A smart home doesn’t have to be expensive, as there are ways to make your home smarter without going over budget. And one of the simplest ways to do it is by installing a smart home hub, like Google Home or Amazon Echo. Along with your smartphone, these hubs allow you to control your home’s lights, locks, thermostats, and more.
Today, a lot of homes are changing the way they operate. This is due to the affordability and sustainability of modern home solutions. In terms of power, people are using solar and wind energy to generate electricity in their houses. For heating, one of the top reasons to switch from traditional fuels to propane has been the ability to track and use it efficiently. More and more homes are embracing the idea of smart appliances, mainly due to the ease of monitoring that smart home hubs provide.
However, in order to take advantage of all the smart home features, your house possibly needs smart locks, that would make up for the most-secure Gate Entry System. But before you purchase your first smart lock, you need to know which features are the most important for your needs.
If there’s one thing we should all agree on, it’s that our homes should be safe. If you look at the houses of famous celebrities such as the Joel Osteen home or the home of Mark Wahlberg, you can see how much they have to invest in security. Even they are now embracing the smart home movement. You can employ high-tech security gadgets like alarm systems, CCTV cameras, movement detectors, window sensors, gate access control, and more. Additionally, you may also need extra security if you have glass doors and windows since you may encounter issues like break-ins and other multiple threats. You can look into products like unbreakable glass for secured doors and windows. Websites like riotglass.com/unbreakable-glass can provide you with the necessary information so that your house can have foolproof security features.
But when it comes to using smart devices, securing our homes isn’t easy. And while experts say that home automation products generally do a great job of protecting against hackers, it’s up to you to make sure that happens. The beauty of smart homes is that they’re constantly adding new features, however, these features don’t always work as intended. So, before you roll out your smart home security, you first have to make sure your devices are being properly configured so they can be kept as secure as possible.
This includes smart locks, smart heaters, smart thermostats, and surveillance cameras. All these devices have usernames and passwords that hackers can crack. But can you keep them protected?
- Securing Your Smart Home Starts with Creating a Strong Password
Choose a password that is not easy to guess, including a combination of upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. And make sure the password is ‘strong’ enough; the best passwords are 8-12 characters long. Your home’s smart systems are designed to be easy to use and convenient, but they aren’t foolproof. Your smart thermostat(s), door locks, and security cameras can all be hacked, so precautions, like creating a strong password, are important. The password you choose shouldn’t be a pain when you type it. Ideally, it should be a 1–2-word phrase or sentence. Avoid birthdays, common date or time formats, and names-anything that anyone can guess in five minutes.
- Passwords Are Not Use on Any Website
Make sure the password is not being used on any websites, such as social media sites. Securing your smart home is no different than securing any other device. Securing your smart home starts with a password or passcode, but other security features, such as two-factor authentication, are also available. Make sure to avoid using passwords you commonly use anywhere else. For example, don’t use your birthdate, pet’s name, or children’s names as passwords on your Smart Home devices. Instead, use a unique, hard-to-guess password for each device. Once you’ve created your passwords, make sure to keep them safe and protected.
- Change The Password At Least Once A Month
Smart home gadgets are fantastic, but they aren’t foolproof. When you need to access your smart home’s settings, PIN codes, and passwords, be prepared to face some challenges. These challenges involve remembering the password, finding the right PIN code, and accessing specific settings from your phone.
You can update a smart door lock from anywhere-which means that your home’s security can be at risk if you haven’t changed the PIN code to something unique. But, as long as you change the password at least once a month, you can prevent unauthorized access to your home.
- Don’t Share Your Passwords with Anyone, Not Even Your Spouse
You shouldn’t leave your password written down anywhere, and you shouldn’t give your password to anyone-not even your spouse, unless you’re married. If your spouse or someone else were to get into your smart-home account, they could turn off your lights, lock you out of your home or office, or even gain access to appliances and other smart devices in your home. It’s one thing to install your home security system, but in order to keep your smart home safe, you need to stay ahead of threats to your security. The unfortunate truth is that hackers are always looking for the weak link in smart home security, and the most common way hackers invade smart homes is through password sharing. Don’t fall prey to this vulnerability. Keep your password secret, and don’t share it with anyone.
Smart home technology allows you to control appliances, climate, lighting, security, entertainment, and more, all from the convenience of one device. The best part is that you can program your smart home devices to respond based on circumstances, allowing you to control things like your thermostat while at home or on vacation. You can secure your home with smart security technology to control and monitor your home, even when you’re not physically here.
Having the opportunity to do this is great, but not taking the time to secure your home properly will undo any enjoyment you may have. So, secure your home and do it properly from the get-go. You will be grateful that you did!