Smart homes are growing in popularity thanks to the ease of installation and comfort that a lot of smart devices provide. It’s a trend that isn’t showing any signs of dying down thanks to technological improvements and the amount of exposure it’s getting in the property development market. New homes built in the past year most likely come with some kind of smart technology, be it lighting that can be controlled through a smartphone or a thermostat that adjusts to your personal settings. They usually add a lot of value to the home and can even cut down the costs of your utility bills.
There’s a common misconception that your house needs to be built with smart technology in mind in order to receive the benefits of smart home improvements. But that’s completely false, and with just an internet connection and wireless router, you can take advantage of smart home technology as soon as you receive it.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats have been around for a while. Some are single purchases that connect to your heating system. They can be controlled via your smartphone or a remote panel. Others are slightly more advanced zone control systems. Attaching to not just your heating, but also your air conditioning. This means they are complete climate control systems. Adjusting the temperature with a combination of both hot and cool air. These can get expensive and require your heating system to be built for it. However, it offers a complete solution for all your heating needs. Since zone control affects rooms on an individual basis, it can save money by switching itself off in rooms that are unoccupied.
Smart Security
Security systems generally involve an alarm and a camera. However, thanks to smart technology and the internet, we can view those camera feeds wherever we are. All you’ll need is access to the internet. You can get notifications whenever someone opens the door or rings the bell. In addition, you can get a video feed to show you who’s knocking. Some devices even let you open or close the door while you’re away. This feature is perfect for letting guests or family members in. Smart home monitoring is popular among parents that have to leave their children at home for work, and it’s a fantastic deterrent against burglars.
Smart Fitness
You’ll love the range of smart technology that can help you get fit and stay fit. Those of you who are health and fitness advocates will love it. It makes sense to also have an accompanying set of fitness machines and appliances that can assist you. There are many fitness apps available on your smartphone. For instance, there are smart digital scales that can record your progress. It will send your weight and other details to your phone. This can then be processed or saved to create a record. It will tell you how far you are from your target weight goals. Smart watches are another fitness addiction. They can help you keep track of your step count, heart rate, and motivate you to reach your fitness goals.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting has many different uses. For starters, it can be used to control lighting remotely. You can leave the lights on when you’re away to deter burglars. Or you can use it to automatically adjust lights as you enter or exit a room. This is perfect for people who want a more relaxed and automated way to control lights. Perfect if you want the lights to be automatically dimmed when it gets darker outside.
Smart Television
If you’ve been using the internet for browsing YouTube and other online video platforms then you’ll love a Smart TV. There’s so much content that it can be dizzying. Sitting at a computer isn’t as comforting as a sofa. Our electronic devices are usually smaller than our television screen. Enter the smart TV into the smart home. With a small device like Google Chromecast or an Amazon Fire, you can turn any television into a smart one. Capable of mirroring what’s on your phone, playing YouTube videos, browsing the internet and even playing games. It’s not quite as fast and responsive as plugging in a computer. However, it’s convenient, easy to use and a lot less expensive.
Smart Hub
A relatively new introduction to the smart home industry is the smart hub. These devices rely heavily on services like Amazon and they can be used in a variety of different ways. They’re typically used as voice activated hubs. They can do anything from order you pizza, buy essential supplies or even call an Uber. These home hubs can add new voice commands and capable of picking up sound in a wide range. Making it suitable to be placed even in large rooms.
In addition to commands that involve purchases, they can also be used to search Google, control other smart devices and play music based on your likes and dislikes.
Smart Fridge
A smart fridge seems like a funny purchase since your fridge is usually used to store food. Things like expiration dates, freshness indicators and temperature can be controlled using a smart fridge appliance. Smart fridges typically have built in cameras that are useful for checking what’s inside your fridge without opening it. They can also be accessed via a smartphone device. This feature is handy for when you’re out at the grocery store and you’re not sure what you need. Most people also use their fridge to attach photos, a schedule and other useful bits of information. A smart fridge has a huge display that acts like any other smart device. Providing you the ability to hang photographs, sync with your Google schedule and even order groceries.
Smart Vacuum
If you’re tired of cleaning up dirt or crumbs off the floor consider getting a smart vacuum cleaner. These little robots glide across the floor, automatically sucking up dirt and other random bits and pieces. They’re small enough to fit under most furniture, lightweight, and once they’re set, you don’t have to worry about them. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive and not designed to replace your regular vacuum cleaner. If you’re thinking about getting one and throwing out your vacuum, think again!
The forward thinking homeowner can take advantage of smart technology even in interior design.
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