Going back to school can sometimes be a stressful period for both parents and kids. With the summer finally coming to an end, children usually have a hard time going back to school. The same can be said of parents, they also have a tough time getting their kids to participate and focus on their studies.

As parents, you know how chaotic it is to get your kids to school every day, manage daily routines, so school work and chores at home will be done on time. The older your kids get, the more demanding the schedule, as they will be given more extracurricular activities. Making all of these run optimally and smoothly can sometimes seem impossible to accomplish.

Fortunately, with the help of smart home technology, parents can now manage their kids' schedules with ease. Smart home technology helps parents to simplify their daily routine. Here are some benefits of using home smart lock security and smart home automation to make your daily routines easy: 

Have the kids locked the door?

Are you already at the office, or about to attend a crucial meeting and you are worried about whether your kids locked the door or not before they left for school? The smart lock can fix this problem. With the help of smart lock, parents have access control of their home's lock, and they can lock their doors virtually no matter where they are. When next your kids tell you they can't remember whether they locked the door or not, you don't have to worry. All you have to do is to bring out your phone and check if the doors are locked and lock it yourself.

Are your kids back home?

With the help of instant notifications, your kids don't need to call or text you that they are from school. Smart home lock lets you assign unique codes to all your kids. This means whenever the door is unlocked by any of your children, you will get an instant notification on your phone with the details of the child that opened the door.

See who is at home

This is done with the help of the image sensor or video camera in your home. As your kids just started a new school, they'll have new friends. And as a parent, you definitely don't want your children to bring all their new friends home unsupervised. A video camera at the door of your home shows you exactly whom your kids come home with after school.

Instant notifications alert you when you forget something

When you're running out of time and running late, it is easy to forget something important or even to secure your house. With this smart home, you'll get an instant notification as soon as you leave your home about what you have forgotten. And if it's about your security system, or your garage that's not locked, or your doors left unlocked, you don't have to go back home. As you can remotely lock and secure your home from your phone.

Want to find out more?

To find out how to get peace of mind and stress-free this new school year; call SecuSmart Solutions we are your local Alarm.com and Moni Smart dealer with over 19 years providing services to Fortune 500 Corporations and now we are bringing our knowledge, experience, and quality of service to our local community.

You already seek connectivity and convenience at work and in cafes— but what about your own home? Smart home devices offer both safety and convenience and can help you save some money on energy bills. Also, smartphone apps make it really simple to control mobile devices at home irrespective of where you are. Whether you intend to have a warm house before your arrival or give access to your house from your phone, our smart home buying guide is guaranteed to help you pick the services and products that are perfect for you.

What are the benefits of smart home systems?

Control it from anywhere

In contrast to a traditional system which can only be disarmed and armed at its wall panel, smart home systems such as a smart thermostat, smart video doorbell, and video surveillance come with a mobile app that gives the homeowner complete control of the home security system from anywhere. You will enjoy the convenience of disarming or arming the system from the patio before you leave or making use of your app to formulate a security code for guests in your absence. 

Receive alerts about activity

The smart security system allows homeowners to be more connected to their home with various smartphone alerts about the in-home activity. Whenever a sensor is tripped off, or the alarm sounds, the homeowner will be alerted.

Compatibility

The best home security systems are compatible with almost all smart devices, like smart thermostats, locks, lights and smart video doorbell. This level of compatibility, however, depends on the software that powers the home security system. The best of such platforms are designed to integrate extra devices. Other security systems may require frustrating workarounds with third-party software.

What you should consider when buying smart home systems

Professional installation is a really good option 

Some of these smart home devices are relatively easy to install. For instance, connected lights are straightforward. A complete security system, with several windows and door sensors, and other devices, will be more challenging. It’s safer to get professional installation for such systems.

Compatibility matters 

The best smart home security system gives you a complete, top-notch smart home system, where devices such as cameras, smart thermostats, locks, and lights share intelligence with your security system and also act in unison to take care of daily tasks on your behalf.

Professional monitoring is also essential 

In a serious emergency, receiving an alert from a smart home security system comes in handy, but what you need—particularly if you are not home—is a quick professional help. 

A lot of connected security products send an alert, but it’s of no use if you do not receive the alert, or you're in another city, where dialing the emergency number will not reach your home's police department. 

