Converting your home into a smart home can save you time and money. Want to learn more about the benefits of a smart home?
Smart homes have become very popular recently thanks to technological advancements. If you’re not familiar with the concept of a smart home, think of The Jetsons. Although the technology isn’t very advanced yet, your home could soon be doing your laundry for you. Converting your home into a smart home can benefit you and your wallet in many other ways, so it’s worth considering your options.
1) Lower Your Utility Bills
The most important thing any homeowner wants is to have low utility bills. The main culprits are high-consumption appliances, lighting, and, of course, heating and cooling. However, with smart home devices like the EcoBee4 and the Nest smart thermostat, you can start saving money.
The EcoBee4 makes it easy to use electricity more efficiently. It’s a smart thermostat that has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and countless other publications as a truly smart device.
With this information,
the device knows when to raise and lower the temperature. So if you’re not in the room, the thermostat will alert you to turn off the heat. It also learns your typical sleep schedule to adjust the temperature accordingly, saving you money. Unlike other smart thermostats, the EcoBee4 also has Amazon Alexa voice control, so you can listen to the news, check the weather, and even order groceries. You can also ask it to play music or remind you to take dinner out of the oven.
Another extremely
very popular smart thermostat is the Nest Learning Thermostat. It has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can control the temperature in your home from anywhere. Have you ever left the house and forgotten to turn down the heat or air conditioner, or weren’t sure if it was on or off? The Nest device takes all of that worry away. Simply open the Nest app on your phone or tablet to check or change the temperature in your home.
Nest also
also offers a slightly more affordable option with fewer features, making it accessible to almost anyone who wants to start saving on their energy bills. The ability to control the temperature in your home is great, of course, but the best part is that these devices can save you up to 23% annually on your heating and cooling costs. Another reason to choose this option is that they are easy to install, have a sleek design, and are Energy Star certified, which means they are environmentally friendly.
2) Secure Your House
Smart devices can also help you feel safer, more alert, and better informed. There are high-end security cameras like the Netgear Arlo Pro. The company offers a range of smart home security products that provide peace of mind for its customers anytime, anywhere.
All of their products are wireless, waterproof, cloud-based, and allow you to view live and recorded video at any time. Arlo Pro is an easy-to-install and easy-to-use outdoor security camera system with exceptional video quality and many other useful features to keep you and your family safe. It’s weatherproof, has a 130° wide-angle camera, and night vision that automatically activates at dusk. The camera can be fully controlled from your phone, allowing you to view recordings, talk to it, and set an alarm.
Those looking for a smart security product will also appreciate the August Smart Lock Pro, August’s latest product that lets you control your door from anywhere. The Advanced Lock lets you lock and unlock your door, enter it without a key, and see who’s coming and going—all from your phone. The device’s hardware is discreetly installed inside the door, so external hardware remains unobtrusive. You can use your key or opt for keyless entry at any time. The Smart Lock Pro also integrates seamlessly with other smart home devices like Nest, as well as voice services like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
3) A 24/7 Personal Assistant
that’s available 24/7. Of course, it’s impossible to talk about a smart home without thinking about a personal assistant. It’s a classic futuristic image: you can go about your day talking to a capable, floating robot that’s ready to do whatever you want. While we’re not quite there yet, we’re getting close with the Amazon Echo. The Amazon Echo is a cylindrical device that acts as a voice-controlled smart assistant. You can talk to it, and Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, will respond. You can ask Alexa to read you a recipe, give you train schedules or sports scores, or pretty much anything else. Since the Echo, the Amazon Echo Dot and the Amazon Echo Show have been released, both with touchscreens.
4) Be In Control At All Times
Having a smart home also gives you control. You can control the temperature of your home and the lock on your front door, but did you know that you can also control your lights? The Philips Hue lighting system is an advanced smart lighting system that no smart home would be complete without. The lights are available in white or colored colors, and thanks to their geolocation technology:
you can control
them remotely from your phone or tablet. This way, you can turn off your home’s lights when you’re not using them to save energy. You can also turn them on when you’re away to scare off potential burglars and make them think you’re home. If you’re looking for a simpler smart lighting system than Philips Hue, try the Lutron Caseta wireless bridge, which lets you control your lights, shades, and temperature via an app. To keep all your smart devices connected, use Samsung SmartThings. This kit connects to any smart device and lets you easily control and monitor it.
Smart Home, Smart Choice
The benefits of turning your home into a smart home are countless. From saving money on heating and cooling bills and increasing security with keyless locks and security cameras to letting a personal assistant take care of your everyday tasks, a smart home is definitely a smart choice.
