Day: November 13, 2020

Last Updated on October 16, 2023 by Alarm New England

As a homeowner who takes your family’s security seriously, you probably already have a surveillance or alarm system in place. But maybe you’ve been wondering how you can get more from your home security system.

Home automation technology could be your next step. Read on to learn what home automation is and all the neat things you can do with it. We’ll also help you start researching which features and brands you could use in your smart home.

What Is Home Automation?

Home automation technology allows homeowners to improve the convenience, efficiency, comfort, and security of their homes by giving them automated control over various home systems.

Home automation uses information and technology to remotely configure and connect devices, like home appliances and electrical systems, to perform intuitive and useful tasks. The automating of such tasks—like lighting, heating, and ventilation—can save time and money and allows you to personalize your home to your preferences.

To work correctly, a comprehensive home automation system links several electrical devices together through a computer network. This lets you control various home functions from a personal computer and allows for remote access on your phone or tablet.

Smart home technology and the connected devices don’t just connect to your phone, though—now, they are compatible with virtual assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home. The voice-controlled smart software can be used to set up and monitor a household and all connected appliances.

Home automation can range from simple remote control lighting to remote access capabilities of a number of integrated household functions. An appliance or electronic device can be set to respond to a certain time-based event, like turning the lights off in a room after a period of no motion, or a non-scheduled event, such as sending a notification to your phone when high levels of air pollution are detected.

Home automation also extends to home security, such as access control and alarm systems. With home automation technology, you can stay connected and informed when things happen in your home. An app or control panel will notify you of any leaks, faults, or unforeseen events when you are away.

Past problems with home automation’s complexity, high cost, and incompatibility issues have been ironed out in the last few years. This technology is more affordable and accessible today than ever before, meaning a residential house can quickly become a smart house. Automated “homes of the future” are becoming the homes of today.

The Many Benefits of Home Automation

A Coldwell Banker survey found that around 70 percent of consumers who owned home automation technology say buying their first connected product made them more likely to buy another.

It’s easy to see why. Imagine being able to unlock the door for a friend or turn on the coffee machine while you’re in bed, or being able to warm the bed and turn on the security system while waiting in line at the grocery store. These luxuries are what make home automation so popular.

Today’s home automation varies widely in scope and capabilities. For example, thermostats and sprinkler systems have long had the ability to be programmed to run on a defined schedule. However, home automation now allows these devices to be scheduled remotely and integrates data, like weather patterns and temperature, to run the devices more efficiently.

An integrated home automation system, rather than being restricted to a single function or device, encompasses the entire household, thus exceeding the scope of a traditional system.

These are just some of the benefits of an integrated home automation setup.

Incredible convenience

You are accustomed to controlling your TV from the couch; now imagine being able to dim the lights, close the curtains, and lock the door without getting up. Home automation technology even lets you make changes while you’re away from home.

Never get locked out again

Home automation allows you to control your home’s locks remotely with your phone. That means no more panic attacks when you realize you left the key on the kitchen counter in your rush out the door.

Improved comfort

Temperature control is one of the most important factors of home comfort. Imagine the bathroom heater set to automatically start five minutes before you alarm goes off in the morning—no matter what time the alarm is set for—so the room is warm and ready when you are.

Lower energy costs

Forgetting to set the temperature back or turn the lights off when you leave wastes energy. Even when you’re halfway across town, you can make adjustments to your home’s lighting and HVAC system to save energy.

The system can track and monitor the usage of different applications and devices. Idle devices can be powered off, while other applications that are not being accessed often can be powered down to a more energy-efficient state.

By setting a category for each device, like “Arriving Home” or “On Vacation,” you can simultaneously initiate a set of functions with a click of a button. When “Arriving Home” is selected, your alarm system will disarm, the lights of selected rooms will switch on, and the television and sound system will wake up.

Heightened security

Home automation gives you full control of your security system. You can set up email and text alerts that inform you of your home security status. With features such as a remote garage door control, smart locks, video doorbells, and window covering controls, you can close up and secure your home from anywhere.

Elderly health and wellness

Smart home automation can provide an enormous amount of assistance in supporting the elderly.

