Intelligent Monitoring for Vacation Homes: Preventing Disasters

As a seasoned IT professional and vacation home owner, I deeply understand the need for intelligent monitoring for vacation homes. Ensuring the safety and comfort of our vacation home, especially when it’s unoccupied, is crucial. Monitoring temperature, humidity, and power plays a vital role in preventing disasters like frozen pipes.

I have been using the Temp Stick by Ideal Sciences for years and have become a big fan.

1. In our vacation home it provides peace of mind when we are not there. I use it to monitor temperature and humidity in conjunction with a smart thermostat.
   
   
2. In our primary home it provides peace of mind when we are travelling during cold Michigan winters. Similar to our vacation home, I monitor temperature and humidity.
   
   
3. In data centers when I was the IT manager for a global software development company – Heat is the enemy of electronic equipment. I monitored the “top of rack” temperature in each row of equipment.
   
   
4. In addition, my wife is the director of clinical research for a large dermatology group and they need to monitor the temperature of the cabinets that store the drugs used in clinical trials. They also need a record of the temperatures so the ability to schedule weekly and month reports is perfect in the event of an audit by one of the pharmaceutical companies.
   
   While it has limited use for a vacation home, the recently introduced Temp Stick +Pro is also worth mentioning. It has all the feature of the Temp Stick +Power plus a wired probe that can measure from (-328°F to 500°F). For my wife, its perfect for the drugs that require below 0°F refrigeration.

However, the recently introduced Temp Stick +Power model caught my eye. It monitors temperature, humidity, and power and sends alerts based on custom thresholds. This feature is particularly crucial in areas prone to frequent power failures.

So, I upgraded my original Temp Stick at our primary home to the Temp Stick +Power. At our vacation home, we experience frequent power failures so we have an automatic whole house generator. My original Temp Stick which only monitors temperature and humidity is fine for this location.

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Why Choose Intelligent Monitoring for Vacation Homes

Intelligent monitoring systems like the Temp Stick by Ideal Sciences are not just for vacation homes but also for second homes, cottages, cabins, and even primary residences. These systems are crucial for ensuring the safety and comfort of your property, especially when it’s unoccupied. Monitoring temperature, humidity, and power, they alert you to potential issues before they escalate into disasters.

Why Did I Choose Temp Stick +Power?

The Temp Stick +Power is more than just a temperature, humidity, and power monitoring device—it’s a 7/24 watchdog ready to alert you at the first sign of trouble at your vacation home. Here is why I confidently use it and recommend it:

1. The Benefits of Temperature and Humidity Monitoring: Monitoring air temperature and humidity levels in your vacation home is vital. The Temp Stick +Power, offers a range of -40°F to 140°F for temperature and 0 to 100% for humidity, ensuring comprehensive coverage of environmental conditions.
   
   Alerts are sent if the temperature or humidity is too high or too low.
   
   
2. Power Outage Alerts: Stay informed about power outages and recoveries. This feature is crucial in areas prone to frequent power failures.
   
3. Customize Alerts via Text, App, or Email for Maximum Protection: Customize how you receive alerts, whether through text, app notifications, or emails and who to send them to (Up to 10 users).
   
   You can set up multi-stage alerts to escalate issues to higher levels if the problem worsens, ensuring timely action.
   
   
4. Customize Alert Messages: Text and email alert messages can contain any mix of pre-written text and sensor data. Maximum message length is 140 characters.
   
   
5. Data Logging and Offline Storage: Keeping Records: The Temp Stick +Power logs unlimited history of temperature, humidity, and dewpoint, providing valuable insights over time. It also stores up to 1,000 offline readings, ensuring no data is lost during internet outages.
   
   Reporting can be viewed in the portal or you can download the history to a CSV file for further analysis.
   
   
6. Alert History Log: Keeps a 3-month history of your triggered alerts which can be viewed at any time via the phone app or web portal.
   
   
7. Automated Reports:  Schedule temperature and humidity reports to be send by email: daily, weekly, or monthly.
   
   
8. WIFI Connected: Seamlessly connect to your home router/modem or a portable WIFI hotspot for uninterrupted monitoring. A backup WIFI network can be added for enhanced reliability and peace-of-mind.
   
   
9. WIFI Connection Information: View your signal strength and average connection time for your Temp Stick sensors. 
   
   
10. Connection Alerts: Receive an alert if the sensor is not reachable indicating a potential internet outage. Another alert will be sent when the connection is back online.
    
    
11. Remote Access and Shared User Functionality: Stay connected wherever you are, accessing the device remotely through a web portal or smartphone application.
    
    Share access with others, granting them view-only or admin permissions and track all access and change activity in the Account History log.
    
    
12. Runs on AC and/or 2x AA Batteries: Enjoy the flexibility of AC power with automatic battery switchover during power outages, ensuring continuous monitoring.
    
    
13. Long Battery Life: 1-2 years of service before needing to change batteries and it will send you an alert when it’s time to change them. View the charge level at any time via the phone app or web portal.
    
