Home Monitoring for Extended Absence

[harley]

I just found a device that comes pretty close to perfect - THUM - USB Temperature/Humidity Sensor - Smarthome, but it's USB connected. I don't want to be dependent on a PC. Of course, it's possible that the cable router would have a USB port. Most things do these days. We haven't taken possesion of the house yet, so I'm not sure what the cable situation is going to be. But a wireless IP based version of the above would be perfect.

 

[omni550]

My sister and BIL recently bought a condo in Florida. Several fellow snowbirds told them that they have someone stopping by to check on their condo once a week during the time when they are back at home "up north". This person turns the water main on, flushes the toilets (apparently to keep the seals from going bad), and does a cursory visual check of the condo to make sure all is OK (including A/C and humidistat operational).

From reading the classifieds in the local papers, there's quite a cottage industry down there for people performing this type of service.

I wonder about the need to 'flush toilets to keep the seals from going bad'. Does anyone know if this really necessary if they are unused for 6-9 months at a time?

omni

 

[nwsteve]

Harley,
We are using a thermostat that provides most of you are looking for. Check out ecobee.com.
Our utility installed ours as part of a pilot of electronic grid being installed in our area. If you have humidity monitors in place you can see current results plus temps as well as daily data for as long as you have it installed.
We can changed temps and check status via web anytime.
Nwsteve

 

[harley]

Thanks, nwsteve, but that one is similar to the ones I listed. There are plenty that allow you to check and change remotely, but I'm looking for one that will email or text you and tell you if it starts getting too hot or humid. The house has a fairly old HVAC and I don't trust it not to die. We'll replace it eventually, but I'm hoping to get a few more years out of it first. I can obviously check the house remotely every few days, but I'm just looking for that one more piece of laziness where the house lets me know if it's not working.

 

[KingB]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I was hoping someone had run into something new and more useful.

We're going to start snowbirding down to FL. But we'll only be there 2 or 3 months/year (to start with). The rest of the year when it's hot and humid I'd like a little peace of mind that the AC is working and there isn't a couple of feet of mold growing on and in the walls. Security is a distant second concern, since there won't be much to steal there anyway.

The IP cameras here are a good idea, and I'll probably do that in combination with a remote reboot device for my wireless cable modem. I can use a camera to look at a temperature and humidity gauge, as well as checking windows and doors for break-ins.

But this requires active monitoring. What I'd really like is a simple device that can detect if the temp or humidity has gone above a certain level and send an alert via email, text, whatever, especially one that wirelessly connects to the router to send the alert. It would be similar to the one travelover mentioned in the 4th post, but wireless and with the ability to set the temp instead of it being hard coded at 45 degrees.

Anybody seen anything good and affordable that can do this? I've looked at Iris, Nest, Vera type systems. They all seem to allow remote control, but they don't mention the alert system. They all seem to assume the AC system is working. Seems like a niche market someone should have jumped on. Someone should be able to hang a humdistat/thermostat off an IP camera and have the camera software send an alert if certain parameters are exceeded. Any suggestions?

To monitor temperature and humidity, I use internet based sensors from LaCrosse Technology. The sensor also has an external probe. I bought 3 of these from Amazon - 1 for upstairs, 1 for downstairs and 1 for outside with the external probe measuring the hottub temperature. They are connected wirelessly through a gateway and I can remotely monitor the readings. You can set it up to give you an alert - its free for the first year.

 

[KingB]

.

I wonder about the need to 'flush toilets to keep the seals from going bad'. Does anyone know if this really necessary if they are unused for 6-9 months at a time?

omni

I am wondering about this too. But not just the toilets but also the faucets. One reason that I know why this is being done is to replenish the water that has evaporated from the u-traps (for the sink and shower drains) to prevent sewer gas from entering the house.

 

[ShortInSeattle]

There is a thriving economy of housesitters exchanging home care for free rent. Another option.

SIS

 

[MDW]

I think they may be referring to the water seal the traps provide that keeps sewer gas from entering the house.

 

[jimnjana]

I am wondering about this too. But not just the toilets but also the faucets. One reason that I know why this is being done is to replenish the water that has evaporated from the u-traps (for the sink and shower drains) to prevent sewer gas from entering the house.

One solution(other than periodic flushing) is to cover the drains with plastic wrap, including the toilet to prevent water loss due to evaporation. That is what we did in our snow birding days.

 

[Tree-dweller]

For those of you who have camera monitoring for security: how unobtrusively do you try to place the camera(s)? I mean, do you hide the camera (either for "try to catch the perp in action" reasons or 'cuz the camera's ugly) or do you make the cameras obvious to scare would-be perps away? I don't have any now, but I'm starting to do some research for our vac home.

 

[PatSea]

I have the wi-fi enabled radiothermostat which I bought at Home Depot for $99 and installed myself in one day. It allows me to monitor and control my HVAC system from my smartphone. I snowbird in Florida with my home in Ohio, so every morning in Florida I check on the temperature of the house in Ohio to be sure the temperature is still 55 degrees. I believe you can buy a premium service for a one time fee of about $29 that will send text alerts to you if the temp gets outside a preset range. I do not have that text service. I can check on my smartphone in about 30 seconds. It does not monitor humidity, only temperature.

 

[RockyMtn]

One solution(other than periodic flushing) is to cover the drains with plastic wrap, including the toilet to prevent water loss due to evaporation. That is what we did in our snow birding days.

This is what I do in Az when we leave for the summer. Also add a little cooking oil to the toilet bowl water which slows down evaporation. Put some cooking oil in the dishwasher as well to keep the seals from drying out.

