Security and safety automations
A lot of people start their smart home because they want added security. That’s typically done by adding camera systems both indoors and outdoors around the house. However, there are plenty of other automations we can add to help secure the house or make us feel safer.
Why security automation?
Deterrence — Make your home look occupied when you’re away
Emergency Response — Automated actions during fire or break-in
Peace of Mind — Know your home is secure without constant checking
Family Safety — Protect loved ones with automated safety measures
Cost Effective — Many security automations use existing smart devices
Always Active — Security automations work 24/7 without human intervention
🌟 Essential Automations
Away lights to deter intruders
Make your home look occupied when you’re away with strategic lighting that simulates normal activity.
Fire safety emergency response
Automated response when smoke detector sounds - lights on, doors unlocked, irrigation started.
Water leak detection and response
Detect leaks early and respond automatically with alerts, water shutoff, and damage prevention.
Garage door left open notification
Get alerted when your garage door is left open too long with optional auto-close.
Stove or oven left on alert
Get notified when your stove or oven is left on too long to prevent fire hazards.
Auto-close garage when forgotten
Automatically close the garage if left open when nobody’s home and get a photo confirmation.
Security modes
Away mode
- Activate away lighting pattern
- Arm perimeter sensors
- Enable camera recording
- Lock all doors
Night mode
- Arm perimeter sensors
- Enable exterior cameras
- Low-level night lighting
- Motion sensors at entry points only
Vacation mode
- Enhanced away lighting patterns
- Package delivery alerts
- Daily notification summaries
- Neighbor alert integration
Best practices
Layered security
- Perimeter: Exterior motion sensors, driveway detection
- Entry: Door/window sensors, glass break, smart locks
- Interior: Motion sensors, cameras, smoke/CO detection
Testing your automations
- Test smoke detector monthly
- Verify automation triggers work
- Check all notifications arrive
- Ensure doors unlock properly
Family communication
- How to trigger manual alarm
- How to disable false alarm
- What happens in emergency
- Run fire drills with automation
Troubleshooting
False alarms
- Use time delays before major actions
- Require multiple triggers (smoke + motion)
- Exclude kitchen from immediate response
- Use pet-immune motion sensors
Notification fatigue
- Consolidate alerts into summaries
- Use escalating notification levels
- Smart filtering based on mode
- Critical-only during certain hours
Battery-powered sensors
- Regular battery check automations
- Low battery notifications
- Use devices with long battery life
- Consider wired alternatives for critical sensors