    
14. Small and Easy to Mount: The physical dimensions are only 3.5″ x 1.25″ x 1.375″ and there are several installation options:
    • Its square and can sit almost anywhere and comes in white or black to blend into your décor.
    • It includes a lanyard if you wish to hang it.
    • It can be mounted on a wall with the provided command strip.
    • The Temp Stick +Power also includes a flexible mount that can be attached with screws and anchors. Keep in mind that it needs to be located near a power outlet.

15. Over the Air Updates:  Your Temp Stick will automatically stay up-to-date with latest features.
    
    
16. Alexa, IFTTT & Public API Support: Enable the Temp Stick skill on Alexa to get the current readings on your Temp Stick by asking. For example:
    • “Alexa, open Temp Stick”
    • “Alexa, list my sensors”
      • Alexa will respond: “You have 2 sensors, Cottage and Home”
    • “Alexa, What’s Cottage last reading”
      • Alexa will respond: Cottage last reading was xx degrees Fahrenheit and xx % humidity, xx minutes ago”
        

17. No Fees or Subscriptions: Enjoy reliable monitoring without the worry of additional fees or subscriptions.
    
    
    
18. And best of all: Its proudly made and supported in America!
    

Here is a screenshot of my Dashboard in the Temp Stick web portal:

I chose to display the last 3 months but there is a wide range of options. Since unlimited history is kept you can use the custom date range to display the entire year if you want.

The temperature spike shown in November is because we were there for the weekend. Otherwise, you can see that I keep our vacation home at 50 degrees in the winter months.

Here is a screenshot of my Dashboard in the phone app. It has all of the same functionality and information, just laid out differently.

Temp Stick +Power Specifications:

Comparing Temp Stick +Power with Other Devices: To highlight why I chose the Temp Stick +Power for our vacation home I compared the key features to other temperature, humidity, and power monitors available in the market. I selected what I believe are the best of breed products by connection type to cover all options that a vacation home owner might have or need: Broadband internet, cellular, and dialup via a landline.    

My goal is always to provide the most information in a way that allows readers to quickly scan and compare the key features across multiple products.  I find that using a comprehensive side-by-side chart allows easy identification of similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantage.

The chart packs a lot of information into a small space, making it somewhat challenging to read. For easier viewing, you can enlarge this PDF version:

Vacation Home Monitoring Products Key Features Side-by-Side at a Glance

I hope this saves you hours of internet searching. It should streamline finding the best temperature, humidity, and power monitor for your vacation home more easily.

Vacation Home Monitoring Products Key Features Side-by-Side at a Glance:

The Cost of Not Monitoring Your Home: The risk and cost of not monitoring second / vacation homes can be significant, especially considering these properties are often unoccupied for extended periods. Unintended extreme temperatures and humidity inside the home can cause significant damage. Consider these insurance statistics on water damage and freezing. Keep in mind that these statistics include all homes, primary and secondary / vacation homes. It shows that an average of 22.98% of losses were related to “water damage and freezing”.

If you specifically consider vacation homes, second homes, cottages, and cabins that remain unoccupied for extended periods, the percentage of issues likely increases significantly. This is often because problems go unnoticed for quite some time. It could go on for days or weeks while the extent of the damages continue to mount until you arrive for a relaxing weekend and find a disaster.  

And the following chart shows the average $ loss related to “water damage and freezing” is $12,514. Much of this could be caused by frozen pipes breaking and flooding the inside of the home. Considering the cost of a Temp Stick +Power is less than $200 I can’t imagine why everyone doesn’t have intelligent monitoring. I suspect most home owners don’t know that it exists.

Source: Insurance Information Institute

Furnaces and air conditioning systems are mechanical devices. It’s never a question of if they will fail, but when they will fail. The reality is that as furnaces age, their efficiency tends to decline, and the likelihood of malfunctions increases. Failures often happen unexpectedly during temperature extremes when they are running a lot, resulting in discomfort and, in some instances, significant damage in regions with extreme cold winters or hot summers.

As an IT manager I often proposed solutions based on a “good, better, best” approach.
A good solution for intelligent temperature and humidity monitoring is the Temp Stick +Power device. A better solution integrates it with a smart thermostat. The best solution includes security cameras for visual monitoring of both the interior and exterior, providing an extra layer of protection.

A well-placed camera in the basement or mechanical room where you can see and hear the furnace running or signs of water leaking is very helpful. The cameras that I use have night vision and two-way audio.  Security cameras are also very helpful if I need to let a HVAC contractor in to address a problem while I’m away. I can “virtually” be there with them.    

Conclusion: The Importance of Intelligent Monitoring for Vacation Homes

Investing in a reliable monitoring device like the Temp Stick +Power is essential for protecting your vacation home and avoiding costly repairs. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about ensuring the best protection for your property, whether it’s a vacation home, a second home, a cottage, or a cabin.

Your top choice may depend on the type of connectivity available at your vacation home. If broadband internet is not available or if you desire redundancy, you may opt for a cellular or landline solution.

For more insights on different connectivity options, see Choosing the Best Connectivity Option for Your Vacation Home

Don’t leave your vacation home’s safety to chance. Invest in a temperature, humidity, and power monitoring and alerting device today to avoid costly repairs and experience more peace of mind.

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