 

[nwsteve]

I'm looking for one that will email or text you and tell you if it starts getting too hot or humid. The house has a fairly old HVAC and I don't trust it not to die. .

While it may not be evident from the Ecobee home page, their system has embedded "alerts" page for high and low settings for both humidity and temp. You get emails for whenever the range you set is crossed.
You can remotely change AC to Heat and vis a versa.
You can also set reminders including frequency for filter changes, routine system maintenance inspections, etc.
When we travel, we use the setback hold feature to put the heat/cool function way back. About two hours out, we use our smart phone web access to return the system to normal ranges. House is nice and comfortable when we walk in.
Nwsteve

 

[Gonzo]

La Crosse Alerts by La Crosse Technology

 

[bhoferp]

Not sure if this is available where you are, but our county sheriff's office will do a daily residence check (for free) when requested. They walked the exterior of our house every day for about 2 months. The neighbors kept an eye out, too, and investigated when Animal Control did the residence check instead of the regular deputies. We just turned off the water and drained all the pipes and lowered the thermostat.

 

[harley]

There's a lot of interesting information out there. I like the La Crosse system. But looking at the LiveWatch cell based home monitoring system, I'll have a bigger up front cost but a slightly lower monthly cost as opposed to keeping an internet connection active. And this way I won't have to worry about power outages and rebooting remotely and such.

Not sure if this is available where you are, but our county sheriff's office will do a daily residence check (for free) when requested. They walked the exterior of our house every day for about 2 months. The neighbors kept an eye out, too, and investigated when Animal Control did the residence check instead of the regular deputies. We just turned off the water and drained all the pipes and lowered the thermostat.

I contacted the police where we're going to be before we bought the house, and they basically laughed. Florida Gulf Coast area, they said if they did this for all the snowbirds they'd need 5 times the staff and still wouldn't be able to respond to real calls. So, no go for me.

 

[jim747]

Here is a link from another forum with discussion about remote cameras. A friend snowbirds and has a couple cameras set up. He places a large thermometer in each room so he can check the temperature.

Who's minding the store (Home security camera related) • Class B RV and Camper Van Discussion Forum

 

[brett]

You may want to check with you home insurer to determine what their expectation is and/or what is written into their policy.

It is my understanding that some policies have specifics about physical monitoring during homeowner extended periods of absence.

If you do install a remote monitoring system, you should ask your insurer if you qualify for an additional discount.

 

[RonBoyd]

Here is a website that was quite helpful to me during my research several years ago:

Home-Surveillance-Guide Helps You Build Your Home Security

What is Home Surveillance all about?
The need to observe a scene is generally a consequence of worry about suspected dangers.

We are going to talk in this Website only of the private use of Video Home Surveillance camera systems, set up by ordinary citizens like you and me.

The purpose is to control any objectionable act or occurrence that could happen in or around our most cherished and protected home location.

A recent survey, reported by PR Newswire, found that 19 percent of American adults own already a home surveillance system. And the percentage is increasing rapidly.

Surveillance is the first step in the process of providing Security.
In fact it would be difficult to implement security without being alert to the dangers.

We should first define the purpose of a home surveillance system from the point of view of the home owner.

We should also consider how to use such a system, and by which means.

A few Home-Surveillance-Guide aims can be accomplished by such provisions as follows, based on video camera home surveillance.
Video surveillance is any selection of significant images that can be scanned and examined using a monitor. The sequence may be viewed live, at the time of occurrence, or may be played back from any kind of suitable recording system.

1. Deterring: the system as described in the Home-Surveillance-Guide is mainly intended to discourage any criminal from trying to perpetrate a crime against property or persons.

1. 
   Nobody likes to be on the record while making a crime.
   The mere notion of being observed and video recorded will urge burglars to seek their chance elsewhere.
   That is why prominent signs alerting on video surveillance are displayed in sensitive spots.
   The deterrence factor is even more important than the actual equipment operation.
   
   
   [*]Live Monitoring: the system per Home-Surveillance-Guide is designed to permit the immediate intervention of whomever could help.
   Rescuing people from natural disasters, saving elder patients from life threatening health conditions or catching the wrongdoers.
   The benefit of being informed in real time of any dangerous occurrence is invaluable, if one can do something about.
   Parents may wish to monitor their children in or around the house.
   
   A medical institution or a large neighborhood complex may set up a centralized monitoring service to help all the residents in the area.
   
   
   [*]Alerting: the Home-Surveillance-Guide system can sound an alarm after having detected suspicious movements and/or aggressive behavior.
   Unless quite sure to have plenty of time, burglars will mostly abandon their attempts if neighbors are coming to inquire about the alarm.
   
   [*]Documenting: if the inevitable cannot be prevented, at least an acceptable record may help identifying and catching the perpetrators and providing evidence for their incrimination and prosecution.

 

[harley]

You may want to check with you home insurer to determine what their expectation is and/or what is written into their policy.

It is my understanding that some policies have specifics about physical monitoring during homeowner extended periods of absence.

If you do install a remote monitoring system, you should ask your insurer if you qualify for an additional discount.

We are definitely getting a discount for having the monitoring system, which is a good thing in Florida, because their insurance premiums are incredibly high. I'll take it, even though I'm not monitoring for crime prevention, I'm monitoring for AC failure resulting in thick, luxuriant growths of mold and mildew while we're gone during the summer. As a matter of fact, I'm not even getting the door and window sensors, just a couple of motion detectors with picture taking capabilities. Just enough to satisfy the insurance company for the discount. We're not going to have anything much in the house worth stealing when we're not there, maybe a couple of bikes and a really old CRT TV. I just don't want our house ruined if the old AC system goes south.