Why Smart Home Security is the Best Holiday House-Minder

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When you go on holiday, it’s extra-relaxing to have a friend or family member keeping an eye on things at home.

This year, though, you could give your regular houseminder a break—and give yourself a new level of peace of mind.

When it comes to protecting, securing, and keeping an eye on your home, new technology can rival even the most diligent housesitter. A smart security system powered by Smartzone watches your home around the clock, and can take proactive measures to safeguard your property while making it easy to check in anytime.

Here’s why Smartzone could be the greatest houseminder of all.

1: It never takes its eyes off your house. 

Houseminders are great at keeping an eye on things, but they also have to earn paychecks, run errands, sleep and socialize.

A smart security system, meanwhile, can provide round-the-clock awareness. Connected sensors and devices can generate instant smartphone alerts about important activity at your home, letting you know if something is wrong or suspicious.

With 24-7 professional monitoring, a fire or break-in can be reported to a monitoring station, where a security professional can dispatch first responders to your home. It doesn’t matter whether you see an alert or not in order for you to be protected in an emergency.

2: It knows where the water main is

If a pipe leaks or bursts, how quickly could you get to the water main and shut it off? Wait… do you even know where your water main is? If you don’t, then your houseminder certainly doesn’t.

Protection from water damage is another area where technology now outpaces even the most diligent human. With a combination of water sensors and a smart shutoff valve fitted to your home’s water main, your Smartzone-powered system is capable of detecting a leak and automatically shutting the water off to prevent damage from accumulating.

With the clean-up costs of a water leak potentially running into tens of thousands of Euro’s, this is one proactive safeguard you definitely want when you travel.

3: It’s always home to accept deliveries

You’re expecting post while you’re gone, but you can’t expect your houseminder to put their schedule on hold in order to sit at your house, waiting for the doorbell to ring.

A doorbell camera, integrated into your security system, can make things easy. When the Postman rings the bell, your Smartzone app can alert you. Wherever you happen to be, you should be able to see them, talk to them, unlock your smart lock, and ask them to leave the package inside.

4: You can check in anytime—no calls necessary.

With time differences and busy schedules, checking in with your houseminder can be inconvenient. You might prefer not to bother them.

With Smartzone, though, you can check in whenever you feel that itch. Just open your app, select a video camera feed, and take a peek. You can also quickly scan the status of your locks, smart thermostat, system arming status, lights and garage door.

If you prefer to keep check-ins to a minimum, it’s easy to set up alerts customized to your preferences. Give your house-minder a personalized keyless access code, and you can have an alert appear whenever they show up and leave, or only if they don’t show at all. You can even create video alerts associated with your smart lock to visually verify who’s visiting.

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Smart Home Security Versus… Dishonest Visitors

Have you ever opened your front door to a salesperson, only to end up thinking: there’s something weird going on here?

Maybe it was the questions that seemed too intrusive. Are you home all the time? When is a good time to come back and talk more? Maybe the person was uncomfortably insistent about coming inside to demonstrate a product. Or it was their company ID: it didn’t look right, or they couldn’t produce one at all.

Unfortunately, your instincts may have been correct. Not everyone who knocks on people’s front doors is who he says he is.

Who are these visitors?

It’s hard to say. It might just be an inept salesperson—or it could be a sophisticated burglar “casing” your house. This burglary tactic is all about finding out who’s home, whether there are times when no one will be home, what’s inside, and how secure your home is. How does smart security safeguard you?     

Our smart home security technology helps deter dishonest visitors and makes it easier for you to verify who’s at your door without putting yourself at risk. With smart, connected video technology, it can even help law enforcement catch a burglar.

Safeguard 1: Answer the door without opening it 

A Smartzone-powered doorbell camera is a safer and smarter way to find out who’s at the door.

When a visitor rings the bell, you can see them in HD video to visually verify them, and have a voice conversation with them via your smartphone. There’s no need to open the door, which makes it easier to politely but firmly end the conversation if a visitor seems suspicious.

In fact, you don’t even need to reveal whether you’re home or not. You can use your doorbell camera when you’re home, at work, or anywhere else—making your home appear occupied even when it isn’t.

Safeguard 2: The smart home security deterrent

Even before you answer your doorbell camera, there’s a strong chance of your Smartzone-powered security system stopping a burglar in his tracks.

Most burglars check for security systems when they’re looking for homes to target, and 60 percent of them will completely avoid a home that has one.

A connected security camera—either a doorbell camera or an outdoor camera—is a visible sign that your home is protected, while a yard sign from your Smartzone service provider indicates that your system is professionally monitored.

Safeguard 3: Fast video awareness with easy sharing

Your Smartzone-powered security cameras are a particularly effective deterrent because they help the Gardai enforcement track burglars down.

