Lowe’s to offer professional monitoring for its Iris DIY solution

Home improvement giant Lowe’s this week announced that it will soon begin offering professional monitoring services for its do-it-yourself Iris smart home solution. According to a statement, the company has partnered with United Central Control to offer the new service.

Iris customers, who are either homeowners or renters, will now have the ability for emergency responders to be dispatched to their homes in the event of an intrusion, smoke, carbon monoxide or panic alarm being tripped for an all-inclusive, month-to-month fee with no long-term contract required.

"Many of our customers have been interested in the added peace of mind of 24/7 protection with live professionals available to help if problems occur, but only if it was as affordable and flexible as Iris is today," said Mick Koster, vice president and general manager of Iris Home Systems.  "By providing customers with Iris’ easy-to-install, wireless DIY system combined with professional monitoring capabilities they can trust and afford, we are offering the most all-inclusive smart home solution available at the best value for both homeowners and renters alike.”

Lowe’s said customers in select markets and where licensing allows will be able to take full advantage of professional monitoring for their Iris system for only $19.99 per month starting in Q2 2016. This new service includes the Iris Premium Service, offering advanced ways to monitor and control the home, including notifications and calls to family and friends in the event of an alarm. Also included with Iris’ professional monitoring service is the Iris cellular backup service, which provides connection when homeowners’ broadband or Wi-Fi goes down. An additional purchase of a cellular modem is required to enable cellular functionality.

Customers will be able to choose from a simple line-up of Iris services that includes the Iris Basic Service for free, Iris Premium for $9.99, or the all-inclusive Iris professional monitored service for $19.99 per month with the ability to change their plan at any time as their needs change.

"We are pleased Lowe’s chose us to be their Central Monitoring Station partner," said Teresa Gonzalez, president of UCC. "The DIY professional monitoring space is a new market and one we believe will continue to grow. UCC continues to be at the forefront of innovation within the professional monitoring industry. By partnering with a dynamic smart home market-leader in Iris, we are helping to grow the number of customers who can now take advantage of the benefits of a traditional alarm system coupled together with a smart home."

The new service will support the primary Iris security and safety devices already available for sale today with additional devices as they are added to the Works with Iris program. Current devices that will be monitored include:  Iris contact sensors, Iris motion sensors, Iris keypads, Utilitech glass break sensors, Iris garage door controllers, First Alert smoke detectors, and First Alert smoke/CO detectors.  A minimum of two monitored security devices will be required to help reduce false alarms and an Iris by Lowe’s smart hub must be installed to support functionality.  A new customer can simply buy the Iris Security Pack($99.99) and Iris Smart Hub ($59.99), and then be up and running with a professional monitored security solution that they can take with them as they move from apartment to apartment or into a new home, as licensing allows.