Smart Home Features Appealing to Most Americans

Can I control at least one thing in my house without having to get out of bed?

Many of us have smart phones these days. Now it seems, most of us would like at least one smart home item that we could control from our devices without having to get out of bed, according to a new survey.

The idea of controlling things at home with the touch of our phones does sound appealing. No one really likes entering a dark home at night. And wouldn’t we all like the house to be just the right temperature before we arrive, too?

Security and Home Monitoring

This and other findings are from a recent Lowe’s 2014 Smart Home Survey. According to results of the survey, the majority of Americans are in favor of smart homes, with 62 percent finding them most beneficial for security and home monitoring.

As a general contractor and home builder in Ocala, we at Boutwell Contracting & Development like to share news of recent home surveys, studies and trends with our customers and readers of this blog. We know our customers love their homes and can appreciate the many features and conveniences that smart homes offer. Such modern features are part of the reasons many are choosing to build a new home rather than buy an existing home, as we discussed in a previous blog article.

Smart Home Features

Interestingly enough, the top three things that Americans would like to control before they get home are the same tasks that many of us forget to do when they leave the house:

• Turn off the lights (18 percent)
• Adjust the thermostat (15 percent)
• Lock the door (5 percent)

The benefit of owning a smart home, according to 40 percent, would be to save money on energy and bills. Indeed, we’ve written previously about how programmable thermostats can help save money on your electric bill.

Costs and Fees

Approximately 52 percent of the 2,000 U.S. adults surveyed said that having a smart home was at least somewhat important to them. When purchasing, the most important deciding factor for 56 percent were costs or fees, followed by ease of use and security. No one likes technology that is too complicated to use. In fact, 50 percent would prefer DIY solutions.

Control at Your Fingertips

Of those Americans who own a smart phone or tablet, 44 percent would like to adjust the thermostat before getting out of bed, followed by turning on the lights and turning on the coffee pot. This sounds perfect for those chilly winter mornings, doesn’t it? Likewise, 49 percent would like their home to be the perfect temperature when they arrive home.

“In general, Americans feel positively toward products that will make their homes safer, more energy efficient, and easier to manage,” said Kevin Meagher, Lowe’s vice president and general manager, in a press release. “It is added evidence that the smart home and Internet of Things are here to stay.”

What do you think about smart homes? What smart home features would you most like to see in your home? Read more at boutwellbuilt.com