A smart home security system lets you manage your alarm and locks from anywhere conveniently with a mobile app. But if you don’t have smart lighting included, there’s something (actually, many things) missing from your system. Here’s what they are. 

Whether it’s fireworks, drowning dangers or the risks of the barbecue grill, summer is full of safety risks. Use these summer safety tips to help protect yourself and your family. 

It’s that time of year when we start thinking about ways to stay cool indoors without spending too much money. If you have a smart thermostat, you’re already saving money, because the Z-Wave® enabled thermostats can be programmed to automatically adjust every time you arm or disarm your security system. This means that in the hot summer months, your HVAC system can cool the house down while you’re home — but when you leave for the day, the thermostat intelligently sets back the moment you arm your system. 

No matter how far we’ve come in the fight against COVID, there’s no denying that some things are here to stay: like disinfecting the things we come in contact with, and trying to stay hands-free as much as possible. 

If you’ve already had a do-it-yourself home security experience, then you know that it’s nothing more than a basic burglar alarm – “basic” being the operative word. In 2021, many families are determined to put more time, energy and investment into their homes (after all, we’re spending more time at home than ever right now).

After the stress of the past year, 2021 calls for being kind to ourselves while sticking to our New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you resolved to eat healthier, get more sleep or take a class on Zoom. Hopefully, there are also resolutions that include your home and family. If so, here are a couple of ways your smart home security can help you spend precious time with loved ones and enjoy your home more this year.

This is the time of year when big box stores are placing DIY home security systems prominently on shelves, and the ones being sold online are likely to be discounted. Many of these systems boast a “plug and play” experience in which users with little-to-no technical expertise can install them. It’s easy to be lured in by the lower price tag and promise of an easy setup – but unfortunately, these systems are missing some key features that make a big difference. Those features include the following:

For habitual lawbreakers, packages sitting on your front porch are “low hanging fruit” – in other words, very easy to steal. Even if someone is home, a criminal can still grab your package, hop back in the car and be on their way in 30 seconds or less. And if you aren’t home, it’s even easier for them to pull off. 

It’s been almost a decade since Siri started making our lives easier by becoming part of our Apple products. Now, there’s another technology that can be integrated with Siri; it’s called Siri Shortcuts, a new voice control integration that lets you activate the Scenes feature on your smart home security system just by talking to Siri. In the same way you could already integrate your system with Google Home or Amazon Echo, you can now integrate it with the Siri function on your Apple products using Siri Shortcuts.