How to use lighting to keep your home safer

March 11th, 2022

With the Easter holidays around the corner, many of us will travel to other cities to get a much needed break, or to visit families and friends. Of course, making sure your home is safe while you’re away is a top priority.

Avoid those anxiety-inducing thoughts of “Did I leave the lights on?” or “Is someone sneaking around my house?” by taking the steps to help protect your home against unwanted visitors with Philips Hue. Smart light can help you feel safer and more reassured as you come home after a long day, lighting up your surroundings – both inside and out

Here are some tips to keep your home safer while you’re away this Easter holiday:

If you want to take it a step further, use a smart home security device that can add an extra layer of protection. A smart doorbell or camera can act as a motion sensor, while a smart smoke or CO2 detector can send you a text if something’s amiss at home. Learn more about which smart home devices work with Philips Hue.

The most inviting sight for a burglar is a house that looks empty. When you know you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, take some precautions to help prevent that “nobody’s home!” appearance to suspicious individuals. Suspend your newspaper delivery so that it doesn’t start piling up, and make sure that you have a trusted neighbour to pick up your post if you’ll be gone for an extended period of time. More importantly, use the right smart lighting solution that can help create the impact of you being there.

Schedule your path lights, such as the Econic Outdoor Pedestal or the Outdoor Lightstrip, to turn on when the sun sets. Having the lights on after dusk makes it look more like someone is home, helping to deter unwanted guests.

Forgot to turn off the lights? With the Hue app, you can put your mind at ease with away-from-home control. Just open your app to see if your lights are on — and, if they are, turn them off with just a tap of a button!

A good way to ruin a perfect holiday is arriving home to an extraordinary energy bill or ruined electronics due to a power surge. To help decrease the chances of these unfortunate circumstances, unplug what you don’t need: the coffeemaker, televisions, washing machine and dryer, for example. You can also adjust your thermostat to be a few degrees cooler this spring too.

Going away for the short- or long-term this Easter holiday doesn’t have to leave you worrying about your home and its security. Taking the proper precautions — such as setting light routines and installing a motion sensor — can help you avoid any surprises upon your return.