Some security systems will alert the professional monitoring station when there is trouble at home, whether it is carbon monoxide leak or a break-in, or fire. A security professional will send the fire department or local police directly to the property. 

Want to find out more?

To find out how to upgrade your home into a Smart-Home or set up a new Smart-Home; call SecuSmart Solutions we are your local security and home automation provider with over 18 years providing services to Fortune 500 Corporations and now we are bringing our knowledge, experience, and quality of service to our local community.

Thanksgiving is one the most anticipated and enjoyable days of the year, a time to meet with family, friends and neighbors, plenty of good food to eat and finally the football game, but with all of these ingredients involved it could turn into a crazy day. Here you have some tricks on how your Smart Home can help you to have a happier and smoother Thanksgiving Day.

Keep your kitchen enjoyable

In most houses the thermostat is not in the kitchen, if that is your case, you can start your day by setting your thermostat two degrees down to compensate the extra heat produced by a long day of cooking, unless you have a Smart Thermostat with remote temperature sensor in the kitchen, in that case you don’t have to worry about it, because the remote temperature sensor will keep the temperature of your kitchen and your house enjoyable.

Save money on your utility bill

With so many people coming in and out of your home, your doors are more likely to be left open, letting out air that could be used to cool or heat your home. With Smart Home technology, door sensors will automatically turn down your air conditioning so as to stop the waste of energy and save you money on your utility bill.

Remote guess access

Running late, last minute grocery shopping and your guests arriving at your home before you do, not to worry, let them in using your phone app, opening the door through the Smart Lock, or the Smart Garage Door Opener, which allows you to open or close entrances in your home at the touch of a button.

Enjoying the game

Thanksgiving would not be complete without the football game, and Smart Home technology allows you to create a perfect atmosphere for your guests, dimming the lights, adjusting the temperature to just the perfect setting. Plus, when new guests arrive you can let them in using the Video Doorbell, which saves you from having to miss any of the action on the field.

The Smart Home can help you to get a better Thanksgiving and if you don’t have a Smart Home yet give us a call, we can help you to set up a new Smart Home system or upgrade your all security system to transform your house into a Smart Home.

We all have that one special pet, our lifelong companion. You can always count on your pet to welcome you home and bring a smile to your face after a grueling day. You should have a security system that is just as reliable as your pet and Smart Home technology can help protect your family and it’s animal members while you’re away.

Smart Home cameras can be connected to your smartphone and allow you to see what is happening both inside and outside of your home no matter where you are. This can be especially helpful in the summertime if you leave for an extended vacation since it allows you to check up on your pet whenever you want, giving you a connection to your home from the palm of your hand no matter where you are. Another new, exciting feature in the Smart Home is the Image Sensor, which transforms a traditional motion sensor into an image sensor by sending you a message as soon as unfamiliar movement is detected, along with a picture to let you see exactly what is happening.

Many people hire a pet sitter to make sure their pets are walked and fed, but how do you keep your sitter accountable and ensure that your pets are being treated correctly? The video cameras and image sensors can also be applied in this situation to keep an eye on your pet sitter however an effortless way to ensure attendance and accountability is to set up a “no show” alert that can send you a message to let you know if your pet sitter checked in on the panel within a certain time frame. Use of a Smart Lock can also be helpful because it doesn’t require you to leave a spare key hidden somewhere which improves the overall security of your home while you are away.

Our pets quickly become integral to our lives and it is important that they are properly protected. SecuSmart can give you Peace of Mind by ensuring that protection and helping you make sure that your pets are always safe and well taken care of.

Every year our minds and bodies look forward to summertime, to finally getting to wind down and relax. One thing no one looks forward to is the heightened energy bills as the AC kicks in and revs up the cost. Fortunately new SmartHome technology can help you to reduce those costs without hassle while still keeping your family comfortable and safe in the summer heat. 

Home or Away?

The simplest way to save energy throughout your home is using home-versus-away automation. This is based upon the status of your security system. When your home is in the “Armed-Away” status, your Smart Thermostat will automatically adjust to save you energy and money. In “Armed-Stay” mode the thermostat automatically adjusts to what is a cool, comfortable temperature for you and your family. Switching back and forth between statuses is entirely hassle free, as simple as a quick click on your smartphone. With the Geo-Services feature in place it’s even simpler to set your home on away mode since the feature uses the location of your smartphone to judge whether you are away from home.

