Smart home maintenance recommendations to keep your Portland system running properly

Maintenance is crucial to many aspects of our lives. You go to the gym to keep your body healthy and take your car to the mechanic so it runs reliably. Your Portland smart home is no exception. While it needs less upkeep than your family SUV, you still must do a few things to keep components operating properly. It’s simple, and we’ll make things even simpler with the following smart home maintenance suggestions.

Clean Hardware Is Vital To Reliable Function

Dust and grime are hazards to sensors, surveillance camera lenses, and all electrical components. How well do you think your outdoor surveillance will identify prowlers if it’s coated in cobwebs? Your smart home won’t appear so smart when it’s not functioning as you expect. But you can lend a hand by doing these basic maintenance tasks:

• Keep your lenses clear by wiping them regularly with a microfiber towel gently dampened with an appropriate cleaner. Don’t use paper towels that could damage the lens, and avoid spraying a liquid directly on the camera.
• Avoid letting dust gather on delicate electronics. If contaminants work their way inside the housing, it can harm those sensitive electrical parts and hinder needed air circulation. Even your central interface’s narrow, flat top can accumulate dust.
• When dusting or cleaning, quickly verify to make certain your tools are fixed firmly and placed properly.

It’s not hard to keep your smart home equipment clean, but you can do a couple of other things to promote performance.

Do a quick check of your Portland security system

Have you not been sent a smartphone update in some time? Your system might be working well, and your house well protected, but it might also signify there is an issue. How about finding out by doing a brief check of your components? Here’s what you can do:

• Take on the part of a burglar and try to trigger your motion detectors, entry point sensors, or other devices you have. You can typically put your system into “test mode” to avoid notifying your monitoring agents.
• Launch your home security mobile app and look at the video feed. Ensure the images are sharp and the camera is aimed where it is supposed to be.
• If you have automation set up, test it. Did the smart thermostat change settings at the proper time? Did your lights illuminate as expected?
• Verify batteries are switched out periodically. Many systems will even notify you when they’re getting low.

Assessments can be done periodically or at any point you suspect a component is failing.

Is your system firmware up-to-date?

Those smart gadgets you have across your house don’t just function automatically. These integrated elements have firmware in place, so they operate properly. In many cases, the firmware will automatically update, but not always. Run the updates as soon as they’re released (your system will likely inform you) to prevent errors or security issues.

Get a dependable smart home in Portland from Vivint

Looking for a dependable, simple-to-maintain smart home in Portland? Consult with the home security experts at Vivint. Featuring the latest in home automation and outdoor surveillance, we have the right system for your residence. Dial (503) 213-9485 right away to design your home’s security.