any activity is detected at your front door, and two-way audio allows you to talk to whoever might be knocking. If it’s someone who’s supposed to be there, you can unlock the door and let them in.
Motion-activated flood lights. While most of us install motion-activated lights at the front door, it’s also a good idea to have them installed in the backyard. Some of the newer models, like those from Ring, come equipped with a camera, two-way audio and a siren, should you need to sound the alarm.
Let smart home technology step in and take care of your home even when you’re not there, so that you can hit the road worry-free.