My House Just Got Smarter- Rogers Smart Home Monitoring!

My house just got smart…and it’s more fun too!

Our security system was installed when we moved in over 6 years ago, and to be honest, we didn’t really give it much thought….until we visited our neighbour’s house.  They had this high tech cool “tablet” (touchpad) on the wall and instantly, we wanted it!  They told us a bit about the new Rogers Smart Home Monitoring that they had just installed and were loving it- not only the safety but the cool features that came along with it.

When I was approached to try the new system, I was already eager to try it out and was so excited to learn more. 

We sat down with a great tech dude who answered all of our questions and helped us make the right decisions about what hardware to add to our existing system (no added hardware is required, but it’s pretty cool if you do add some key hardware, like cameras!).

We chose some really amazing hardware that no other system could ever offer- we planned to install 2 cameras (one at the front door and one towards our sliding back door), timed light switch sockets (one dimmer and one regular), a flood detector in the basement, and a dishwasher flood detector.

We are enjoying the features and convenience of our new system- here are some of the reasons we love our Smart Home;

SAFETY:
I have a husband who works long, crazy hours, taking the occasional trip, so I need to feel very safe and secure at home with our precious kids.  I love that if I forget to turn on the alarm, I can arm it from a very simple app on my phone or iPad, while I’m in bed watching Mad Men episodes!  

CONVENIENT:
I’ll admit that as I am turning 40, my ability to multitask and remember is being challenged (not to mention my eye sight). We left on a weekend away, shortly after the Smart Home installation, and I totally forgot to turn down my thermostat!  I’m far too cheap and eco-conscious to allow that to happen, so I logged onto my iPhone app and adjusted the temperature to be cooler while we were away.  On the drive home, I logged back in and turned up the heat for when we got home.  I love that we have the app on our phones so that we can disable and enable our system remotely.  I can check on my home, see the camera views and adjust lights and my thermostat from anywhere!  Now THAT is convenient for our family!

CUSTOM:
Our cleaning lady has her own code that is ONLY active on the days that she is expected to be in our house.  How cool is that?  I can also see (via email) when she has left our house and monitor the time she has taken to clean.  

While our kids aren’t quite old enough to come in on their own, I see that this system will help with peace of mind, in the future.  We have a code dedicated to the kids, and there will come a time, in the not so distant future, when I can receive an email on my phone to let me know that the kids have come in the house after school.  This is one of my favourite features.

You can also customize your dashboard on the touchpad- and you can put your touchpad anywhere you choose!  We have ours on the kitchen counter, but can easily move it if we choose- there is no permanent installation on our wall.  We love the weather app where we have ours set for weather in our home city as well as places where we visit (or dream of visiting!).  We love to check in on the latest news, as well as sports and traffic updates! The only thing we have requested is that Rogers add the ability to listen to the radio or music!

FUN:
And what about those precious and silly kids?  They are in love with the camera features- one of their favourite new activities is to let one of them outside the front door and the other goes to the touchpad to use the camera feature to spy on the other brother outside- the one outside does something silly, holds up a few fingers to guess or wiggles his bum at the camera (yup, that’s what happens when you have two boys!).

We even have fun with the dog and the cameras…we can actually, um, see where the dog “uses the backyard” and know where to pick it up later, by logging in and watching the camera from my desktop computer upstairs!  I can also see when she is waiting at the sliding door to be let back in.

The cameras are perfect for spying!  When the boys and I were up at my parent’s house, we logged in to see if we could catch Daddy in the kitchen having junk food or making a mess!  We even turned on the lights in the main room and freaked him out…he thought it was a ghost!

Cameras are great security but fun for brother antics too!

ENERGY AND COST SAVINGS:
Not only is turning down and setting your thermostat lower when you are away, a great energy (and cost) saver, there are several other ways that our new Smart Home has helped save money and energy.  We have added two plugs to our electrical outlets in the house.  One is used to set the timer for a light in our front living room.  When we are out for an evening I don’t have to leave the front light on when it is still daylight (and waste energy).  We time it to go on when it’s dark outside, instead.  This gives some light for our dog to stay home at night, as well as gives the illusion that we are home (safe AND energy saving). 

Wall plug adapter will allow you to time your lights or appliances!

We’ve totally fallen in love with the ways in which Rogers Smart Home Monitoring has made our family feel safer and eco-conscious.  We appreciate the new and innovative ways in which the technology has made it really convenient for us manage what is happening in our home and create an integrated system in which we can control so many crucial aspects with the touch of a button.  The best part of the program is that we can control and view our home, when we are away from it.  Having the remote access is one more way that Rogers really appreciates how busy our family life really is.

To read more about the system from other families, check this post from my friend Rebecca and Mara and watch our discussion on Twitter by following #RSmartHome.


Do you live in Hamilton, Oakville, Burlington, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and other Golden Horseshoe areas? As of today, we’re happy to announce that you can now sign up for Smart Home Monitoring by visiting this link.

Disclosure:  We are loyal Rogers customers and have been asked to document our experience with our new Smart Home Monitoring system from Rogers, in exchange for the service for one year.