Unlike old video monitoring technology, Smartzone can alert you immediately when your cameras catch a motion-triggered clip of a visitor. It’s easy to download the clip to your smartphone, and you can forward the footage as easily as sending a photo.

If you think you’ve captured a dishonest visitor on video, your local Garda Station will be pleased to receive the footage. Burglars often return to the same neighborhood over and over, and a video clip can be the breakthrough that police need to identify and catch them.

Want to know more? 

Contact us today on 0818 222 926.

Smartzone, Powered by Alarm.com.

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What’s New in Smartzone’s Summer ’17 App Update

Our latest app updates are here, bringing some valuable enhancements to your video monitoring experience.

Update your iOS or Android app today, and you’ll find it easier to see what’s happening with your smart security cameras—plus, you’ll never miss a visitor again.

Share your video clips easily

Sharing an Smartzone video clip is now as easy as sharing a photo. When you watch a recorded clip, you’ll see a new set of icons at the bottom of the screen, including a Share button that lets you share the clip via message, email or social media.

Whether you need to quickly forward a clip of a suspicious caller to your local Garda Station or neighborhood watch group, or you want to upload a clip of your toddler playing to your Facebook timeline, you’ll find it a seamless and intuitive experience.

Get a closer look at live video
 

iOS and Android users alike can now digitally zoom in on video feeds.

Did you hear a noise outside your house and want to see what’s going on? Are you at work and wondering what your kids are watching on TV? Just open your outdoor camera’s video feed, then use your fingertips to zoom in anywhere on the picture for a better view of what’s happening.

Hear a visitor from anywhere

Have you ever missed a live Doorbell Camera notification on your phone because you were busy, and thought it was just a text? The push notification sent when someone rings the Doorbell now uses a special doorbell chime instead of the default notification sound.

Android Shortcuts support

Android users can now take advantage of Android Shortcuts to interact with their homes more quickly. If you’re running Android 7.1 and up, you’ll be able to set up a set of quick commands, activated via a long-touch on your home screen’s Smartzone icon.

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Why Smartzone Is a Move-In Essential

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Moving into a new home this year and feeling overwhelmed? Got a ton of projects and purchases to organize?

Here’s a valuable tip: prioritize any project that makes the others easier.

Take home security, for example. The latest smart home security systems don’t just give you peace of mind; they can also take care of several common problems from day one, making an instant impact on your new home’s to-do list.

1: Securing your new place

In an unfamiliar home and neighborhood, your ‘security senses’ will be heightened, especially at night. Getting connected with Smartzone is the fastest way to put your mind at ease and secure your new home properly.

We’ll work with you to customize a smart security system for your home, which can include wireless contact sensors for doors and windows, image sensors, smoke detectors and lots of other smart devices, all connected into a smartphone app that keeps you connected to home with security alerts and more.

Smartzone-powered systems are professionally monitored for emergencies, and come with proactive intelligence that starts protecting your home and family immediately.

2: Giving access to essential visitors 

From friends and family to contractors and deliverymen, you’re going to have a lot of visitors at your new home. Smart access control makes things more convenient, enabling you to let trusted visitors in remotely, with no spare keys necessary.

If you’re concerned about unlocking your door when you’re not there, consider a video doorbell for your system. When a visitor rings the bell, you can verify who they are via live video on your smartphone. When you’re happy, you can unlock your smart lock from the same video screen.

3: Tackling energy efficiency and waste

Making your new home more energy-efficient is likely to be a long-term project. It might take years to replace older appliances or windows, for example.

A smart thermostat, however, can start saving energy right away, simply by setting your cooling or heating back when you’re not home.

Because it’s connected to your security system, the Smartzone smart thermostat knows exactly when you’re home or not—ensuring that you get savings when you’re away, and comfort when you’re there. It also has some very smart extra ways to save you energy.

Want a smart security system for your new home? 

Contact us today on 0818 222 926.

Smartzone, Powered by Alarm.com.

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How Smartzone Protects Your Family When You’re Not There

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Becoming a dad changes everything. Most of all, it changes you. Scientific research has confirmed that—for dads as well as moms—having a family literally rewires your brain.

Before kids, you could sleep through freight train noise. Today, one faint cry from the next bedroom gets you up and lumbering down the hall. Before kids, crying babies in public made you cringe. Today, you might walk over to see if you can distract the baby with silly faces. The transformation is remarkable.

Likewise, when you travel nowadays, part of you enjoys the break, but the “new” you doesn’t feel right about being cut off. That’s why many dads opt to stay connected and keep things secure with a smart home security system.

Here’s why you can rely on it

1: Alarm.com has its own “dad reflexes”

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