Smart Home Dealers Can Make Homes A Shade More Secure

What do smart home dealers think about when they think about “home security” products? Probably traditional home security systems for starters, like alarms and cameras. Close behind might be the latest breed of smart, electronic locks. Perhaps door and motion sensors are next up, followed by lighting.

 Less conspicuous might be smart automated shades. How did smart shades become the odd person out of the smart security ecosystem? Given the range of benefits they bring to a home’s overall security blueprint, it’s a bit of a mystery. But here are some reasons why smart shades should now be front and center when thinking about home protection.

1. Remote control. The most obvious security benefit of motorized shades is that homeowners can schedule the shades to be down when they’re not home, through integration with any of a variety of smart hubs or home-control systems. They can also be activated by smart thermostats, smoke alarms, and other devices that receive triggers when the house is empty. The shades can receive those triggers and automatically lower the shades so no one can see inside.

2. Status reports. Integration to any popular home automation system like Control4, Crestron, URC or others means that homeowners can check their shades’ status on their smartphone to ensure that they are in the desired position, whether up or down. At nighttime, users can rest easy knowing that when they go to bed the alarm is set, the doors are locked, the lighting is the way they want it, and the shades are all drawn – and they can do it all right from their bedroom.

3. An open and closed case. Smart shades can also be programmed to lower automatically when it gets dark outside, enhancing privacy and security. They can even be put into vacation mode, which will create random patterns of opening and closing, making it difficult for potential housebreakers to detect a routine.

4. Pair with other smart devices. It should be noted that smart lighting can also be an effective deterrent against break-ins, making would-be burglars think there is someone inside the home. However, smart lighting may not be quite as effective during the day because of the natural sunlight. Window treatments, with their various fabric choices (sheer, light filtering, room darkening, and blackout) can be a useful backup for smart lighting, creating a powerful one-two punch.

In fact, integrating both smart lighting and smart shades with other home automation devices will further enhance the effectiveness of the homeowner’s security plan. If someone tries to enter the home forcefully, a sensor will detect the activity, smart programming will turn on the lights, and a security camera will record all the activities while sending an alert to smart gadgets such as a smartphone or tablet.

5. Obstructed views. Also, what about that window in the home that is way above the floor and difficult to reach, but potentially offers a view of the interior of a home? Automated shades might be the best (or only) way to have a controllable shade at that level. Aside from the convenience factor, a motorized shade ensures that a window located at any level does not become a peephole into the homeowner’s domain. And criminals are far less likely to attempt a break in through a window when they can’t see what’s on the other side of the shade.

We hope you feel a little more secure about growing your automated shade business now that you understand some of the ways these devices can complete a smart security ecosystem.