Eldercare is considered a full-time responsibility and often requires an individual to monitor the older person and their actions. With home automation, mundane and routine tasks, like bathing, cooking, and sleeping, can be tracked and safety-proofed. Security systems can be customized for seniors to include medical pendants or panic buttons so that in the event of a fall or other injury, help is always within reach.

As an example, faucets can be set to turn off automatically after a short duration, preventing them from being left on or causing a flood. A family member or medical official can be sent a notification if a person’s wearable device detects a change in weight, breathing, or sleeping pattern.

Fun

Programming your personal settings is rewarding as you see just how detailed you can make your home automation system. Program the coffee maker to brew you a pot every morning and program an “entertainment” mode that dims the lights, closes the curtain, and starts music playing in the living room. You’ll love showing off your next-gen tech to your friends.

Systems You Can Control With Home Automation

Almost any appliance or electronic device in your home can be programmed, including lighting, heating and air conditioning equipment, domestic activities, kitchen appliances, and home security systems.

An HVAC system

With a home automation system, you can adjust your internet-enabled thermostat if you left the air conditioner blasting, or if your shift ends earlier than usual, you can remotely turn on your HVAC system before you leave work so it’s comfortable when you get home.

Lights

Home automation allows you to change the brightness in a room without getting up, to remotely check whether the last person to leave your house turned off the lights, and to manage the lights around your home while you’re out of town to make it appear as though someone is home.

Domestic activities

Home automation systems can control everything from your blinds and garage door to your coffee maker and sprinkler system, even if you’re not at home.

Door locks

Home automation gives you the ability to remotely unlock doors to let people in when you’re not home and lock the doors again when they leave. Carrying too many bags in both hands? You can activate the Bluetooth Disarming feature on your phone to automatically unlock your door and disarm your security system as you approach.

Security cameras and alarms

Arm and disarm your home security system to let people in your home, and use security cameras to double-check that the areas around your home are still secure when you’re not there.

Home entertainment

Home automation can help with home entertainment, too. You can make sure your devices are shut off when they should be or program your DVR to record a movie if you forgot to before you left home.

Typically, you can control all of these home automation functions in a number of ways:

• From a touchscreen panel on the wall
• From your phone, tablet, or computer
• From inside or outside your home
• One at a time or all at once
• Automatically, based on a set timer or contingent upon other events (when the doors are locked, the curtains shut; when your alarm clock goes off, the coffee maker turns on)

5 Steps to Getting Started With Home Automation

1. Identify your needs

How in-depth do you want your home automation system to be, and how much setup are you willing to do yourself?

X10 is the cheapest and most basic protocol option available. X10-compatible products include lamps, light switches, and some alarm systems. It has its limitations, including the fact that it can’t send a lot of data quickly.

If you’re willing to do a lot of the setup yourself for a basic home automation system, X10 could be right for you. However, if you want something more in-depth, check out Z-Wave, INSTEON, or Zigbee. These home automation protocols are available from many brands and can support a wide variety of functions.

2. Consider different brands

You must choose which brand you want before you start buying home automation components with competing standards. Identify which brand delivers the home automation functions you want at a reasonable price. Top brands you have to choose from include:

Qolsys

Powered by the Alarm.com app, Qolsys has a reputation for building reliable products that come with a suite of powerful features you can’t find anywhere else.

Honeywell Home Automation

Honeywell is a well-established home security and automation product manufacturer with many years of experience in the space.

DSC

DSC is a home automation provider on the low end of the market. It offers its own hardware, paired with software produced by Telguard.

Napco

Napco offers home automation technology through its iBridge platform, which includes security, climate control, video, automatic lighting control, and remote control of locks and alarms.

DMP

DMP offers a full range of alarm system technology, including automation. However, DMP is sold primarily through individual alarm installers and its ecosystem is more limited than other options.

iControl

iControl partners with hardware providers, such as Honeywell, to deliver its home automation software.

Savant

Savant offers a full range of advanced home automation, from basic remote control of alarm systems through full control of household A/V systems.

3. Develop a budget

Unless you have a limitless budget, you may need to start small with a single thermostat or deadbolt to get things started. Over time, you can add more devices as you see fit.

