4 Reasons to Invest in Smart Home Technology

You’re at the store, and your fridge reminds you that the half-gallon of milk on the top shelf is about to expire. Lights come on as you step into a room and turn off as you leave. Your thermostat learns which rooms need temperature adjustments based on when they’re in use. And your sprinkler system waters your lawn, trees, and shrubs when they really need it.  

These conveniences aren’t out-of-reach possibilities from a sci-fi novel or a Hollywood movie. They’re normal, everyday benefits many of your neighbors are enjoying — at least those who have invested in smart home technology. With smart tech’s increasing capabilities and ROI, more homeowners and homebuyers are beginning to view it as a necessity. This article examines why you should start converting your home now rather than later.  

1. Save More on Utilities

Besides rising hazard insurance and property tax expenses, higher utility costs can start to consume more of your housing budget. Incremental increases from natural gas, electricity and water providers are a given. However, your bills can also go up because of undetected leaks, aging appliances, and insufficient insulation.

Energy waste also happens because someone forgets to turn off the lights or turn down the thermostat. If you’re asleep or not around to shut off the sprinklers when it’s raining, you’ve inadvertently wasted water. With smart home solutions, saving energy becomes automatic and something the technology manages according to your habits and environmental cues.

A programmable thermostat will help make your HVAC system run more efficiently. But a smart thermostat can cut 10% to 12% from your heating costs and 15% from your AC bills. This is because a smart thermostat learns when you’re asleep, at home, or away. It learns to lower or increase the indoor temperature based on your schedule and how you use your home. Plus, you can make adjustments from anywhere if the weather in your area suddenly changes.    

2. Detect Problems and Automate Repairs

The last thing anyone wants to discover is a leak in the yard or a busted pipe down in the basement. Problems like these can surprise homeowners because the ways they start often go undetected. It’s natural to not think about a home’s major working parts or check on them every day.

Smart sensors and monitoring tools keep an eye on things for you. If something doesn’t seem right with your furnace, you’ll get an alert through an app. It could require a simple fix, such as swapping out the filter or resetting the breaker switch.

But if there’s something more complex that needs attention, the monitoring tools will schedule an appointment with your HVAC technician. You won’t have to set reminders or wait for the company to return your messages. The tools can send diagnostic codes and a description of the problem so the tech can save time onsite.

3. Gain More Control Over Security and Safety

Between smart locks, cameras, and motion sensors, the technology behind smart homes can beef up your security. Whether you’re home or away, exterior cameras will capture activity around the perimeter of your home. You can look at the footage later and provide it to law enforcement if necessary. The footage also comes in handy if you need to verify that your kids got home safely during work hours.

Indoor cameras provide additional live images and ways of checking on your house. Got a pet at home that sometimes gets into trouble? You can use the camera to help address conditions like separation anxiety. You might also use other connected devices to let your pet hear your voice. You can remotely interact with Fido or Fluffy to calm them down and teach them they’re safe in your absence.  

Smart locks and motion sensors give homeowners added flexibility and theft prevention tools. Some delivery carriers have already taken advantage of smart home technology to help fight porch pirates. You can give a driver a separate, temporary access code through a smart lock. The driver uses the code to place the package in your home’s entryway or garage. Once they deliver the package, you can deactivate the code.

Homeowners also use smart lock codes to give dog walkers or guests one-time or recurring access. You’ll be able to configure those codes to work only during certain times or days of the week. And with motion sensors, you’ll be alerted to movement within and around your home. Some of these devices can also turn on exterior lights or make a noise to deter suspicious activities.

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4. Free Yourself From Repetitive Household Chores

You probably have a list of things you do around your house every day or each week. It could be checking the refrigerator for spoiled food or items you need to buy. You might start cooking dinner each evening at the same time before watching TV for a few hours. At dusk, you flip on the outdoor light switch and start getting ready for bed.

Smart home tech lets you automate many of the smaller chores and tasks you do. You can set up daily routines that sync smart devices through a hub or speaker. For instance, you could design a routine that includes turning on the oven and switching on the kitchen lights.

With some configuration, it’s possible to sync your outdoor lights, living room appliances, and hallway and bedroom lighting. Give a smart hub a voice command, and it’ll take care of turning on your porch lights. At the same time, your TV and living room lamps will switch off as the hallway and bedroom illuminate. You can focus on relaxing and enjoying your evening.

Smart home technology offers convenience through automation and 24/7 surveillance tools that see what humans can’t. Energy efficiency, appliance monitoring, heightened security, and time savings are the main reasons to embrace smart homes. With smart home tech, you’ll enhance the way your home works and the experiences you have living in it.