The One Smart Tech Step I Always Take Before Leaving Home on Vacation

One reason to love smart home technology is that it helps both when you’re at home and when you’re hundreds of miles away, thanks to app controls. That allows for welcome tricks like managing your door lock for a pet sitter, adjusting the thermostat while you’re on vacation and double-checking your security system.

But there’s one thing I do before all that. This step is necessary before I head out the door on any vacation, and it ensures everything else works. You need to do it too — and it only takes a slow walkthrough of your home with your phone in hand. Here’s what it’s so important. 

Read more: 9 Must-Do Security Checks When You’re Heading to a Vacation Rental

Open all your home apps to check connections and updates

a screenshot of the Aqara app showing cards for security cam views, lights, sensors and more.

Give your smart home devices a check to make sure they’re connected before you go.

Tyler Lacoma/CNET

It sounds simple,

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