The following popular categories for new automation systems can be installed individually and integrated with other systems later when you’re ready:

• Automation for your existing security system
• Automated door locks
• Light controls
• Smart programmable thermostat
• Remote garage door control
• Remote control electronics and appliances

4. Locate a good installer in your area

No matter how avid a DIYer you are, it’s imperative that you find a qualified installer program and set up your system for you. Integrating systems together is complicated—much more so than simply programming a universal remote.

Just think, a few decades from now, people will expect all homes to come with automation features. It’s a concept that has been featured in science fiction stories for decades, but now it can be a reality in your home.

5. Taking smart home automation to the next level with home security

Safety and security in your home are non-negotiable. Home security has evolved with improvements in technology, and you can now integrate devices like security cameras, doorbell cameras with microphones, smoke detectors, motion detectors, and alarm systems into your smart home automation.

Most of these devices are coded to perform repetitive tasks and react to preconfigured events. With home automation, they can become even more effective and intuitive and provide faster, more meaningful remote reactions and notifications.

Smart home security integrations can perform tasks like activating all lights in a house when motion is detected or automatically locking doors when it gets dark.

Being able to create “mockupancy” scenarios when an intruder is detected or stream real-time video footage to your smartphone allows you to have greater control over your security and helps you feel safer whether you’re at home or away.

Most importantly, the same technology that powers home automation can also let you monitor and address safety concerns happening at your home remotely and in real time, making it the perfect companion system for your burglar and fire alarms.

One of the biggest hidden benefits that comes with home automation is peace of mind. No more worrying if you turned of the lights, locked the door or turned off the television. For people who have a lot on their plates, being able to easily check these items off the to-do list and stop the obsessive worrying, home automation is reassuring and definitely worth the investment.

Home automation let’s you take control and reduce the unknowns.

Let Alarm New England help you assess whether Home Automation is right for you.

Last Updated on March 21, 2024 by Alarm New England

Home automation protocols are the language that smart home devices use to communicate with one another. Communication is vital for smart home automation, because if your devices can’t “talk” to each other using the same language, controlling each one becomes more of a chore.

Because of this, it is important to understand how it works before deciding which is best for you and your home.

With about ten different home automation standards on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is best for your home. There are two basic categories to work with: wired and wireless.

Common examples of wired protocols are X10 and UPB. These smart home protocols use your home’s existing wiring to communicate. Wired protocols are known for their reliability, but tend to be slower and more difficult to encrypt.

Wireless protocols, on the other hand, are typically faster and are compatible with a wider range of devices. These protocols — including Z-Wave and Zigbee — are able to connect and communication without relying on the use of power lines which makes them easier to ensure that they are secured. Many home security systems are compatible with Z-Wave, making it the ideal if you want full control of all of your devices on one app.

There are also a couple of hybrid protocols like Insteon and C-Bus that use a combination of both wired and wireless technology.

What should you look for when choosing a home automation protocol?

Compatibility: certain protocols restrict you to using devices that may not appeal to you, so choose one that is easy to use in conjunction with a broad range of other smart home products.

Easy to Upgrade: New home automation technology is introduced to the market constantly, having a system that is highly compatible with other products will ensure that you can add on more features and devices in the future.

Other considerations when choosing a smart home protocol include cost, power consumption, and bandwidth.

Popular Home Automation Protocols

Z-Wave

Z-wave is a popular wireless protocol that uses radio frequencies to to communicate with other devices. Developed in Denmark, Z-Wave has rapidly become one of the most popular protocols because it is supported by over 450 companies across the world.

Features of Z-Wave

It’s fast. Z-wave runs on the 908.42MHz frequency. This is a much lower band than that used by most of your other household products (2.4GHz). Since Z-Wave devices don’t compete with other household products for bandwidth, there is a lower chance of interference, which improves efficiency and speed.

It’s easy to setup. Z-wave devices like the Yale smart lock are known for being simple to set up and fairly easy to use. Z-wave devices are controlled via a central hub that helps you manage your entire home network. Once the network is set up, you can easily add in smart home devices that can then be controlled by the Z-wave home protocol.

It’s compatible with a wide range of products. One of the best parts about choosing Z-wave automation is that any Z-wave device can communicate with another regardless of the brand, version or type.

Currently, there are more than 1,500 Z-wave compatible devices available throughout the world. With so many options, you have plenty of options to customize your home’s automation protocol.

It cuts down on energy usage. Additionally, Z-Wave devices tend to use less energy than some other protocols which means you can use more while keeping your energy bill low.

