Tech Made Simple

Hot Topics: How to Fix Bluetooth Pairing Problems | Complete Guide to Facebook Privacy | How to Block Spam Calls | Snapchat Symbol Meaning

We may earn commissions when you buy from links on our site. Why you can trust us.

author photo

Turn Alexa into a Free House Sitter

by Suzanne Kantra on May 18, 2019

According to the Consumer Technology Association, 31% of U.S. homes now have a smart speaker, up from just 8% three years ago. It's not surprising given how useful a smart speaker can become in everyday life. And, it's a technology that everyone can access, including the very young and very old. Amazon is now making its Alexa-enable Echo devices (starting at $49.99 on Amazon) even more useful with Alexa Guard, a home monitoring skill that will let you know if something goes awry while you're away from home.

When you enable the Alexa Guard skill on your Echo device, it will start listening for smoke and CO detector alarms and the sound of breaking glass. If Alexa thinks there has been an incident, you'll get a notification on your phone. And if you have a video-enable Echo — an Echo Spot ($129.99), Echo Show ($229.99) — you can access the camera on your device to see what's going on.

The Alexa Guard skill serves as more than just a house sitter, though, if you have other smart home devices. If you have Philips Hue smart bulbs ($69.99, check price on Amazon), the Guard skill will make it look like people are home, switching lights on and off. And if you have a Ring Alarm ($199 for a 5-piece kit) or ADT security system (currently starting at $249 plus a $58 per month monitoring fee), you can arm the system by telling Alexa you're leaving. Both Ring Alarm, if you pay for the optional Ring Protect Plus monitoring service,  and ADT can also receive notifications and audio of the event when your fire/CO detector goes off or glass breaks and dispatch emergency services to your home when warranted.

[Image credit: Amazon]


Topics

Home Safety & Security, News, Health and Home, Blog


Discussion loading

Home | About | Meet the Team | Contact Us
Media Kit | Newsletter Sponsorships | Licensing & Permissions
Accessibility Statement
Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookie Policy

Techlicious participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which provide a small commission from some, but not all, of the "click-thru to buy" links contained in our articles. These click-thru links are determined after the article has been written, based on price and product availability — the commissions do not impact our choice of recommended product, nor the price you pay. When you use these links, you help support our ongoing editorial mission to provide you with the best product recommendations.

© Techlicious LLC.