You’ve worked hard to earn your time away. The last thing you need while you’re climbing the peaks of Machu Picchu or relaxing with a trashy novel on the beach is to worry about what’s happening back home. In the past, if you wanted to have full peace of mind while on vacation, you would have to hire someone to watch and maintain your house. But with advances in home technology, you can not only feel confident that your house is secure, but come back to a clean space and manicured lawn.
Check out these technologies that will keep your house pristine and protected while you’re away:
Alarm and Home Automation System
Your first worry when you leave for vacation is obviously the security of your home. If you haven’t already, invest in a comprehensive security system. At the very minimum you want to make sure your alarm system is monitored, meaning that if the alarm is triggered, a signal is sent to the monitoring company who will then call the home to determine whether there is a legitimate intrusion. A monitor system guarantees a response from police in the case of a real break-in and prevents stiff fees for false alarms.
In conjunction with your alarm, a home automation system will prove indispensable while you’re away with all of the benefits it offers.
With a home automation system, you can remotely arm and disarm your security system and lock and unlock your doors. Never again will you be sitting on the plane ready to take off and have the sinking feeling that you forgot to set the alarm or lock your doors. This kind of system also allows you to control appliances, lighting and the temperature of your house. Having lights on at random intervals can serve as a major deterrent for potential thieves. Remote temperature control can prevent frozen pipes during an unexpected cold snap or the overheating of your pets during a heat wave.
Home Maintenance
Once the security of your home is squared away, think about how lovely it would be to come home to a house that is as clean (or cleaner) than you left it. A house that has sat empty feels musty, no matter how much you scrub before you leave. Avoid the need to clean the minute you put your bags down by investing in a few key pieces of tech. For your floors, get a robot vacuum that you can program to run a few times while you’re away. Consumer Reports recommends the Samsung POWERbot for both carpets and bare floors.
An air purifier can help you avoid the film of dust that seems to settle everywhere when you’re gone for more than a few days. Try the Conway Mighty for an affordable, long-lasting, HEPA-rated filter.
Lawn Maintenance
You might think you need to hire a landscaping crew to have a manicured lawn when you return from vacation. But like automated vacuums for your carpets, there are now robot lawn mowers that can be set to automatically cut your grass. Check out the Robomow RS630, which can mow a lawn up to three-quarters of an acre and be controlled via a smartphone app.
Don’t head out on vacation only to worry about all the things that could be happening back home. Make preparations before you head out, so you know your house is safe and sound.