It’s future-proof. As home automation products continue to evolve over time, Z-wave will remain compatible with both old and new versions of products. This is ideal because it means that you can keep your same protocol even as technology advances.

ZigBee

Zigbee and Z-wave are very similar protocols, although Zigbee is more common in Chinese-branded products. Originally developed for commercial use, today Zigbee is now used widely in both home and commercial automation protocols.

Features of Zigbee

Fast communication. Similar to Z-wave, Zigbee uses radio frequency in order to communicate. Zigbee runs on the 802.15.14 radio standard. Using a mesh network, Zigbee can achieve fast communication and longer-range communication. A single hub powers multiple home automation devices.

Easy to create for. Zigbee is an easy protocol for developers to design new products that are compatible with it. Currently, there are over 1,200 products that are compatible with Zigbee. This is an open technology with new products being created all the time.

Low power consumption. One of the most powerful benefits of choosing Zigbee for your smart home automation is its super low power consumption. Zigbee is incredibly efficient, so you can actually operate a Zigbee device on the same set of batteries for years at a time.

Cut down on battery usage. Speaking of efficiency, Zigbee offers green power which eliminates the need to use batteries all together. This means you don’t have to worry about buying new batteries and that you can feel good about being environmentally friendly and efficient.

Improved security. Additionally, Zigbee is one of the most secure protocols available. It uses the same 128-bit bank-level encryption that most major financial systems utilize.

One issue Zigbee has faced in the past is having poor interoperability, meaning some Zigbee devices were unable to communicate with each other properly. However, newer versions of Zigbee have entered the market that aim to solve this issue and work well with other devices regardless of their brand.

Insteon

Insteon is unique in that it uses a mix of wired and wireless technology. It uses a patented dual-mesh network that utilizes both hardwired and wireless communication to help eliminate the weaknesses of both. There are multiple pathways for messages to travel.

Features of Insteon

An Insteon hub will connect with all Insteon compatible devices. You then have control of your home via smartphone, tablet or computer. It is also X10 compatible which means that you can add wireless capability to an existing X10 network.

Extremely easy to use. One of the major benefits of choosing Insteon is its use of use. Regardless of high technically inclined you are, you will be able to get the Insteon home automation standard up and running with relative ease.

Simple setup: If you know how to operate a smart phone, you will be able to operate this system. Additionally, all Insteon compatible devices are automatically added to the network as soon as you power them on, making set up a breeze.

Limited product options. There are over 200 compatible devices to automate your home. Insteon makes all of the products that use their protocol, meaning it is less compatible with products made by other manufacturers.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless smart home automation technology that uses radio waves to communicate. All Bluetooth devices contain a computer chip with Bluetooth software that allows it to simply connect with other devices.

Features of Bluetooth

Bluetooth’s compatibility is excellent. You can connect any Bluetooth enable device to any other Bluetooth enabled device with ease.

You can noticeable energy savings. One of the biggest benefits to choosing Bluetooth for your home automation standard is that it uses significantly less energy than other alternatives. This is ideal for those who like to monitor their energy consumption and be environmentally friendly.

Limited range of communication. One downfall of this automation is that it tends to have a limited range, so your device may stop working if you move out of range. Fortunately, this might change as technology improvements are underway that will eventually allow Bluetooth to have a larger range that can better compete with ZigBee and Z-wave protocols.

UPB

UPB is short for universal powerline bus. This is a wired protocol that was created back in 1999 and remains one of the more technically advanced protocols.

Features of UPB

UPB makes use of your home’s existing wiring to communicate between devices. This is not as user-friendly, but can provide more reliability if that’s a higher priority. As with Z-Wave and Zigbee, UPB-compatible devices are linked to one another using a central home controller. Each device needs to be manually set up to the network, making this a setup more time-consuming.

Reliable.Because it uses your home’s electric wires, it doesn’t run into as many interference and range issues that wireless protocols do. If you are somewhat tech-savvy and value reliability, UPB may be a great option for your smart home automation protocol.

Limited compatibility. Although UPB has been on the market for awhile now, it is not compatible with as many home automation products as some other choices. UPB is also known for being difficult to connect with wireless devices, limiting your ability to upgrade your smart home system with additional equipment down the line.

