5 Smart Home Benefits That Are More Than Novelty
Smart homes and the devices that enable them, have received a lot of buzz in the past few years, and some believe that’s really all these ‘gadgets’ have to offer: hype. And this doesn’t help the fact that many people see the transition to a smart home as unnecessary when their current things work fine.
But smart homes have more benefits than just being cool. In fact, smart home devices, when configured (and used) properly as a system, provide multiple benefits including savings, security, peace of mind, and convenience, which PwC reported as being perceived as the most impactful benefits of smart home technology.
Beyond the Novelty and Hype
The smart home domain does carry a lot of excitement, but here are 5 benefits that it offers that aren’t just about novelty.
1. Check on Your Home From Wherever, Whenever
A smart home system can make the home more secure by providing users with the context to understand what’s going on and why, all without being there. Your smartphone connects to your smart home devices through apps, meaning you’ll be able to check on your home from work or across the country, as long as you’re connected to the internet.
For example, the security capabilities in such a system can send you alerts when movement is detected, and if you find out it’s because your children have returned home from school, you can check in on them or even make adjustments to the thermostat so that the home will be comfortable for them. And if movement was detected but no one returned home, you can check the feed from your connected cameras through an app to ensure there was no intruder. Better yet, a smart security system can tell if an alarm was tripped falsely by knowing that movement was detected without any windows or doors being breached.
2. Save Money
Heating and air conditioning can account for half of your energy bill, meaning that using a legacy thermostat or one that lacks programming capabilities can turn out to be an expensive oversight. With smart thermostats, energy use is optimized through scheduling and sensing, by using energy when you need it and turning it off when you don’t. Since the use of smart technologies can also be subsidized or provided by your insurance company, savings can also be made from adjusted premiums and fair rates.
Other energy efficient smart home devices not only save you money on your electric bills, but also help the environment. Smart bulbs use less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs.
You can also use a connected security system to self monitor your home or reduce your dependence on an expensive multi-year contract for security monitoring. The Alana connected keypad is designed to take an existing wired security system in your home and transform it into the foundation for your smart home.
3. Increase Accessibility
Whether your hands are full or you’re out of the home, remote control and automation capabilities offered by many smart home products makes home activities a lot easier for everyone. Some smart home devices offer apps to access appliances through your smartphone, allowing you to prepare the home for yourself or your loved ones while being away.
Greater accessibility is great for convenience, but is also an important benefit for those who wish to have control over the home but may be limited by a disability. A growing number of smart home products can connect to voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, meaning changes in the home can be made with a simple voice command, called an “action” or “skill”. Those who have a smartphone will also be able to alter the home from an app, meaning they can turn off their lights, shut their automated blinds, control a smart outlet, turn off the TV, and activate the home security systems from the comfort of their seat.
4. Relax, Your Home’s Got It
Say you’re at a family party when the hose feeding water to your laundry machine begins to leak. If you have a leak detector located on the floor or a more sophisticated water flow analyzer in place, this event can be quickly detected such that you are promptly notified or a service professional is dispatched before any significant damage is done. Certain devices in your smart home can serve as a second set of eyes when you aren’t there to see for yourself.
Some smart devices can also learn from you to ensure your home is the way you like it. There are several smart thermostats on the market that are able to schedule and learn your patterns of behavior when you use them, so your home can be warmed (or cooled) according to your schedule or presence, that way no energy is wasted when you aren’t there. You can also make your smart devices work together for specific mood/event settings through a service called If Then, Then That (IFTTT) adding another layer of automation personalized to your needs. Smart home devices have the potential to do more by adapting the home to you, so you can spend more time taking it easy.
5. Safety & Damage Control On Your Terms
Another great feat of smart home devices is that smart sensors, locks, and cameras that inter-operate may be combined to create your own customized DIY security system. Best part? This can all be done without a long term commitment to a specific hardware manufacturer or pricey contract. Some products require a small fee to use their cloud storage for surveillance footage or automation capabilities, but other than that you now have greater flexibility to choose the model that works for you. You can also personalize the level of coverage your smart security system has, and you can also program its actions for different situations, say if it catches movement when no one is home, it can send you a notification or alert a designated contact.
Not only is safety optimized, but problems can be mitigated by a smart home before any real damage is made. Outfitting your home with smart smoke detectors and leak detectors can provide you advance notifications when something doesn’t look right. And if you’re unavailable contact a trusted contact or even a service professional as soon as possible.
Smart homes can offer much more than hype, not only is it cool to live in one, but they can offer real safety, comfort and convenience. Who would say no to that?
