Safety of Cabins

Cabin safety is a concern – remote monitoring protects the property and assets

The possibility of break-ins is a worry for owners of recreational properties everywhere. Similarly, securing one's home is advisable during longer stays at the cabin. Technology and neighbor assistance allow for remote monitoring, but it is first essential to understand reliability and legislation.

Camera surveillance is limited by data protection laws

Due to the update of the data protection law, camera surveillance must be indicated with stickers or signs. Distinct notice must also be given for recording camera surveillance. This measure can help prevent mischief by uninvited guests at the recreational property or home, but proper monitoring should still be established.

The property owner has the right to decide on camera surveillance, but the camera must be directed such that it does not capture images from the neighbor's yard or the public street. Laws and regulations regarding home privacy also apply to recreational properties, so the rights for ensuring cabin safety are the same as those for single-family home owners.

How to ensure adequacy and legality of monitoring?

"There must be good reasons for capturing images outdoors, such as protecting property, and this must be notified separately. Capturing images indoors, i.e., within the home privacy boundary, is unambiguously allowed," says Janne Mäkinen, Category Manager at Euronics Finland. As an expert in the Data & Tele product categories, he is also very familiar with various surveillance devices.

When it comes to surveillance cameras, it is essential to thoroughly understand the intended use and need. "At home, the camera can easily connect wirelessly to a WLAN router, but for example at a cabin, a better solution might be a device with its own data connection.

Also, devices that activate from the store, are remotely controlled, and save to cloud services are overall smarter than trail cameras that save to memory cards. For a memory card or the entire camera can easily be disposed of if someone happens to notice it, and the owner may be unaware until damage has already occurred," he summarizes.

Home security is more than just camera surveillance

"Indeed, the demand for surveillance devices, but also other smart home devices has recently increased as people want to secure their assets while traveling," Mäkinen discusses the latest trends in products.

However, alarm and monitoring systems are just one part of a comprehensive home safety setup. "Temperature-activated sensors and leak detectors for household appliances are equally important safety devices that can prevent significant material damage. Best of all, these devices can be managed remotely via phones and tablets, and they also send alerts immediately upon detecting problems," Mäkinen describes the totality of smart home security.

Smart homes contain a plethora of IoT devices, such as smart lighting, smart locks, or even robotic vacuums. "With remotely controlled lighting, you can create the illusion that the household is at home, even if in reality, they may be lying on a sunny beach in Spain," Mäkinen discusses solutions that enhance home security and help prevent, for example, burglary attempts. "In fact, there are even smart curtain rods available nowadays that allow curtains to be opened and closed programmatically," he adds.

A new frontier in securing the home

Despite leak detectors, sensors, and camera surveillance, many remain unaware of the growing need for cybersecurity brought by technology. Internet connections are also requiring more bandwidth than ever as dozens of devices are connected to the router. "Old WLAN routers are not only prone to clogging the bandwidth as the number of connected devices increases, but they also have outdated cybersecurity," Category Manager Mäkinen explains.

Refrigerators, robotic vacuums, and cameras do not have their own firewall or security, which shifts the responsibility to the router. For example, the F-Secure Sense router is designed to protect the entire home network from hackers. And don’t forget the primary control device for the smart home – the smartphone or tablet. Improvements to their security are also available, for instance, from the F-Secure range. "If the home and its assets are cared for, it would seem downright ridiculous to neglect the security of the security devices and one’s privacy," Mäkinen concludes.

Euronics offers plenty of solutions to enhance the safety of smart homes and recreational properties. Upgrading old devices to newer ones is also part of safe living, so be sure to modernize the equipment at the summer cottage and incorporate it into the smart overall system!

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