Fall is a time of change – especially in New England. The changing leaves signify a few things: the fair-weather tourists will start to pack up, and traffic will get a lot more manageable.
If you own a summer home in New England, it’s not enough to simply turn off the lights, lock up, and walk away. There are two ways to approach to winter as the homeowner of a seasonal property: winterize and shut it down, or keep systems running at a minimum and monitor your home from afar. In this article, we’ll discuss the second approach, which works well for homeowners that want to enjoy their vacation home on the weekends, or rent out the property via VRBO or Airbnb.
Smart home monitoring systems can give peace of mind all year long and ensure that a home is properly protected against harsh New England winters.
TYPES OF SMART HOME MONITORING SYSTEMS
There are a few different types of remote monitoring systems. Choosing the best one for you depends on your home and use case.
Thermostats like Nest or Honeywell come with an app that homeowners can use to monitor their home’s temperature, humidity, and outside temperature. These solutions might work best for homeowners that want to save money on their heating or cooling bill. Homeowners that use their vacation property on the weekends, for example, can set their heating system to a minimum of 40 degrees during the week. On the drive up, they can set turn up the heat to come home to a warm house.
Doorbell cameras like Ring and SkyBell come with motion-sensors and monitor who rings the doorbell and who pulls in the driveway. These work well for homeowners that are interested mostly in securing their home. Owners of rental properties, for example, might find it useful to track who is coming in and out of the house.
All-inclusive smart home monitoring systems like those from Building 36 can monitor the following:
- Lights
- Thermostat
- Security cameras
- Water sensors
- Energy sensors
These systems are best for homeowners that want a console to monitor and control every aspect of their house, from their HVAC system and security and everything in between. Water sensors, for example, bring peace of mind to homeowners with beach homes or houses that are susceptible to flooding. Water sensors will alert owners and can automatically shut off leaks to prevent disasters when homeowners are away.
Smart home monitoring systems can bring peace of mind – so when you’re at your vacation home, you can truly enjoy it.
