Vacations are a time for relaxation and enjoyment, but the absence from your home can invite potential risks. Here are some best practices to safeguard your home while you’re away, ensuring peace of mind during your travels:
1. Smart Lighting: Utilize home automation to set up a lighting schedule that mimics your usual activity, deterring would-be intruders by making it appear as if you’re home.
2. Package Management: If possible, arrange to have packages held by the shipper or picked up by a friend or relative once you receive a delivery notification. Alternatively, ask a trusted neighbor to collect any items left at your door to prevent a buildup of flyers or lawn care treatment signs that signal your absence.
3. Trash Disposal: Request a neighbor to handle your trash bins on collection days to maintain the appearance of an occupied home.
4. Lawn and Snow Maintenance: Continue regular lawn care or snow removal services. An unkempt exterior can be a clear sign that the homeowner is away.
5. Security System: Invest in a monitored security system that alerts you and the authorities of any suspicious activity.
6. Water Management: Shut off the water supply to your washing machine or the entire house to prevent leaks or flooding. However, ensure that your sprinkler system remains operational if needed.
7. Flood Detection: Install flood detectors in the basement to alert you of any water issues, allowing for quick action even when you’re not there.
8. Neighbor Access: Provide a neighbor with access to your home in case of emergencies or if your return is delayed. They can assist with caring for pets or plants.
9. Smart Locks: If you have a smart lock as part of your home automation, you can generate a temporary code for a neighbor or caretaker to access your home without compromising your usual security settings.
10. Fire and Environmental Monitoring: Ensure you have fire detection systems in place to alert you of any electrical surges or fires. Environmental monitoring can be conducted by a person or integrated into your security system.
11. Lock Up: Finally, double-check that all doors and windows are securely locked before you depart.
By implementing these measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of home-related incidents while enjoying your vacation. Remember, the goal is to create a seamless illusion of presence and maintain the integrity of your home’s security. Safe travels!
If you’d like some help setting up your security system or home automation, contact SEi today!
2. Control overhead garage doors
Your garage door is a large and pretty obvious source of heat loss for your home. This is especially true if your garage door isn’t insulated or has windows in it. But when the garage door is left open, it can really affect the temperature, and therefore energy efficiency, of your home. Not to mention it’s hard on your car battery to be at temperatures under 30 degrees. A smart garage door controller from SEi can help.
With SEi’s garage door controls, you can receive alerts when your garage door is opened or closed and when it has been left open for an extended time. Then you can either shut the garage door right from your smartphone or have it set to close automatically.
3. Blind/shutter control
Blinds and shutters not only help to keep the sun from heating the inside of your house, but they can also help to reduce the amount of cold lost through your windows. This is because they trap an insulating layer of air between the blinds and the window. If you have smart blinds and/or shades, you can use this to your advantage for energy efficiency. This is especially true for any windows that aren’t on the South side of the house.
Open your blinds on sunny winter days to gain the advantage of the sun’s heat and close them during the night to keep the cold weather out. You can even change the settings on each blind based on the season of the year.
4. Automated lighting
Energy-efficient light bulbs can help reduce your energy consumption and costs. But that’s less helpful when your kids leave the lights on! With smart lighting, you can have the lights linked to your security system in the same way your thermostat is. You can also use motion detectors to turn your lights on and off as you enter and leave a room. This works for smart ceiling fans, too!
For extra security, randomize your lights when you are away for an extended time, making it harder for thieves to tell you aren’t there.
Smart homes and energy efficiency go very well together. And SEi can help tie all the pieces together to make the system function at its best. Contact us today to learn more.