Adjust for Heat

On extremely hot days most people opt for turning up their indoor temperature in order to save money. The Smart Thermostat takes care of this for you. Once the temperature outside reaches 95°, your thermostat will automatically adjust and turn your temperature up a few degrees while still keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. The thermostat will automatically adjust back as the heat dies down, saving you time and effort.

Setback for Open Doors

As the summer months roll around kids begin to spend more and more time playing outdoors to keep busy, also meaning that they tend to leave doors open as they run back and forth between home and yard in games of competition and make-believe. However, this can set your energy bill at a higher rate as cool air escapes your home through the open doors and therefore makes your AC work harder in order to compensate. Thankfully, the Smart Home has an auto-setback feature for busy parents and active children. When a door is left open the thermostat will automatically set back then go back to normal once the door is close, keeping energy waste to a minimum.

Plug It in

Smart Plugs can help you reduce energy expenditures both in the summer and year-round. When added to appliances such as a television or lighting fixtures they can be automated to turn off the appliance’s power supply at night, when you leave your home or any other schedule you want to set it at. The advantages of Smart Plugs continue, as they can also increase security by making your home look busy while you are away, preventing burglaries while you’re on vacation.

The word “summer” brings to mind images of stress free, sunshine filled days. Of barbecues, running through sprinklers and of finally spending time with your loved ones after a packed school year. What we fail to think of is the burglars on the lookout for empty houses. As more and more people leave for summer vacations, they leave their homes vulnerable to break-ins. SecuSmart Solutions is here to help you increase your Peace of Mind on vacation by providing tips to make sure your home stays protected while you’re away.

An Empty Mailbox

Be sure to hold your mail and delay your deliveries, since a stuffed mailbox can alert criminals to an empty house. Whether they be online purchases or packages from family, make sure no packages are left at your doorstep while you’re on vacation since it lets burglars know there’s no one home. Also be sure to contact your post office thirty days in advance and arrange for your mail to be held there until you return, rather than sent to your mailbox.

A Full Driveway

A driveway that is kept empty for too long can alert criminals to an empty home. Ask friends to park in your drive way for a few hours at a time, since a driveway where the cars never move can have the same effect.

A Tidy Lawn

Consider hiring a landscaper or asking a friend to keep your front yard looking neat if you know you will be gone for extended periods of time. An overgrown lawn and a disheveled looking front yard gives the impression that there’s no one home to take care of it and can tip off burglars to an empty home.

Appliance Timers

Put appliances like lamps, radios or television sets on a timer so they turn on and off on a schedule during your absence, therefore giving the impression that there’s someone still home.

A Safebox

It might be useful to invest in a home safe to keep your valuables locked away while on your vacation, in case a break in does happen. If this is not possible, make sure your valuables are well hidden.

An Emergency Contact

It could be helpful to assign a trusted friend or family member to act as your emergency contact, leaving their information with important industries such as your bank and security company. If anything were to happen while you were gone these industries would have somebody to contact who could make decisions and take appropriate action from home. A phone you could use from abroad might also be helpful to keep you in good communication with your emergency contact.

A Lack of Spare Keys

No matter how well you think your spare keys are hidden, do not keep any of them outside your home. This practice gives burglars incredibly easy access to your home and finding these spare keys only takes a little bit of determination. The best course of action is to give your spare key directly to your emergency contact and have them keep it for the duration of your trip.

Alert Your Bank & Security Company

Make sure to let your bank know of your destination so they don’t flag your vacation purchases as unusual activity. Also make sure to alert your security company of your vacation and leave them with your emergency contact’s information in case anything happens in your absence.

Phone Numbers on Luggage

Place your phone number rather than your address on your luggage, since it’s contents can always be tracked back to you and your home, helping criminals to target you while you are away.

Be Careful Online

Be mindful of what you post on social media, making sure to always leave out the duration of your vacation or your exact location both away and at home. You can never be sure how many people your posts are reaching and giving away so much information leaves you vulnerable to a break –in

Other Tips for Your Home

• Lock as many doors and windows as possible
• Unplug all electric appliances
• Shut off gas and water to prevent leaks
• Activate your home security system