Happy Holidays – Making Your Home Secure While You Head For The Hills

  • Tips

Making your home secure when your holidays roll around used to rely on a neighbour-annoying alarm, many deadbolts, and some crossed fingers. Now with huge advances in smart home technology and hardware (AKA a ‘home automation system’), there are new ways in which you can make your house, and you, feel more secure. Even if you’re just away for a few days, there are simple steps we can all take to make it look like someone’s home when they’re not. How home automation can help when you’re out of the house (even just for a night away) depends of course on how much you’re willing to invest in smart home products; but with new innovation it’s less than you’d imagine. We’ve created a quick checklist of practical and easy, old and new ways to make your home safer. And it’s easier than you think…

Smart Burglar Alarm Systems

Should the worst happen and your home experiences unwanted attention, you want to know that the alarm will be raised. But also you don’t want a ceaseless wailing alarm set off by the cat and ruining your friendly neighbour status. The best solution? The new generation of wireless home security systems and smart home security systems have made installation of home surveillance systems more manageable. So if alarms are triggered innocently, new add-on wireless home security cameras set with alerts make it very easy to peek into your home from afar to check for sure; so you know there is nothing to worry about. (Especially useful when your teenager house sitter promised ‘no parties…’).

Happy Holidays – Making Your Home Secure While You Head For The Hills Happy Holidays – Making Your Home Secure While You Head For The Hills

Smart Lights

Something as simple as a light switch timer can deter unwanted visitors. Timed lights have existed for some time, however, and may not fool anyone interested enough to observe them for a few nights. A cleverer way to incorporate a timer for lights is via an app; meaning you can alter their schedule on a whim, or better still, turn lights on if you want to check something specific (for example, via your security camera during the night).

You can add a smart bulb to existing ceiling fittings and lamps, the benefit of a smart light bulb being complete control from your phone. Hive dimmable bulbs are a great example of this, placed on any schedule at the touch of a button. Research products like Nest - ideal for switching lights off if you left for work in a hurry.

Child room Duette® Shades Child room Duette® Shades

Window Coverings

Nothing says ‘away from home’ like constantly closed or open window coverings. Automated blinds, known as motorised or electric blinds, have been around for a while but even if programmable, most have only been changeable from within a property.

Luxaflex® PowerView® automation, allows scenes across your home to be programmed automatically or changed through an app remotely. It’s perfect if you prefer each room to have different configurations (perhaps bedroom curtains closing at 8pm, nursery blinds shutting for afternoon naptime) or every room in your home to work to the same schedule. Clever.

PowerView® Automation PowerView® Automation

Mail Redivert

And an old classic…ok, this isn’t tech driven but does solve an old school giveaway. A pile of unopened mail and leaflets on the doormat is a sure sign that you’re soaking up the sun somewhere else. Rather than asking a neighbour you rarely talk to, to pop round and water pot plants and pick up the mail snow drift consider this little quick online trick: a mail redivert. Royal Mail offer a ‘Nominate A Neighbour‘ scheme to eliminate the evidence by sending your post to a neighbour while you enjoy some well-earned respite, then reverting it when you get home. Just don’t forget to bring them a nice tasteful fridge magnet to say thanks.

Want to learn more about customised lighting? Breathe more easily on your next trip with Powerview® Automation.