Smartzone Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Smartzone is an Irish company that offers world-class, cutting edge Smart Home technology and Business Solutions (Heating, Security and Home Automation). We have partnered with Alarm.com is the leading provider of Smart Home in the US with over 5 million customers.
What products do Smartzone offer?
We offer solutions for both Home and Business. Our product range includes Smart Security, Smart Heating, Smart Cameras plus an array of Home Automation products such as Video Doorbells, Smart Plugs, Locks, Lighting and more. Our modular system means you can products to the system as you need them. The big benefit of our solution is that everything is managed from just one app.
What are the benefits of the Smartzone smart home solution?
- A complete Smart solution all managed from One app.
- 24 Hour monitoring of your Security System
- Real-time notifications if your security alarm is triggered so you always know what’s happening in your home, with the ability to remotely arm or disarm the system.
- Extra peace of mind with motion sensors that send an alert to your phone if movement is detected inside your home.
- GEO Fencing sends a reminder if your Smart Home registered phone leaves your home and the property has not been armed.
- Unique pin numbers (i.e. you can provide visitors with a unique, one-off code to access your house if you are not home).
- Manage your heating so that your home is energy efficient. Get real insights into your energy use to automate the temperature settings in your home and schedule heating for each area of the house. With increased control over your energy use, you can save on your energy bills.
- Save money on your heating and lighting bills by remotely turning off forgotten lights or heating systems after you have left the home or business.
- Control your lights with smart plugs, so they automatically turn on when you walk in the door.
- Set schedules for your lights to come on and off to give the impression that someone is home when you’re on holiday.
- Free BER cert.
- Wireless installation and ‘smash and crash’ protection, meaning the alarm communication still goes to the monitoring station even if an intruder destroys the control panel.
- Not dependent on broadband so will not drop if broadband goes down.
Building Energy Rating certificate. Under EU law all properties that are sold or rented must have a BER carried out. This is a detailed assessment of the dimensions, building fabric, energy usage and energy production of a property. In addition, the Irish government grant funding authority – SEAI – requires that a BER is carried out for any installation where grant funding is utilised. If we claim an SEAI grant on your behalf we will organise a BER assessment and do all the paperwork.
Your system will be monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Smartzone monthly service and monitoring fee also includes an on-going parts and labour warranty which covers malfunctions and failures.
What’s included in the Smartzone package as standard?
We have a number of different products and we recommend that we send out one of our Smart Home Consultants to complete a Home Energy & Security Health check to ensure the best solution design for you. This is a completely free service and you’re under no obligation whatsoever to purchase.
“Light Emitting Diode” bulbs are low energy bulbs that save significant amounts of energy annually for the customer
I’m not good with technology – this would be too advanced for me?
The platform/system is extremely user-friendly and no previous technical know-how is required.
Yes – monthly service and monitoring fee.
Does your system monitor water?
Smartzone monitors actual current hot water temperature readings. By knowing what the temperature is you can decide whether you want/need to turn the hot water remotely from the property. This is a large contributor to potential energy savings.
Why Is The Minimum Temperature Setting 10°C?
For frost protection purposes and the avoidance of the potential risk of burst pipes, the temperature should never be allowed to drop below 10-12°C.
Your MPRN (Meter Point Registration Number) is found on the top right-hand side of your electricity bill (as seen in the image below).
How Much Will The Smartzone Heating Controls Save Me On Energy Bills?
Adding Smartzone wireless heating controls to your home could save you up to €300 a year on energy costs.
Are There Any Ongoing Fees Or Charges?
There are no app or hidden charges. Smartzone charges a fee of €29.99 per month for monitoring and maintaining your system.
Alarm.com is the leading technology provider of Smart Home Security services. Their award-winning technology is used by over 5 million people to help protect what matters most. Smartzone is powered by Alarm.com.
How are your systems monitored?
Unlike traditional systems that typically only alerted you if the alarm went off, Alarm.com systems monitor the activity across your home’s sensors 24/7, whether your system is armed or not. This means your system can be useful in emergency and non-emergency events. All the signals from the security system are sent over Alarm.com’s dedicated secure cellular connection for fast and reliable communication. In the event of an emergency, that signal is instantly sent to a Central Monitoring Station, managed by your Service Provider. There is professional monitoring personnel at the Central Station 24/7 to receive the real-time alarm signals from Alarm.com systems and dispatch emergency response. Non-emergency alerts are processed by Alarm.com and sent out based on the rules that you define. For example, you may choose to get an alert when the front door opens between 12-2pm so you know the dog walker showed up.
What is SmartZone’s Smart Home?
Smartzone’s Smart Home is an integrated home system that helps you fully protect and monitor your home by allowing you to manage your home security, heating and lighting remotely from your mobile or tablet.
Your alarm is connected 24/7 to a monitoring team who will alert you and the Gardai if the alarm system is triggered. Patented technology ensures your system will work even if the alarm panel is disabled in any way by intruders. It is connected wirelessly, so even in the event of a power cut or internet failure, your alarm is always connected to the monitoring station.
