Smart Home Advisor Molly Waverly Explains Which Devices Men Should Install Before a Vacation

A phone full of alerts does not make an empty house secure. The useful smart-home system is the one that detects a meaningful event, communicates reliably, and gives a trusted person a safe way to respond. It must also keep working when the internet, power, battery, or owner is unavailable.

Smart home advisor Molly Waverly’s vacation framework begins with risks rather than gadgets: unauthorized entry, water damage, fire or carbon monoxide, temperature failure, package accumulation, and loss of access. Men should select devices that address the property’s actual exposure and install them early enough to test.

Cybersecurity belongs in the same plan. CISA advises changing default passwords, using strong unique credentials, enabling multifactor authentication, and installing updates for internet-connected devices. A camera that protects the door but exposes an account is not a complete security upgrade.

Start with a monitored or self-monitored alarm decision

A connected alarm can combine door and window contacts, motion sensors, glass-break detection, a siren, and remote notifications. Professional monitoring may contact the owner and emergency services under the service agreement. Self-monitoring sends alerts to the user, who decides what to do.

Compare response procedures, cellular backup, battery backup, contract length, cancellation fees, permit requirements, false-alarm policies, equipment ownership, and what happens abroad. Local police-response and alarm-registration rules vary.

Place sensors according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the home’s layout. Test every zone, entry delay, siren, backup connection, and contact list before departure. Do not install a new alarm on the evening before a flight.

Use cameras to verify events, not replace physical security

A video doorbell or exterior camera can distinguish a delivery from a forced entry and provide information to a trusted neighbor. Prioritize entry points, garage approaches, and vulnerable ground-floor areas rather than filling the home with devices.

Review field of view, night performance, motion zones, package detection, local versus cloud storage, subscription requirements, retention period, download options, power source, and internet bandwidth. Test whether notifications arrive when the phone is on cellular data and in the destination country.

A camera cannot reinforce a weak door, trim vegetation, or repair a broken latch. Combine electronic verification with functioning locks, visible address numbers, secure windows, and appropriate exterior lighting. Aim cameras away from private neighboring spaces and follow local laws.

Install leak sensors where water damage begins

Water can cause extensive damage without triggering a burglary alarm. Place leak sensors near the water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, sinks, refrigerator supply line, sump area, HVAC condensate drain, and any historically vulnerable point.

A basic sensor sends an alert. A smart shutoff valve may automatically stop the main supply when unusual flow or a sensor event occurs. Valve selection and installation should match plumbing, water treatment, fire-sprinkler requirements, and local codes; professional installation may be prudent.

Test with a small amount of water and confirm the response. If the main water is shut off for a trip, consider appliances, hydronic heating, irrigation, ice makers, and fire protection before acting. Ask the insurer or qualified plumber when uncertain.

Keep smoke and carbon monoxide protection independent

Smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can send remote notifications and identify a room, but their primary job is life safety. Install listed devices in locations required by applicable code and manufacturer directions. Replace units according to their service life.

Interconnection can cause all alarms to sound when one detects danger. Professional monitoring may add response when nobody is home. Confirm which events the service receives and whether verification delays apply.

Never disable an alarm to avoid nuisance notifications. Address cooking placement, dust, low batteries, or a faulty unit. A smart plug should not be used to remotely cut power to essential safety equipment.

Protect temperature-sensitive systems

A smart thermostat can report unusual temperature, but an independent temperature sensor may provide redundancy near pipes, mechanical rooms, wine storage, pets, or other sensitive areas. In freezing climates, a furnace failure can become a plumbing emergency. In hot climates, HVAC loss can endanger pets and damage contents.

Use a conservative vacation setpoint appropriate to the building, climate, humidity, and occupants. Do not turn systems off simply to save energy. Check filter condition, condensate drainage, fuel supply, and service history before a long absence.

Make sure an alert reaches someone able to enter and authorize repair. Remote awareness without local access can merely document a worsening problem.

Use lighting automation without advertising a pattern

Smart switches, bulbs, or plug-in modules can vary interior lighting and illuminate entrances. Switches are often more robust than individual bulbs for permanently controlled fixtures, but wiring and neutral requirements vary. Electrical work should be performed safely and legally.

Create believable evening schedules rather than leaving every light on around the clock. Include only fixtures safe for unattended operation. Avoid connecting heaters, cooking appliances, or high-load devices to plugs not rated for them.

Exterior lights with dusk-to-dawn control or motion detection can improve visibility. Check for glare that blinds cameras or disturbs neighbors. Lighting is a supporting layer, not proof that someone is home.

Choose smart locks and garage controls for accountable access

A smart lock can issue a temporary code to a neighbor, pet sitter, or maintenance professional, avoiding a key hidden outdoors. Look for access logs, expiration, offline operation, battery warnings, mechanical backup, and compatibility with the door.

The lock is only as strong as the door, strike, frame, and installation. Reinforce or repair physical components first. Delete temporary codes after the trip and avoid reusing a personal PIN.

A connected garage controller can report door status and close an accidentally open door. Test obstruction sensors and balance, and never operate the door remotely without confirming the area is clear through safe means. Interior doors from attached garages also need secure, code-compliant hardware.

Add power and connectivity resilience

An uninterruptible power supply can keep a modem, router, hub, or controller online during a short outage. Size it for the connected load and expected runtime. Do not overload it or place it where heat and ventilation are problems.

Cellular backup can preserve alarm communication when broadband fails, though not every camera or automation will continue. Understand which features are local and which depend on a cloud service.

Enable outage alerts where available. Label equipment and leave safe restart instructions for the trusted responder. Automatic recovery after power returns should be tested instead of assumed.

Secure every account before relying on it

Change factory usernames and passwords. Use unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager and enable multifactor authentication for the main account, email, monitoring portal, and household members where supported.

Install device, hub, app, router, and phone updates. Remove unused accounts and review who has shared access. Separate smart-home devices on a guest or dedicated network when the router supports it and the household can manage it correctly.

Review privacy settings, audio recording, facial recognition, data sharing, cloud retention, and law-enforcement request policies. The most feature-rich product is not necessarily the right privacy choice.

Prepare the human response plan

Select a nearby person who has agreed to respond. Give that person a temporary code, alarm instructions, utility shutoff locations, veterinarian or property-manager contacts, and authority boundaries. Do not post a vacation publicly while the house is empty.

Stop or hold mail and deliveries when appropriate. Arrange landscaping, snow removal, pet care, and trash handling. Notify the monitoring service of travel if its process recommends it, and update the emergency contact list.

Keep insurance information and an inventory of important property securely accessible. Technology can alert, but a neighbor who knows where the water valve is may prevent the larger loss.

A seven-day pre-vacation test

• • Trigger every door, window, motion, leak, smoke, and temperature alert safely.

• • Verify cellular, Wi-Fi, backup battery, and notification paths.

• • Confirm cameras capture useful views in daylight and darkness.

• • Test temporary access codes and remove obsolete users.

• • Install updates and enable multifactor authentication.

• • Check subscriptions, storage, monitoring contacts, and local permits.

• • Run lighting schedules and confirm all unattended loads are safe.

• • Give a trusted responder written instructions and trip dates.

The best vacation setup is intentionally boring: clear alerts, secure accounts, reliable power, and a responder who knows what to do. Men who install fewer, well-chosen devices and test them as a system gain more protection than those who buy an impressive pile of gadgets hours before leaving.

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information, not individualized security, electrical, plumbing, insurance, privacy, or legal advice. Device performance and local rules vary. Follow manufacturer instructions and use qualified professionals where appropriate.