Whatever takes you away from home, you’ll always want to know that everything is still in order.
Fortunately, there are things you can get to provide peace of mind when you’re not there, so you can see who’s at the front door, or adjust the temperature to prevent pipes from bursting in the bitter cold.
Here are some ways you can use smart devices to manage your home remotely.
When one new dad in California goes on vacation with his wife and their baby, he relies in part on his neighbor Bob to keep an eye on things. But he’s also installed a smart video doorbell so he knows when someone has come to the house – such as to deliver an unexpected package – or if someone is trying to get into the house who shouldn’t be. He gets an alert on his phone, where he can see who’s at the door through the camera on the doorbell.1 The
For households that leave the cat at home to be fed by a neighbor, the
Adrienne Preuss and her husband keep an eye on their beach home with
“The vast majority of our neighbors there are like us – they’re only there in the summer,” says Preuss. “That means that if something goes wrong in the winter, we likely wouldn’t notice until the start of beach season.”
People who may be especially worried about emergencies while they’re away can opt into
One of the easiest ways to manage your home remotely and make sure your house is safe, secure, and ready upon your return is to set up routines in the Google Home app to automate connected devices.
One family in upstate New York uses Google Assistant routines to turn smart lights on and off when they’re away, or have their connected TV or music on their
When you’re not home, you don’t need the heat or air conditioning at full blast. With the Nest Thermostat, you can set Home & Away Routines to lower energy usage.3 You can also use it to suggest comfortable temperature ranges when guests stay at your house, or set it to adjust automatically in case they forget to turn it down when they leave. And the Google Home app lets you control your thermostat remotely.
For Jake Vest’s family in Chicago, the Nest Thermostat helps keep their second home near Lake Michigan running at optimal temperatures, thanks to its
Your home is a special place. Smart devices can help you stay connected to it even when you’re thousands of miles away.
Some features, including mobile notifications, remote control, video streaming, and video recording, require working internet and Wi-Fi. Learn more at
g.co/nest/requirements .Nest Aware subscription required (sold separately).
Independent studies conducted in the US showed that Nest thermostats saved people an average of 10% to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling. Individual savings are not guaranteed. Learn more at
nest.com/real-savings .Alerts can notify you of a potential issue with an eligible HVAC system. They’re meant to provide helpful information, not an endorsement, representation, or warranty of any kind about the health of your HVAC system. Alerts aren’t intended to replace a diagnosis by a qualified HVAC professional.