What are zoned smart heating controls?
With the Smartzone Smart Home you get zoned heating controls as standard in the package. Smart heating controls allow you to separately manage both heating and hot water in different areas of your home. This allows you to save money on your energy costs by only heating the areas of your home being used, instead of the whole house.
Door sensors detect when doors are opened, triggering your alarm in real time. They have tamper protection to prevent unauthorised removal and are completely wireless.
A glass break sensor detects the audible sound of breaking glass if a pane of glass in a window or door is shattered when your alarm system is set.
Motion sensors detect if there are movements in your home when there shouldn’t be. This triggers your alarm in real time. They also have tamper protection to prevent unauthorised removal and are completely wireless.
Controlled by the Smart Home app, your smart plug lets you turn on and off any appliance that plugs into a standard wall socket. Simply plug the smart plug into any wall socket and then plug your appliance into the smart plug. Smart plugs help you to be more energy efficient, saving you money. For example, you could set your smart plug to switch off a nightlight in your child’s bedroom remotely without having to enter their bedroom or you could set your phone charger to automatically switch off after 2 hours rather than leaving on overnight. Smart Plugs also offer an extra safety level for appliances, eg hair straighteners etc.
A smart smoke alarm sends alerts to your phone if smoke has been detected in your home and your smoke alarm has been activated. You can disarm the system remotely using your app or contact the fire brigade immediately if required.
What do I do if I’m moving house?
It depends on a number of factors. If Smartzone claimed an SEAI grant for the property then the heating solution must stay in the house. We generally recommend the heating and security system remains with the house, but if you purchased items such as cameras you may wish to take these with you. We look at these on a case by case basis and we can offer a removal service to you. If you are within your contract you will also need to pay the balance of outstanding monies owed on the contract.
Do I need to return my Smartzone equipment if I cancel?
This really would depend on a few factors such as… reason for cancellation, duration of the contract outstanding etc. We hope you don’t need to cancel your service, but if you do we will review each case and walk you through the process.
Can I add to the solution after the installation?
Yes, absolutely! We find our customers enjoy the benefits of our system so much, we often go back to customers to install additional products. You can either purchase them from us at the start or later down the line.
Why Should I Heat My Water To 55°C?
It’s good practice to heat your cylinder to 55-60°C frequently to eliminate the risk of Legionella growth. Most adults shower around 38°C and kids will usually be comfortable one or two degrees below this.
What happens my grant if I move house?
The grant belongs to the house/property so you must leave the system in the house where the grant was provided.
Can I Heat My Hot Water Without Heating My Whole Home?
Yes! You can control your hot water entirely separately to heating the rooms in your home. You can set the temperature and even schedule it so that your water is hot via our app from wherever you are.
What do I do if my alarm systems break/faulty? Who do I phone for customer support?
We have real-time fault monitoring so it’s likely we’ll call you before you call us. However, if you have any questions please call us on Smartzone – 0818 222 926
What happens if I need to cancel my Smartzone service?
If you are still in contract a standard removal/buy out process will take place. The minimum contract term is 3 years.
What do I do if I have a break in?
You will be notified in the event of a break-in, both by the monitoring station and by the system itself. The Gardai should always be called in the event of a break in.
When does my Smartzone contract start?
Your Contract starts once your system is installed. We take payment upfront for any equipment and for the first months monitoring a day or two before.
What happens after I purchase Smartzone?
An agreeable installation date is agreed and installation is carried out.
How long is my Smartzone contract?
36 months
If your property was completed before the end of 2005 and the grant has not previously been claimed, it is likely eligible for the SEAI heating controls upgrade grant. All we need is your MPRN number and we’ll do everything for you.
No. The main system Hub has Dual-path communication – hard-wired broadband connectivity via Ethernet and mobile connectivity via GSM SIM card as well as a backup battery. This is a security feature and eliminates the risk of power cuts/internet outages affecting system usage. However for video upload, broadband is essential.No. The main system Hub has Dual-path communication – hard-wired broadband connectivity via Ethernet and mobile connectivity via GSM SIM card as well as a backup battery. This is a security feature and eliminates the risk of power cuts/internet outages affecting system usage. However for video upload, broadband is essential.No. The main system Hub has Dual-path communication – hard-wired broadband connectivity via Ethernet and mobile connectivity via GSM SIM card as well as a backup battery. This is a security feature and eliminates the risk of power cuts/internet outages affecting system usage. However for video upload, broadband is essential.
Will Smartzone work with my existing alarm?
No. Smartzone is an entirely new system. For security, our devices are paired with the main Smartzone hub.
Can I upgrade/add-on at any time?
Yes, another big benefit to the system/platform is it’s entirely modular and scalable.
What happens after the 3 years?
If you are satisfied with the system and the service you continue to pay the monthly service and monitoring fee and all benefits and warranties continue. If not you lose the remote features of the system but will have a functioning (unmonitored) system that operates within the home. Every house is different and in some cases, Smartzone may have to come out and set up your house to run independently.
