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The advances in technology are allowing more of us to make our homes smarter, which makes them easier to live in, safer, and more efficient. Want to make a smart home where you live? Then try these smart home tips!
Start With Voice Control
There’s been a tremendous amount of improvements in voice control devices in the home; those IT pros in software development and artificial intelligence have programmed smart speakers such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you the most control ever.
Amazon offers a tremendous amount of flexibility with its many Echo speakers at various price points. Google also offers some very nice Nest speakers, and if you like Apple, you can go for the HomePod Mini.
You can connect all of your smart home gadgets to any of these speakers and just speak the correct commands to trigger various actions. For example, you can install smart lights around the home and tell Alexa to shut them all off automatically at 9 pm.
Use A Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat allows you to control the AC and heat from your mobile device and will adjust the temperature automatically during the day. Some smart thermostats have room sensors that give you the most uniform temperature control possible in your home.
Smart thermostats are quite easy to install; you just need to fiddle with a few low-voltage wires to hook it up.
Use Smart Sprinklers
Do you want to keep your grass, flowers, and bushes watered during the hot summer months? This can be difficult in hot climates, but with a smart sprinkler system, it’s simple to adjust your watering schedule with your smartphone.
The sensors will figure out if it’s raining and will hold off from watering. This can save you a lot on your water bill and wastes less water.
Set Up Smart Security Cameras
There are smart security cameras available that are wireless and offer 24/7 monitoring and protection for your family and home. If you use smart cameras, you can set them to only activate when they detect motion at night.
The fact that they only turn on when there is motion detected will save on electricity or battery power. Also, the cameras only record video when something moves, so it saves memory, too.
Try Smart Plugs
Don’t assume you have to replace all of the devices in your home with smart ones to enjoy the advantages of a smart home. You can purchase smart plugs to transform old-fashioned ‘dumb’ devices such as coffee makers and lamps into smart products that you can manage with your cell phone.
Also, you can plug lights into smart plugs so you can tell them by voice command to turn off when you go to bed. Some of these plugs also take voice commands and can tell you how much electricity you use in a certain period.
Plan Ahead If You’re Remodeling
If you are building a home or remodeling your current one, think about wiring that you may want to install. You may think you don’t want to bother to pre-wire for speakers in your great room, but it doesn’t cost much extra during construction to run those wires. It will cost you a lot more to run the wires later after the walls are completed.
Many Americans want to have a smart home these days but might think that it’s hard to do in an older home. The fact is that you can do a lot to make your home smarter without breaking the bank. Try some of these products and tips and you’ll really enjoy how much smarter your home is.
