Long gone are the days where smart homes were the stuff of science fiction. In recent years, smart technology has become more affordable and more accessible than it’s ever been before. Here are a few devices many homeowners are turning to in order to make their home lives more convenient, more secure, and more energy-efficient.
- Smart security— Remote locks, doorbell cameras, and remote garage door controls are just some of the smart security features that more and more homeowners are implementing to keep their property safe. Next time you ask yourself, “Did I lock the front door when I left?” you can simply use the phone app to check — and if you forgot, it’s quick and easy correction. But beware: Since you’re entrusting these devices with your home security, it’s imperative that you seek out the best in class. A weakness could leave your home vulnerable to a new kind of security breach.
- Smart thermostats— one of the most quickly adopted forms of smart home technology was the smart thermostat. These devices allow you to set routines and control your heating and air conditioning remotely, which makes them incredibly powerful tools for energy efficiency. For example, you can easily ensure that you aren’t heating or cooling an empty house, while also ensuring that the temperature will be comfortable when you do come home.
- Smart lighting— on the more affordable end of smart tech, you’ll find smart lights that can connect to an application on your phone, or even a smart assistant to enable voice control. This makes it easy to do things like time lights to make your home appear lived-in while you’re out of town, or attach lighting to an alarm clock, among other things. Many even have fun features like changing colors!
- Smart assistants— perhaps the most science fiction reminiscent of all the smart technology is the assistant. Devices like Google Home or Alexa are voice-activated and can provide the convenient control center for all your other smart devices, allowing you to use voice commands to lock the door or turn on the lights. Even if an assistant is your only smart device, they have a myriad of useful features, from playing music to walking you through a recipe to keeping your schedule and delivering reminders.
You don’t have to be a tech guru to reap the benefits of this increasingly attainable technology. Even the addition of one or two smart devices into your home could make a big difference in your day-to-day life — not to mention the boost certain technologies can give to your home value!
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