How to set up a second home for remote monitoring

1. Start with water

Water leaks are one of the most frequent and expensive problems in an empty house: a pipe dripping for weeks can ruin floors, furniture and the neighbour's property.

• Flood sensors under the kitchen sink, in bathrooms, by the boiler and the washing machine.
• Solenoid valve on the water inlet: if a sensor detects water, it closes automatically.
• Phone alerts for you and a trusted person.

2. Temperature: the risk of freezing

In a mountain climate, an unheated house can reach temperatures that freeze pipes. The answer isn't heating the whole house, but keeping a minimum and getting an alert if the temperature drops below a threshold or the boiler stops.

3. Security: alarm and cameras

A professional alarm with an app, door/window and motion sensors, and a camera or two at the entrances let you know what's going on and verify an alert before calling anyone out. Presence simulation (lights and blinds) makes the house look less empty.

4. Keyless access

A code lock or keypad lets you give temporary codes to the cleaner or technician, and see exactly when they came in. With a video intercom, you can answer from your phone.

5. Power-cut and connectivity alerts

If the power goes, the fridge and heating stop. A sensor that reports the outage — and a backup mobile connection if internet is critical — ensures alerts keep coming through.

6. Get the house ready before you arrive

With home automation, the same infrastructure delivers comfort: turn the heating on a few hours ahead, open the blinds and have lights on as you arrive. It's the part owners value most once they have it.

Rule of thumb: detection first (water, temperature, smoke), then security, then comfort. All on top of a good network.

The connection is the foundation

Everything above depends on the house having internet and power. For a home that sits empty for weeks, we recommend:

• A UPS for the router, alarm and control equipment, to ride out brief cuts and alert you if the outage continues.
• A 4G/5G backup connection that takes over automatically if the fibre goes down.
• "Offline" alerts: a house that stops reporting is also a warning sign.

Who acts when an alert arrives

An alert is only useful if someone can do something about it. Before installing anything, decide:

• Who receives each alert: owner, relative, neighbour, maintenance company or property manager.
• Who has access to the property and how they get in, for example with a temporary code.
• What can be handled remotely, such as shutting off the water or turning up the heating, and what needs a visit.

What to check before closing up the house

• Heating in frost-protection mode and blinds in the position you want.
• Main water valve closed, or the solenoid valve in "away" mode.
• Alarm armed and sensor batteries in good condition.
• Outdoor cameras clean and recording.
• Temporary access codes disabled.

A "close up the house" scene does almost all of this with one button.

Where to start, depending on budget

1. The essentials: leak sensors with water shut-off, a temperature sensor and an alarm with an app.
2. The next step: heating control, outdoor cameras and a code lock.
3. The whole house: integrated automation with arrival and departure scenes, blinds, and monitoring with maintenance.

Privacy if the house is let or lent

If there are guests or tenants, indoor cameras must be switched off or removed, and they should be told about outdoor cameras and installed sensors.