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By now, you’ve probably heard of home automation. You might wonder what the big deal is or what it can do for you. Other than making aspects of home life more convenient, it can also bring your insurance premiums down because of the efficiency and safety of smart technology. Here are a few pieces of smart technology to consider adding to your home.
Homeowners can add smart locks to just about any home. They’re typically easy to retrofit, set up and familiarize yourself with. If not, most come with some form of customer service to help walk you through your installation and use of your new lock system.
These locks add extra security and convenience in how they’re monitored and work. Should you need to grant someone access, you can either do so via app or give them the code. Many homeowners also use them with other video services, such as security cameras, video doorbells and monitoring services to give a full grasp of what’s going on just outside of the home.
Stymied by window treatments? Opt for a smart version. They add more than convenience and sleek style to your new home’s design. They also improve the energy efficiency of the windows, which is hands-down one of the biggest areas of thermal transfer in the house. Choose from a variety of styles that effectively insulate against heat transfer. The wire-free shades open and close ultra-quietly, and all you need to control them is a smartphone/tablet and an internet connection.
These thermostats “learn” your home’s tendencies and rhythms, adjusting your thermostat accordingly. They can save users an average of 15% on cooling bills and 12% on heating bills. Most have user-friendly designs available in a variety of finishes to suit different aesthetic sensibilities.
Even light bulbs are getting smarter these days. They can feature a variety of styles and sizes you can automate or wirelessly control from your smartphone or tablet. Choose from tunable lights that allow you to adjust the warmth or coolness of your light temperature or full-spectrum lights that set the mood in just about any color. You can even choose dimmable, soft, white lights. LED lights usually last longer than your run-of-the-mill light bulb, too, which can save you even more in the long run.
Outdoor switches are pretty straightforward devices that can help automate and transform your outdoor lighting system. These usually come equipped with a waterproof outdoor outlet you control via smartphone, which also allows you to set schedules for your outdoor lighting.
For many homeowners, the ability to automate and streamline everyday processes frees up valuable time and mental space for bigger-picture priorities. Which smart features will you incorporate in your new home’s design?