
As winter settles in, the Denver Metro area is bracing for a stretch of freezing temperatures and potential snowfall. At Digital Media Innovations, we care about more than just keeping your home innovative and connected; we want to help you stay prepared and safe during challenging weather conditions.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming cold snap and how to make sure your smart home is ready for the elements.
Weather Outlook
Denver is set to experience below-freezing temperatures over the next several days, with lows dropping to the single digits and highs struggling to reach above freezing. Snowfall is also expected, which could lead to hazardous road conditions and potential disruptions.
While winter weather is nothing new for Coloradans, it’s always important to prepare for sudden drops in temperature, especially in your home.
Preparing Your Smart Home for Winter Weather
Digital Media Innovations specializes in home automation systems that make your life easier and safer, even in extreme weather. Here are some ways to prepare your smart home for the cold:
1. Protect Your Pipes
Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst, leading to costly water damage. Keep an eye specifically in the areas around your laundry, exterior spigots, exterior walls near these spigots, and main water line into the home. Our FloLogic water monitoring systems detect leaks and shut off water automatically to prevent damage. Also remember to leave faucets on a very slow drip to allow water to be continuously moving through the pipes in an effort to prevent freezing.
Pro Tip: Set up alerts on your FloLogic system to notify you if temperatures drop to a level that could threaten your pipes. You can also integrate these alerts into your security system, which would trigger an alarm response from your security monitoring company.
2. Keep Your Home Warm Efficiently
Smart thermostats like those from GE, Honeywell, and Savant can help maintain a comfortable temperature in your home without wasting energy. Program your thermostat to keep your home above 60°F, even if you’re away, to prevent pipes from freezing.
Pro Tip: Use your Savant app to monitor and adjust temperatures remotely during unexpected weather changes. We’ve created a quick how-to guide on our YouTube Channel that will help guide you through the process here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6XwW-1_5lvs.
3. Monitor Your Smart Cameras Periodically
Winter weather can sometimes attract unwanted visitors or cause accidents. Monitoring your security cameras periodically, even in low visibility, can greatly improve keeping your property safe and secure. This also allows you to monitor exterior conditions safely ensuring tree limbs or other natural elements are not in danger of collapsing onto the property. Should you see a potential for this to happen, contact your landscaping company or other professional to address the area of concern immediately.
Pro Tip: Check your cameras to ensure they’re clear of snow and functioning properly.
4. Automate Your Lighting for Safety
Snowy conditions can make your home darker earlier in the day. With Lutron smart lighting systems, you can program lights to come on at sunset or control them remotely to ensure your home always looks occupied.
Pro Tip: Set outdoor pathway lights to turn on automatically, helping guests safely navigate icy walkways.
Additional Tips for Winter Home Safety
• Check Your Wi-Fi: Ensure your network is running smoothly to keep all smart devices connected.
• Have a Backup Plan: Power outages can disrupt your smart home system. Consider a backup generator or power supply for critical devices.
• Bring Pets Indoors: Use smart cameras to keep an eye on pets if they spend time in outdoor spaces.
Stay Warm and Connected
As freezing temperatures set in, take the time to prepare your home for the winter weather. If you need assistance with your smart home systems or want to upgrade your setup, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Stay safe, stay warm, and stay connected!