Conclusion

These are only some of the most popular protocols in use today; there are a number of smaller ones out there that were left out. If you are looking to install a home automation protocol in you home, we hope this information will provide a resource for you to get started.

With so many smart home protocol choices and options available to complement your smart home security system, you are sure to find one that suits your home’s specific needs.

Last Updated on February 28, 2022 by Alarm New England

Did you know that homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding? Flooding is a leading cause of damage to homes and it is not covered by traditional homeowner’s insurance.

If you want or need flood coverage, you need to pay for it separately. If your home is in a flood plain, you probably already know this because most mortgage lenders require flood insurance to be purchased on homes that lie within floodplains.

Besides carrying homeowner’s insurance to protect your wallet from flood damages, there are several things that you can do to help protect your home from flooding.

Preparation

As we mentioned above, if your home is located in a floodplain, you should already know that and have purchased flood insurance coverage as mandated by your lender. If you are not in a floodplain, you are not required to carry this additional coverage.

Regardless of whether you have flood insurance or not, there are several things that you can do to help minimize the risk of flooding and the ensuing damage.

One of the first things that you should consider doing, especially if you live in a high-risk flood area, is to put together an emergency kit that is ready to grab and go in the event of a flood. Additionally, you will want to have an evacuation plan for you and your family.

Your emergency kit should include:

• Extra clothing for you and your family
• Insurance policy numbers as well as contact information for your adjuster
• Toiletries
• Enough cash to get you through a few days

You will also want to have an evacuation plan mapped out in the case of emergency. Plan on where you will go, who you will stay with, etc.

Flood Proofing your Home

Besides being prepared in the event of an evacuation, there are several things you can do to physically protect your home from flooding.

• Seal up any cracks in your foundation. You can purchase some very affordable mortar or masonry caulk which can be used to fill in any gaps in the foundation completely. However, if water seeping into your home is a continuous problem, you may want to look for a more permanent fix.
• Apply coatings and sealants. You can apply a sealant to your walls, windows, doorways and foundation that will help keep water from penetrating your home. These sealants can be purchased at most home retailers or hardware stores.
• Buy a battery-powered sump pump. Sump pumps are a great way to prevent flooding in your home. They work by pumping the water out to the outside and most run on electricity. This is a great solution until there is a power outage, therefore, it is best to buy one that runs on battery power (and be sure to keep it charged up!)
• Relocate your expensive or sentimental items to higher ground. If you have a multiple story home and flood waters are coming, moving your valuables to the second of third floor will help to protect them if damaging flood waters are able to breach your first floor.
• Install a flood sensor. Most home security systems offer flood sensors as add-on equipment. These devices detect small leaks before they can cause significant damage, saving you potentially thousands of dollars.
• Have sewer or septic line check valves installed. These allow waste to be able to flow only one way which protects against sewage flooding your home. You can have a professional install these or go the DIY route.
• Keep your electrical outlets and switches raised. All electrical equipment should be at least one foot above flood level to help reduce the risk of electrical damage.
• Have your lawn graded away from your home. If your lawn is tilted towards your house, this allows rain water to pool there and have a better chance of seeping in. If you are unsure of how to grade your lawn, hire a professional.

In addition to these tips, you should also make sure that appliances in your home are raised above the flood level as well. Water heaters, washing machines, air conditioners, etc. should all be raised above flood level, especially if they are in your basement. This can be as simple as putting your appliances up on cinder blocks to keep them off ground level.

How to Minimize Damage from Flooding

Sometimes, no matter how prepared your home is, flooding is imminent. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help minimize the damage.

• Be sure that your gutters and drains are clear to allow water to run freely through them
• Utilize sand bags to block any gaps that could lead to flooding
• If flood water rises enough where it is close to reaching your electric panel, shut it off to prevent electrical damage
• Open up windows and door (if it is not raining) to allow air to circulate through your home and dry things out
• Make sure your sump pump is turned on and in good running condition
• Take photos and videos of any flooding in your home to show to your insurance adjuster, assuming you have flood insurance coverage.

When More Serious Measures are Needed

If your home is flooding frequently and you are finding yourself having to constantly pay for maintenance, consider investing in home renovations to fix the root of the problem.

