Alaska Guide to Smart Home Security and Automation

For many people, visiting Alaska is a bucket list experience. The natural splendor, wildlife, and national parks make it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who wants to experience its rugged beauty.

If you’re lucky enough to call Alaska home, a smart home security system and home automation will help protect your home—and keep you connected to it—while you’re enjoying all your beautiful state has to offer.

This guide will help you choose the best system for your home.

Home security systems for Alaskans

There are many different smart home security products on the market, and what you ultimately select depends on your needs and budget.

To provide the best protection for your home, your security system should include the following:

Security sensors

Security sensors are the tiny devices placed on entry points throughout your home that sound an alarm if unauthorized entry takes place when your alarm system is armed. These include:

• Door and window sensors which are typically placed on doors and windows throughout the first floor of the home.
• Glass break sensors are placed on windows or glass doors, measuring the decibel level of the sound of breaking glass and sounding the alarm.
• Motion detectors are typically placed in high-traffic areas of the home that an intruder would likely pass through, such as a living area or entryway.

Anytime a security sensor is triggered, the professional monitoring center is also contacted, so they can take action.

Safety alarms

They may not have anything to do with burglars, but safety alarms protect your home and family from a number of environmental threats, making them an essential part of any security system. Safety alarms include:

• Smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 3 out of 5 deaths from fires occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Your home should have smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home.
• Carbon monoxide detectors. Alaskan law requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a deadly poison that kills hundreds of people each year and poisons over 50,000 more. Because CO is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, a working CO alarm is the only way of knowing whether a deadly leak is present.
• Water sensors. Water leaks may not be as dangerous as a fire or CO, but it certainly can be expensive. Water sensors are small devices placed throughout your home by areas prone to leaks, like washing machines or water heaters. If moisture is detected, an alarm will sound as well as send you a notification.
• Emergency pendants are worn on the wrist or around the neck on a pendant. If an emergency occurs, you can alert the alarm monitoring center with the push of a button. This is useful for those with the elderly or limited mobility.

Surveillance camera systems

Most home security systems also have security cameras for the inside and outside of the home. These include:

• Doorbell cameras that allow you to see activity on your doorstep, know when packages are delivered, and answer your door remotely. Some doorbell cameras have more advanced features. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, for example, is the only doorbell camera on the market that proactively prevents crime, helping keep your home and packages safe.
• Outdoor cameras that help you keep an eye on your yard, outbuilding, swimming pools, or any part of your property you want to monitor. These can be excellent deterrents against crime. The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro even helps prevent crime from occurring with its Smart Deter technoology, which identifies lurkers on your property and then plays a warning sound and illuminates an LED light to let them know they’re being recorded.
• Indoor cameras can double as nanny cams, pet cams, or just help you see what’s going on at home. Vivint’s Indoor Camera also has two-way talk and a one-touch callout feature, allowing kids or loved ones to get ahold of you if needed with the push of a button.

Your camera system should also include video storage. Footage can either be stored on the cameras themselves via SD cards, or they can be stored remotely in the cloud. Vivint Playback DVR, for example, stores 30 days of continuous footage from up to 4 cameras. You can then access your footage when it’s convenient via Vivint’s mobile app.

Professional monitoring services

Home security systems can be either professionally monitored or self-monitored. Professionally monitored systems offer greater protection over DIY monitoring. If an alarm is triggered, the monitoring center will contact emergency services on your behalf, providing peace of mind if an emergency occurs when you’re not at home.

Many home security companies offer professional monitoring plans along with their home security products.

Smart home automation any Alaskan can use

Smart home automation allows you to automate and remotely control many different devices and systems in your home. In addition to making the management of your home more convenient, a smart home can also enhance your security system.

Smart home devices are connected to your home’s internet via wifi or other wireless connectivity network like Bluetooth or Z-Wave. This allows them to connect with and communicate with each other and enables you to control them remotely.

With thousands of smart home devices on the market, narrowing down what you need for your home can take some time. Some of the best smart home devices for your home might include:

• Smart thermostats automatically adjust your home’s temperature to your preferences and location, helping you save both energy and money. You can also adjust your temperature remotely from your phone.
• Smart locks use a code instead of a key for your front door, so you don’t have to make multiple spare keys. You can create unique codes for family members or visitors, so you always know who’s coming and going, or lock or unlock your house from your phone.
• Smart lighting is convenient and enhances your home security. You can turn lights on and off with your phone, set them to turn on or off after certain actions such as unlocking a front door, or customize colors and brightness. You can also randomize your lighting patterns, giving the appearance of being home while you’re away.
• Garage door control notifies you if your garage door is open, and you can close it from your phone wherever you are.
• Hands-free control using a smart speaker and smart assistant like Amazon Echo or Google Home lets you control smart devices with your voice.

Controlling your smart home

You should be able to control your smart home devices and your home security system at home via a keypad and on the go with a mobile app.

Vivint offers an HD touchscreen Smart Hub, which acts as the brains of your smart home by connecting your devices. It allows you to manage your entire system from a single location and features one-touch emergency callouts, so you can connect to the emergency monitoring center with the push of a button.

Additionally, you’ll need a mobile app that lets you control your smart home and security system while on the go. The Vivint App lets you do just that, whether you want to lock or unlock your doors, arm your system, view surveillance camera footage, or more.

Security systems near me

Whether you live in the city or away from it all, you can find a security system in the state of Alaska to fit your needs.

Anchorage and Surrounding areas

As the largest city in the state, Anchorage is a transportation hub into the state and also offers loads of activities and natural beauty enjoyed by both locals and tourists.

Like any big city, however, crime is a problem—especially property crime, where you have a 1 in 36 chance of becoming a victim. You can head to the north suburbs of Knik-Fairview, for example, and find less crime, but a security system for your home in Anchorage can help protect it from crime.

Fairbanks and Surrounding areas

Just 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks is known for its beautiful natural beauty and outdoor activities. It’s one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, bringing visitors from all over the world.

While you’re out enjoying the outdoors, a smart home security and automation system in Fairbanks will help keep you connected to your home.

Juneau

The state capital, Juneau is nestled between the mountains and the water and boasts breathtaking scenery. It also has the unique distinction of only being accessible by boat or plane, which is perhaps why its population hovers around just 30,000 people. However, it’s one of the most popular ports for cruise ships, with over 1.65 million passengers stopping in Juneau each year.

If you call this beautiful city home, you can protect your home and family with a security system in Juneau.

Why you need a Vivint system for your Alaska home

A smart home security system is a big investment, so you’ll want to choose the best one to keep your home and family safe. With a large Alaska presence, Vivint provides the best home security systems that Alaskans have trusted for years.

Here’s what makes Vivint a great choice for homeowners:

• Customization. You can customize your system based on your home and family’s individual needs, so there’s no paying for features or devices you don’t need.
• Professional installation included with your system. Our licensed Smart Home Pros will install your system for you, you know your devices will integrate seamlessly and work just as they should. They’ll also train you on how to use your system and devices.
• 24/7 professional monitoring that provides round the clock protection for your Alaska home, whether you’re home or away.
• Customer service team dedicated to answering your questions, providing recommendations, and more.

Getting started with Vivint is easy. Visit us online or give us a call at 855.822.1220 and let Vivint help you make your home a safer, more comfortable, and more convenient place to live.