Tag Archive for: vacation homes

Let Smart Tech Security Protect Your Vacation Home

Everyone’s favorite time of year is here; we love the crisper air, the color of the leaves, and the anticipation of the holidays coming up. What most of us don’t love about fall, though, is going back to “real life” after a leisurely summer. And if you own a vacation property, there’s the added burden of figuring out how your summer home will stay secure for the next few months while you’re away. After all, every resort town has its prowlers looking for homes to rob in the off-season – and you want to make sure they don’t succeed at breaking into yours. How do you do it? The answer is smart technology. 

No, this isn’t the same as the futuristic appliances you only see at the showroom of home and technology expos. This is smart home technology that powers home security systems. It’s designed to be more accessible than the devices you see in showrooms, because its ideal users are families like yours. It features:

Cameras that Connect

Home video surveillance has come a long way; it’s no longer just for the affluent. Today’s smart tech security cameras are for families who want their homes, including primary residences and vacation homes, to be secure at all times – no matter how many valuables are (or aren’t) stored inside. After all, your home is your sanctuary and your vacation home is your home-away-from-home.

These cameras can connect to your alarm system, so that the motion sensors and glass break detectors will work alongside your cameras to detect intruders and alert the monitoring center. And of course, they’ll alert you as well via your smartphone security app. The cameras connect to your alarm, and they connect to you.

Professional Security Monitoring

If you’ve ever owned a monitored home security system, you know the value of being able to talk to a live security operator when the system is triggered. With a vacation home, the system is even more valuable because the monitoring center can send law enforcement to your vacation property while you’re away. You’ll be notified, of course, but you don’t need to go to the property unless you want to. If your vacation home is hours away by car, that’s a pretty welcome convenience!

Protection from Other Hazards

Not all threats to a vacation home are caused by human intruders. Other threats are environmental: carbon monoxide, flooding, freezing and fire. If you receive an alert that any of these threats are present at the vacation home, you’ll be able to act immediately.

See how valuable smart tech security can be – not just for your primary home, but your vacation home as well? To get more details on these systems, contact Security Instrument.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous residential and commercial security options. We serve thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

/by

7 Best Security Options for Delaware Vacation Rental Properties

It is easy to understand why someone would want to own property in Delaware and just as easy to understand why it draws so many vacationers. Delaware is blessed by geography with rolling hills, lush wooded areas, and coastal expanses. It has the perfect mix for adventure and relaxation, which makes it the perfect place to own a vacation home. That does not mean that it comes without some effort, however. Owning a vacation rental property is its own small business, and sometimes owning that business can feel like a monumental task. Caring for a property when you are not always on-site is tricky, yet it is important to ensure the safety and comfort of your guests by keeping the home safe and preventing problems.

Use this list of security essentials to help you keep your guests safe and manage your property.

Get to Know the Neighbors

It may seem simple, and it is, but having a relationship with your neighbors is essential when it comes to vacation home security. Neighbors can keep an eye on the property and inform you of any problems.

Pro Tip: Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy.

Never Provide a Clear View into the Home

Avoid giving potential burglars a clear view into the home by leaving curtains open, especially for long periods when the house is unoccupied.

Orient the Guest to Security

Provide clear instructions to your guests about security.  Include positive reasons to follow the instructions such as keeping their security code private ensures that no one else can come in while they are off on an adventure.

Opt in to Smart Locks

Smart locks remove the hassle from passing around keys and increase visitor safety. By using smart locks, you can provide long-term access to someone like a neighbor or property manager, or short-term to guests.

Install a Video Doorbell

A video doorbell is another smart security feature for vacation homes. This feature serves as a crime deterrence and provides the owner greater oversight when the property is empty.

Add Motion Activated and Smart Lights

Motion activated lighting is a great convenience to guests who are not as familiar to the home. If the guest gets up or comes back after dark, they do not have to fumble looking for a light switch. Smart lighting is helpful, too, in making the home look occupied at all times as well as helping minimize electricity bills.

Add a Security Alarm System

Some vacation home owners feel hesitant about installing a home security system because they fear it may give visitors the wrong impression. Security systems can be a huge advantage to guests and an owner, however. Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy. Consider adding things that help both you and the renter, such as:

  • Outdoor security cameras and remote monitoring
  • Smart locks
  • Smoke/ fire/ carbon monoxide detectors
  • Temperature monitoring
  • Flood detection
  • Generator supervision
  • Z-wave home control

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security firm serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. We understand the needs and challenges of vacation home ownership and work with clients to accommodate their schedules for installation and service.

/by

Protecting Your Delaware Vacation Home

Delaware has a lot to offer and in the summer months, the state swells with vacationers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC and other nearby areas. If you own a vacation home, the season probably brings to mind home security and ensuring your guests feel protected. In addition to being an important rental attraction, home security and home automation can serve you and your vacation home all year.

Protecting Guests and Providing Convenience

One of the most important factors in having a rental home is making it as attractive as possible to potential renters and increased safety and convenience top the list of desirable features. Simple niceties such as having the lights come on when motion is detected can make a renter’s visit memorable when it comes to planning their next visit. Conveying the appearance of a well-secured property not only tells potential criminals that the home is not an easy target, it tells renters that you pay attention to details and care about their wellbeing.

Pro Tip: Simple niceties such as having the lights come on when motion is detected can make a renter’s visit memorable when it comes to planning their next visit.

 

Increasing Security is For You, Too

Burglars target vacation homes frequently because these homes are often unoccupied for extended periods of time. While they may not contain the types and quantity of items of a fully occupied home, burglars know that it still contains plenty of valuables they can turn for a quick and easy buck.

Home security systems make vacation properties less attractive to thieves, some polls reveal by up to 60%.  Of course, when those homes are occupied they are even less attractive. Smart home technologies address security needs on both fronts and keep away troublemakers by making the home look occupied. Using Z-Wave technology to set up customized lighting scenes, to turn on, dim, and turn off lights at varied intervals owners can make it look like someone is in the home.

Security Systems Also Provide Weekday and Off-Season Oversight

Having a vacation home can be a source of enjoyment, but worrying about the property when you are away can steal the joy. This is because so many things can go wrong in the blink of an eye and since you are not at the property you may not be aware of a problem in enough time to correct it before it causes major and costly damage. That is enough to cause anyone stress.

Fortunately, there are smart affordable solutions that keep homeowners in the know, 24/7. The ability to check-in on the home at will with remote video is a huge benefit, so you know the status of the home and any activity. As the seasons change, there are additional benefits that can alert you to problems and protect your home from common damage causing problems, such as leaks and frozen pipes. Features like flood detection, temperature monitoring, and generator supervision address many of the issues vacation homeowners face.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security firm serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. We understand the needs and challenges of vacation home ownership and work with clients to accommodate their schedules for installation and service.

/by