Would you like to live in a smart home? Have you thought about what that would look like? Maybe you envision robots bringing drinks to you in your recliner or having them clean your home. While that’s not quite what a smart home can do, it can help you in many ways. Here are 10 things you can do with a smart home that might make it fun to have one.
What Is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a house that is set up where you can control certain features from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Many people use their smartphones to control these items, which can include appliances, devices, outlets, entertainment gadgets, and security systems.
People often think of a wireless system, but a smart home can be hardwired as well. The system is connected to an app or program on the device, which you can use to control settings and make changes to how the item responds.
Smart homes can do much more than just turn the lights on or off. They can make your life easier by taking care of details you might forget or protecting your home when you’re away. Take advantage of the latest technology and learn about 10 more ways to benefit from this system that you may not have known about.
1. Automatic Shutdown
You may be aware that a smart home system allows you to change settings from anywhere. You can use your smartphone to turn on or off the lights, adjust the thermostat, or set the security alarm. But did you know that the system can do all this without your assistance just by recognizing you have left the house as it tracks your phone’s GPS? You can set a schedule ahead of time that does those tasks without assistance from you.
2. Unlock the Door for Guests
If you have guests coming for a visit who will arrive before you get home, just unlock the door from your smartphone. Let them come in and relax until you finish at the office and return home to greet them. Some smart locks offer multiple codes, which allows you to give a guest a temporary code while they are staying with you. It also lets you know who has entered your home.
3. Dim Your Lights
You may know that you can use your smartphone to turn on or off the lights in your house when you’re away. But did you know you can also have it dim the lights if you have a smart dimmer? Just ask the system to dim the lights by a certain percentage, such as 40% or 50%, or adjust it in the app.
4. Monitor Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
You may not think much about your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors as long as they don’t start beeping from a low battery. They do their job to alert you if there’s a fire or carbon monoxide present in the home. With a smart system, you can get these alerts even when you’re not at home or notifications if the battery gets low.
5. Secure Packages That Arrive
If you routinely get packages when you’re not at home, you may want to use a smart feature to keep them safe until you return. You can use an alert system to let you know when a delivery person comes to your house, and then remotely open the garage door for them to place the packages inside. Then, once they leave, you can close the door again. Just be aware that you may freak out the delivery driver the first time it happens!
6. Talk to Your Guests
With a video doorbell, you can see who is at your door. You can also use the two-way communication feature to talk to them. Let them know it’s okay to leave a package or give them a code to come in and wait until you arrive. Of course, they may disappear if they aren’t sure about the voice coming from the house.
7. Monitor the Kids
Install a camera outside where the kids like to play. Avoid the title of “helicopter parent” while keeping them safe and in your sight. If they are old enough to be at home when you’re gone, you can use the camera to check up on them and make sure they are safe (and doing their homework!).
8. Make Delicious Meals
If everyone has gotten tired of your eight-hour stew but you love the convenience of a slow cooker, you can use a smart plug to give you more options with your appliances for dinner. Set it to turn on the crock pot later if a recipe calls for a shorter cooking time than all day while you’re gone.
9. Turn Off Small Appliances
You left the house and are on your way to work when you realize you didn’t unplug the curling iron. If you’re running behind on a busy morning, you could forget to shut off a small appliance, making it a hazard in your home. A smart plug allows you to shut it off, potentially saving not just your home but also your sanity when you’re already at work before you realize you left it on.
10. Turn on the Lights
The sound of an alarm wakes you out of a sound sleep and starts your day off on the wrong foot. Set a smart plug to turn on a lamp before your alarm goes off to allow you to ease into your morning.
Bonus: Close the Garage Door
If you sometimes wonder if you remembered to close the garage door after you hurried out of the house, your smart home gives you a way to find out. Upgrade your garage door opener to a smart opener, which allows you to check on the door status or get notified if you forgot to close it. No need to turn around, since you can remotely close it with an app while you’re on your way to, or at, the office.
Consider adding one or more smart home devices to your property, but do your research and compare products to get the best fit for your lifestyle. Creating a smart home with new technology can add value with efficiency, comfort, and peace of mind.