A professional contractor should be able to come to your home and assess your home’s issues and determine the best ways to protect it from flooding. As long as you are prepared, you can take care of flooding issues before they get out of hand.

Last Updated on June 27, 2024 by Alarm New England

Outdoor lighting is an important part of your home, providing security and peace of mind.

To cut down on your electricity bill and reduce light pollution that might be irritating to neighbors, many homeowners choose motion-sensing lights that turn on only when people or large animals move within their field of vision.

When used in combination with an alarm system and outdoor security cameras, these lights can be a powerful deterrent against home invaders. Read on to learn more about the key features you should look for, important questions to ask, and our recommended products.

Bright and Secure:

If you’re currently in the market for motion-sensing lights to illuminate your outdoor space, you’re likely to feel overwhelmed by the number of options available.

For a simple, affordable, and effective security solution, the RAB Lighting STL360HW Super Stealth 360 comes highly recommended by customers at a reasonable price.

This simple double-headed floodlight is easy to install, provides bright lighting, fully adjustable settings, and comprehensive coverage with 3 motion-sensing LEDs.

It is made of weather-resistant aluminum and pre-wired and assembled on a universal CU4 EZ plate for quick and easy installation on any exterior wall with existing wiring.

Features include an adjustable timer, a full field of vision, and advanced detection logic to minimize false triggers. The sensor even adjusts for temperature changes to maintain consistent motion detection in extreme weather conditions. Customers who have reviewed the product agree that installation is easy and the function of the motion sensor is excellent.

The double-headed Super Stealth lights come in several styles and colors and run from $80-$150.

Decorative Outdoor Lighting

A convenient and flexible option, the Mr. Beams Motion Sensing Path Lights are battery-powered stake lights that don’t require any attachment to a structure and can be arranged in various ways to line a path, surround a structure, or illuminate a dark stairway.

Because they’re battery-powered, there are no wires to trip over or concerns about reaching your outlet.

They come in a variety of designs to fit your home’s aesthetic and are versatile enough for all kinds of pathways, stairwells, and porches. Mr. Beams even offers several stick-on options for those dark stairwells and dangerously dim nooks.

Upgrading your night-light to one with a motion sensor means more restful sleep and illumination only when you need it.

Mr. Beams offers a line of path lights in various styles, brightness, and prices, starting as low as $13 a unit.

Solar Powered Lighting

For solar-powered motion-detecting lighting, the URPOWER 44 LED Motion Sensor Outdoor Light offers a great value for the money. At under $40 for a 2-pack, these powerful lights pack a punch.

They require 6-8 hours to fully charge and provide up to 12 hours of continuous nighttime light, with a motion sensor sensitive to 16 feet.

Each light contains 44 LEDs for impressive brightness and three power modes so you can control the brightness and motion sensor. If you get abundant sunshine, solar-powered lights are a great way to increase your energy efficiency and avoid dealing with wiring and power sources.

Smart Lighting

If you already have a smart home system, you can easily purchase bulbs that will connect via Bluetooth and allow you to control motion sensors, scheduling, and more via your existing app.

The bulbs are affordable (usually starting around $15 each), efficient, and come in various colors and style. One product that has garnered good customer reviews in this category is the Philips Hue line.

These technologically advanced bulbs fit into standard sockets and connect to the Philips Hue app, allowing you to remotely control brightness, color, and more. With the addition of the Philips Hue Smart Floodlight, you can turn any or all of your Hue bulbs into motion-sensing lights, eliminating the need to use your phone to turn on lights in key areas.

How to Choose a Motion-Sensing Light

You already know you want some weather-resistant, motion-sensing lights. Now what? A few other things to consider:

• Do you want the lights to be solar, battery-operated, or to plug into a power outlet?
• Are they primarily for visibility, security, or decoration?
• Are you looking for lights that install directly into a wall or something that offers more flexibility, such as pathway lights?
• What is your budget?
• Do you want your lighting system to integrate with your home automation system?
• Does it have the features you’re looking for?
• Is it compatible with the power source and installation location?

These factors can help you decide where to start looking. If you have a relatively high budget and are looking for bright, high-powered lights that potentially connect to other security devices, there’s a range of products for that.

If you’d like some minimally disruptive light to illuminate a pathway or porch, there are plenty of options for that as well.

