Is Your Houston Home Smart Enough to Survive a Horror Movie?

It’s Halloween night, and you’ve decided to stay in to binge-watch The Haunting of Hill House… or maybe rewatch American Horror Story. And then you hear footsteps on the stairs. You brush it off as your brother playing a Halloween prank, and then you decide to confront him… only to find that he’s not your brother but Ghost Face from Scream!

Okay, obviously, your Halloween night isn’t going to find you trapped inside the latest installment of the Scream franchise. But since the spooky season is just around the corner, it may be worth asking yourself: Is your Houston smart home system strong enough to survive a horror movie plot? 

Classic Horror Tropes That Can Mean Doom in a Horror Movie

You’ve invested in the best smart devices to secure your home in Houston, and you don’t think you missed anything… But are you sure?

Here are some things you may have missed:

No Power Backup

You know how, in almost every horror movie, things begin to go downhill as soon as the lights go out? Well, you may very well find yourself in a similar situation – thanks to the Houston storms, especially during hurricane season.

The “Locked” Door

Not checking the lock on the door is another one of the gravest mistakes you can make. When you’re deep into your routine, busy with the chores at home, locking the door can sometimes just slip off your mind.

Not Taking “Dying Phones” into the Equation

If we’re talking about how a horror movie plot can unfold in real life, how can we forget the most recurring scene in every script – phones dying at the worst possible time?

Stepping Out to Investigate the Creepy Sound

You become the flaw in the system yourself when you decide to be that “doomed” character from a horror movie, stepping out of your home to find the source of the creepy sound.

The Internet Goes “Poof”

Internet outages in Houston are pretty common in the hurricane season. And that can easily lead to a failed home security system.

Halloween-Proofing Your Home

Now that you know how your home security can go wrong, here are some helpful Houston home security tips that can Halloween-proof your home.

Always Plan a Backup

The risk of storms and high winds is highest from September to November. Therefore, power and internet outages are to be expected. Take this as an opportunity to establish a backup plan. You can get separate routers for your smart devices, and for a significantly better experience, consider investing in a generator that can power your entire house.

Another backup in this case is mobile internet. You can establish a wireless connection, allowing you to stay connected even during power or internet outages.

It’s High Time You Install Smart Locks

How many times have you jumped into your bed to sleep after a long day, only to get woken up by the thought: Did I lock the door? Lost count of it? Well, you’re not alone. When you have traditional, old-school locks installed in your home, this constant fear of not locking the door will eat away at your peace.

The remedy? Switch to smart locks. These locks are reliable, as they send real-time notifications if a door or a window is unlocked. And you don’t even have to get up from the comfort of your room to check if it’s locked or not; you can do that remotely using your phone.

Don’t Forget the Obvious: Keep Your Devices Charged

To ensure that your phone’s battery doesn’t die when you need to use it, consider investing in smart charging hubs and portable power banks. This can really make all the difference during a spine-tingling situation.

Don’t Be an Easy Victim, Let Smart Cameras Investigate

Skip the “victim move” of walking outside. Motion-sensor cameras, floodlights, and doorbell cams let you check suspicious noises from your phone, without ever leaving your couch.

Be the smart one from the group and let your smart devices handle things for you. Prioritize your safety every time.

Consider Choosing the Best Internet in Houston

The foundation of every Houston smart home system is a reliable and stable internet. Therefore, you need to consider different internet plans and providers so that when you find yourself in a real-life horror movie, your smart security system does not ditch you.

At minimum, try for a fiber-optic connection and pair it up with a backup such as 5G or fixed wireless. There should be no data caps, as they kill your ability to stay online when every device tries to do its thing. Check reviews or outage maps. Some internet providers rebound faster after storms than others. And make sure, whoever you choose, that they have decent upload speeds and low latency. 

Learn From Your Favorite Horror Movies and Don’t Act Like the Victim

In horror movies, it’s usually the careless ones who don’t make it to the end credits. The same goes for your Houston home. Without a power backup, reliable internet, or smart security in place, your house is basically auditioning for the role of “easy target.”

The good news? You don’t have to let that happen. Get in touch with SmarterHome.ai today to strengthen your Houston smart home system. Our expert agents will help you compare Houston’s best fiber internet providers with wireless backup options, find the most reliable smart home security systems tailored to your neighborhood, and equip your home so it’s storm-proof, outage-ready, and Halloween-proof.