Essential Smart Home Checklist for a Worry-Free Holiday

Introduction

Ever tried to enjoy a holiday while worrying whether you left the kettle on or the front door unlocked? It’s challenging, isn’t it? As anyone who’s taken a break from the everyday grind knows, a decent vacation needs some planning rather than just packing a bag and heading out. If you’re lucky enough to have a smart home, then prepping for your trip can be a breeze if you play your cards right.

Having a smart home is great, but it comes with the responsibility of ensuring all those gadgets actually work the way they should when you’re away. So whether you’re off to the sunny coast or just visiting family in another part of the country, here’s a checklist to ensure your home doesn’t turn into a target while you’re away, and that you don’t return to an unexpected mess.

Secure Your Smart Locks

First thing’s first, make sure your doors are locked. Sounds obvious, right? But don’t just yank the door shut and hope for the best. Use smart locks that let you remote access and monitor who enters and exits your home. While a regular lock can be bypassed in seconds, smart locks can give you peace of mind along with tracking capabilities.

• Consider using features like geofencing. This way, your door unlocks automatically when you’re nearby. Just don’t forget to set it back to its locked state when you leave.
• Share access with a trusted friend or neighbour. If something goes wrong, it’s nice to have someone who can check in.
• Test your smart locks. I’ve forgotten to do this, and trust me, you don’t want to end up locked out or worse, what happens if they fail? Check to ensure your locks are functioning before heading out.

Manage Your Lights

Next up, you’ll want to ensure your home doesn’t scream ‘empty’ while you’re away. One of the easiest ways for the savvy crook to target a house is to spot that it’s sitting there, all quiet and dark. Smart lights can help mask your absence.

• Set up a schedule or timers. Simulate your usual activities. Have lights turn on in the lounge after sunset and switch off in the middle of the night. Not rocket science, but it draws attention away from your empty house.
• Use smart plugs for non-smart devices. For lamps or devices that aren’t directly smart, plug them into a smart socket to give the impression that someone is home, even when it’s just a timer! You’ll likely mess this up at first, forgetting which lights to plug in. Just check them a day or two in advance, and you should be alright.

Check Your Security Cameras

If you’re going on holiday, you’d be wise to check your security cameras. These gadgets are only as good as their last check-up!

• Make sure your camera angles are optimal. It’s all well and good having a camera, but if it’s pointed at a wall or the ceiling, it’s not doing much to secure your property.
• Verify that the app is working. If you can’t see what’s going on, your fancy gadget isn’t much help. I recommend doing a test run a week before you go, just to ensure everything captures smoothly.
• Check your storage settings. If your camera writes over the last week’s footage, set it to save data for the duration of your holiday. You never know when you might need to go back and check footage.

Thermostat Settings

Now, onto the thermostat, especially if you’re off somewhere a bit warmer. Smart thermostats make controlling your home’s temperature a breeze, but you don’t want to waste energy cooling down or heating up an empty house.

• Set it to ‘Away’ mode. This automatically adjusts to the minimum comfortable temperature to prevent issues like frozen pipes without cooling the entire place.
• Schedule the settings. Plan for your return, so the home is pleasant by the time you’re back and ready to settle in. I’ve returned to a freezing flat in January because I didn’t adjust the thermostat correctly, definitely not a good start!

Turn Off Non-Essential Devices

You wouldn’t leave the lights and the heating on in a hotel room, right? So why should it be any different at home?

• Unplug small devices. Anything that’s not needed can be turned off (and unplugged). Charger blocks still draw power, and most of us leave them plugged in as a bad habit. Unplugging can reduce the risk of fires and save on your energy bills.
• Check your robot vacuum’s schedule. You’ll want it to take a break while you’re away. It’s fine to have a device that’s supposed to do the cleaning for you, but if your robot is running while you’re gone, it can cause false alarms with your monitoring system.

Final Thoughts

So, what can you take away from all this? Pretty straightforward stuff but essential if you’re looking to enjoy your time away without worrying. Prepping a smart home is not as simple as pressing a button; it requires a bit of planning.

Check those devices, run through this checklist, and get a trusted friend in on it. Plus, automate as much as you can if you’re keen on avoiding future headaches. It’s worth investing a little time to ensure everything runs smoothly, so your biggest worry becomes where to eat dinner instead of what’s happening at home.

Most importantly, remember that while tech can help, nothing beats a good old-fashioned neighbourly check-in. Because at the end of the day, having the latest gear doesn’t replace basic common sense.