When choosing a motion-sensing light, consider these key features:

• Your budget
• The power source you plan to use
• The desired function (e.g. lighting a deck vs. lighting up a driveway)
• Required brightness level

Take some time to think about your priorities, know your budget, and read product reviews thoroughly. Armed with this basic information and questions to ask salespeople, you’ll be ready to browse the available options and make an informed decision.

Where to place motion-sensing lights

Your first priority is lighting up all pathways leading up to the home, in both the backyard and the front. There should be sufficient wall-mounted lighting all around the home as well to eliminate any potential hiding spots for burglars.

Here are some more examples of ideal locations to put your motion-sensing lights:

• Patio
• Around swimming pools
• Around large bushes or trees
• Deck
• Stairways
• Garden paths
• Fences and atop fence gates

While motion-sensing lights are not enough on their own to provide complete security, they are an effective way at deterring opportunistic burglars looking for an easy score.

Last Updated on April 30, 2024 by Alarm New England

We can never have enough plugs for our dozens of juice-hungry devices. Multiple power strips are pretty much essential.

But despite being commonplace in the home, these little plastic gadgets can be extremely dangerous when used improperly or when they malfunction. Surge protectors can actually cause electrical fires. According to the ESFI, over 3,300 home fires originate in extension cords and power strips each year, killing 50 people and injuring 270 more.

After hearing harrowing stories from our customers of burn-outs and near-catastrophes stemming from extension cords, we want to make sure everyone knows the best practices they should follow to minimize the risks.

Here are the home safety tips you need to know about power strips to protect your belongings from fire:

1. Know the limits of your power strip.

Your power strip can only draw so much electricity without getting overloaded. When you overload your powerstrip, that’s when you get the sparks a-flyin’ and in a matter of seconds your upholstery is going up in flames.

Usually, the manufacturer will clarify how much their power strip can handle on the package somewhere with a series of numbers.

For example, the “AmazonBasics 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip, 790 Joule – White” has the following specifications:

“AC 15A, 125V, 60Hz, 1875W”

The important number is the number of watts this thing can handle: 1875. If you draw more than 1875 watts, you’ll overload the power strip. If you’re lucky, you just end up with nasty burn marks and a molten plastic mess. Others have lost their entire houses to fires started by power strips. To be safe, you should never push your circuits to the limit.

2. Know how much power your devices are using.

Most devices like phone chargers, TVs, clock radios, hair dryers, and laptop computers won’t come anywhere close to drawing that much power, so if you’re mostly just plugging in smaller appliances into your surge protectors, you’re probably pretty safe.

Power-hungry machines like:

• window air conditioners
• dehumidifiers
• space heaters
• high-end gaming/productivity PCs

all have the potential to overwhelm a cheap power strip that’s already under a lot of strain because they don’t just draw a lot of power, they draw it continuously (over 3 hours of use).

Are power strips a fire hazard?

Power strips can be a major fire hazard under certain circumstances. Remember that when using devices like these that draw continuous power, the maximum load your power strip can take will be reduced by about 20 percent, so your 1875-watt power strip can only handle 1400 watts of continuous power safely.

Before you plug any of these appliances into a power strip, glance over the packaging or do some research on the manufacturer website to make sure the math checks out. Avoid plugging multiple power-hungry devices into the same power strip. When in doubt, consult an expert.

Don’t daisy-chain your power strips/extension cords together.

A floor covered in cable spaghetti isn’t just ugly; this kind of daisy chains set-up is a serious fire hazard.

The wires inside power strips tend to be cheap and lower quality than the wires you find in your walls, so when you start chaining power strips, you lose a lot of electricity capacity in the process. Plugging in an appliance with high power usage will heat up those low-quality wires until they burst into flames.

3. Get a smoke detector

The best way to stop a fire is to catch it before it gets out of control. We can’t always be at home to watch over our power strips 24/7, so for the moments when we’re not around, smoke detectors can pick up the slack. They’ll give you peace of mind about other fire hazards too.

Smoke detectors are great for protecting your home, but fires caused by power strips are hardly the only safety threat in the home. Smoke detectors are most effective when combined with a security system and alarm monitoring to ensure fast response times from police and fire departments. Talk to a security company near you to learn more about what steps you can take to protect your home.