You can use any connected device to control the system, but depending on your house you may also have a thermostat to control heating and a keypad to control security. You will lose the benefit of remote access and many of the real-time notification benefits, some cool features without a Smartphone so we do recommend you have one.
I don’t own my home – can I still buy this?
Landlord permission will be required for most installations of this type.
My house/pipes are really old – will this work?
There are very few systems where a suitable solution is not possible. We recommend that we get a Smart Home Consultant out to conduct an assessment and he/she will be able to discuss what solution we can provide.
Alarms never stop ringing round my area.
This is a common problem in the security industry for unmonitored systems. Many people have become immune to the sound of alarm sirens. Aging systems can make this issue worse as they can activate due to faults. The good thing about our system is that you will get real-time notification, you can check your house from your phone and can turn off the alarm and re-arm it immediately.
Does My Home Qualify For A ‘Better Energy Homes Grant’?
Grants are available to fund energy efficiency upgrades such as boiler replacements, heating controls and insulation for all homes built prior to 2006. In order to receive the grant, the work must be completed by a SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) registered installer. All Smartzone installers are trained and SEAI approved. Approval must be gained before any work commences. As an SEAI approved counterparty, we can handle the grant process for you – end to end. This means you don’t have to worry about the paperwork. We are experts in home comfort and smart heating controls with SEAI and RGII (Registered Gas Installers of Ireland). Approved Smartzone installers are available all over the country and you can rest assured you’ll get only the highest standard. We will take your grant into account when you receive a quotation.
What happens if I don’t want a monitored system?
As part of our offering customers must take the monitoring service as this covers both monitoring and maintenance.
You pay a monthly fee of €10 if you take heating only.
Will you remove existing kit/equipment?
We can remove for a fee of €99, however, you will be responsible for any holes left that require plastering, repairing or repainting.
Does Smartzone Smart Home work with my existing security system?
Smartzone Smart Home is an entirely separate system and cannot be integrated with an existing security system.
Does Smartzone Smart Home work with my existing smart heating system?
Any existing smart heating controls you have will need to be replaced with the Smartzone Smart Home heating control system.
Does Smartzone Smart Home work with other smart devices?
Yes. Smartzone Smart Home can integrate with Alexa, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Apple Watch, Google Home and any connected devices such as your mobile phone, laptop or ipad.
My heating system/pipes are very old – can I still get Smartzone Smart Home?
Smartzone Smart Home is compatible with most heating systems. In most cases we will be able to work out a solution, however, if you have solid fuel, wood burning stoves, back boilers, gun barrel pipes or electrical heating systems our solution will not be compatible for the Heating system. We can still work with you on Security and Home Automation.
How will Smartzone Smart Home heating controls work with my existing immersion?
If you have a pre-existing immersion switch, the Smartzone installer will fit where necessary an immersion timer to work alongside it. This timer is in accordance with the SEAI code of practice for grant installations and it will also give you the ability to heat your hot water from your main gas or oil boilers.
How long will it take to install my Smartzone devices?
It depends on the size of your house and exactly what we are installing. If we are also installing a Smart Heating solution, we recommend you set aside a full day for the Install.
What’s involved in the installation of Smartzone?
Our Security solution is wireless so there’s no wiring, taking up floorboards or running pipework as there often can be with other systems. Installation is minimally disruptive and once we leave your house, it will be like we were never there! For the Heating element of the solution, our experienced plumbers will be mostly focused at the boiler location.
Our Scheduling Team will contact you to arrange a suitable installation date, but we usually aim to install within a matter of days.
Who installs my Smartzone devices?
We have a team of highly trained and certified Smartzone installers who will complete your installation.
What if I need to cancel/change my installation time?
No problem, due to advanced requirements for system setup and scheduling we would request as much notice as possible.
Yes, all components meet the relevant European general and specific security standard (EN 50131). Our installations meet PSA regulations. Where relevant Gas installations are RGII compliant, Oil installations are OFTEC compliant and electrical works are RECI compliant. In addition, the SEAI has a strict code of practice that all installations must meet where government grant funding is being availed of.
How Long Does The Installation Take?
Our clean, non-disruptive installation process takes between a half day and a full day for heating and security solution. We recommend that you plan for a whole day and hopefully we’ll be completely a little bit earlier.
Search for Alarm.com on App Store or Google Play
Is the app available for Android/iPhone?
Yes
The master user of the system can grant system access to as many people (up to 80 people) as required at no extra cost. There’s also cool features whereby you can give someone access to your system with a one-off code, or a code that only works at certain times of the day or day of the week. A childminder or cleaning lady gaining access for example.
What if I lose my phone or my phone breaks?
If the phone (or the alarm.com app) were not password protected, the login access for that phone should be deleted or the password should be changed. You will have to download the app to your new phone.
Will the software be upgraded after the three years?
Software and firmware upgrades are done, as necessary or as new features require.
