While you may think of smart home technology as a convenience -- something to save you a few steps of walking between the couch and the nearest light switch , smart home offerings also include important preventative measures that can help you protect not only your valuables , but your home itself and everyone in it .
June , which is Home Safety Month , is a great opportunity to learn how to use new technology in order to help protect your family :
• Beyond the Burglar : The first thing that comes to mind when most people think about home security is almost certainly burglary . But intruders aren ’ t the only thing you have to worry about entering your home . Water damage is the second most common cause of property loss and accounts for a quarter or more of homeowner ’ s insurance claims . A good early detection device , such as a Z-Wave flood sensor , could be the difference between a damp inconvenience and a soaking wet catastrophe in your home , especially when combined with a smart shutoff valve .
• Avoid dangers : Some sensors , like GoControl ’ s Z-Wave Door / Window Sensors , for example , are a great way to keep you alerted to potential dangers -- especially on days when the kids get home earlier than you do . A few placed judiciously around the house -- on liquor or medicine cabinets , for example , or even the knife drawer , are a great way of keeping your mind at ease . And those same sensors placed on entry points could alert you in the event of an invasion .
• Deter intruders : When it comes down to it , though , the best way to deal with home invasion is to deter intruders altogether . When you ’ re out of town for a vacation or business trip , it ’ s important to make sure your home still looks lived in , and rigid pre-programmed lighting timers aren ’ t fooling anyone . Newer smart light bulb systems , like BeON Home , go one step further by recording and playing back your daily lighting routines , and even include a sophisticated listening system that can respond to a doorbell , by turning inside lights on organically , one at a time , exactly the way you would if you were home .
Smart home technology is becoming more versatile than ever . To learn more about how it can be used for keeping people , pets and property safe , visit Z-Wave . com and BeONHome . com for DIY videos , how-tos and live customer assistance .
While there ’ s no replacement for a caring neighbor ’ s watchful eye , these days there are a great number of ways of taking home security into your own hands -- no matter where you are . Smart hubs , combined with sensors in and around the home , can take the worry out of being away from home by alerting you when something goes wrong .
With a connected home , you can better keep tabs on your house and keep the things and people in it safe , even when you ’ re not home .
( StatePoint )
New Ways to Protect Your Family
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