If you have invested in home security and automation, it is a good bet that you are interested in a combination of increased safety and convenience. What you’re looking for is found mostly in automation routines. After all, isn’t that the whole point of investing in a smart home and security system?
Vivint is a nationwide leader in home security and smart home automation. They sell complete systems capable of integrating as much security and automation as a homeowner wants. Everything is controlled by a centralized hub. Vivint supplies a mobile app for access as well.
According to Vivint, automations are where homeowners get the real value out of their systems. The types of automations they can create are nearly limitless. So, helping illustrate the point, here are five types of automations that make a home safer and more convenient:
1. Home/Away Routines
One of the most common types of automation is designed to trigger events based on whether you are home or away. These automations can cover everything from lighting to temperature control to alarm system activation.
A good example is the geofencing routine. A system can be linked to your smartphone to trigger routines based on your location. As you pull out of the driveway every morning, for example, the system can automatically lock your doors and turn off your lights.
2. Motion Activated Routines
Motion sensors can be leveraged in multiple ways for safety and convenience. Perhaps you have video cameras with motion sensors and facial recognition capabilities. The main purpose of the sensors is to trigger recording when motion is detected. But you can also use the sensors to unlock the door as you approach the house. Facial recognition guarantees the door isn’t unlocked for just anyone.
Inside the house, strategically placed motion sensors can turn lights on and off without you having to engage any switches. You save money on energy and guarantee you will never have to wander around a dark house.
3. Access Control Routines
Access control routines are handy for determining who can access your home and how. One example is a routine that automatically locks the doors at sunset. As soon as the sun goes down, no one can enter your home without a key or PIN code (for a smart lock). You and your family are instantly safer.
Are you planning on out-of-town guests for the holidays? You can program an access routine with a smart lock tied to your home automation system. Temporarily give them access with their own PIN code good for the duration of their stay. Set it up so that the code expires once they head back home.
4. Daily Schedule Routines
Daily schedule routines can make life exponentially more convenient. A good example is a routine that automatically turns the first-floor lights on at the same time every morning. When you come down for breakfast, all the lights are already on. It is a safer journey down the stairs and into the kitchen.
5. Environmental Routines
Last but not least are environmental routines. These are routines that trigger events based on environmental conditions. Let’s say you create one linked to your smoke detector. If the smoke detector triggers, the power to the HVAC system is immediately cut off. This will help slow the spread of a fire if one is present.
Automations are the real magic of smart home and security technology. The right automations and a bit of creativity can make your home both safer and more convenient. That’s why you invested in smart-home tech, right?
