Guide
Vivint for a Vacation Home: Monitoring an Empty House
Yes, Vivint works for a vacation home: the hub reports alarms over cellular with a 24-hour battery, a $50 water sensor warns of leaks and freezing temperatures, and cameras show the property from your main home. An empty house needs different settings from a lived-in one, mainly emergency contacts who can reach the property and a camera that covers the driveway. This guide covers why empty homes differ, the 6 devices, the settings, the cost, and the permit rules.
Updated by thevivint.com, an independent Vivint Authorized Dealer.
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Why an Empty Home Needs a Different Setup
An empty home differs in 3 ways: nobody notices a leak or a failed furnace for weeks, nobody can answer the monitoring centre's call at the property, and many cities require a contact who can reach the alarm site within 30 to 45 minutes when police ask.
The 6 Devices for a Second Home
The table lists the 6 devices worth having in an empty house, in order of how much damage each one prevents.
| Device | Price | Why it matters when nobody is there |
|---|---|---|
| Water sensor | $50 each | Leak and freeze alerts by the water heater and pipes |
| Smoke and CO detector | $100 | Fire dispatch without anyone home |
| Smart Hub Pro 2 | Included in packages | Cellular reporting and a 24-hour battery through outages |
| Outdoor Camera Pro | $399.99 | Driveway and door view; Smart Deter warns off loiterers |
| Element thermostat | $149.99 | Hold a safe minimum temperature and check it remotely |
| Smart lock | $180 | Codes for cleaners and contractors; every entry logged |
Settings to Change for an Empty House
Change these 4 settings before you leave.
Settings:
- Update the emergency contact list at account.vivint.com so a nearby neighbour or property manager is called first.
- Ask customer care to add a special instruction to the account, for example to call the property manager before dispatch.
- Set the water sensor's temperature alert to warn well above freezing.
- Turn on camera notifications for people only, so wind and animals do not flood your phone.
What It Costs
A second home costs the same as a first: monitoring from $24.99 a month on a 36-month agreement, $29.99 month to month when equipment is paid upfront, and $44.99 with cameras.
A typical vacation-home setup of HomeProtect plus 2 water sensors and an outdoor camera comes to about $699.98 in equipment. The pricing page has the full totals.
Permits and Keyholder Rules
Most cities require an alarm permit at the alarm address, not where you live, and several require a responder: Plano expects someone at the property within 30 minutes when police or fire ask, and San Jose within 45.
Check the city's rules on the service areas pages before installation day, and keep the permit renewal address current.
Frequently Asked Questions
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