Smart technology seems like it’s getting even better every single day. That means there are always new opportunities to use it in your home. If you already have a smart home, make the most of it by using it as much as possible. If you don’t have a smart home yet, you may decide to change that once you realize just how useful it can be. Here are ten of our favorite ways to improve your life with home automation.
Lock the Doors
There’s a horrible feeling when you get to work and then remember that you didn’t lock the front door on your way out. Or maybe you’re out of town, but someone needs to get into your house to check on something. In either case, smart home technology can save the day. Lock or unlock your doors from anywhere by adding accessories that can engage or undo the deadbolt on any door in your house. This is especially awesome if you need to have a contractor work on something in your home while you’re away– don’t worry about the security risk of copying your key when you can let someone in with smart home technology.
Alerts About Almost Anything
When you have your whole place set up with home automation, there’s very little need to worry about anything. Simply set up various alerts, then live your life with greater peace of mind that everything is going as planned unless you hear otherwise. You can set up alerts for all of the following once you’ve connected the required components with your smart home technology:
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A door is open, whether it be the front door, refrigerator door, the door to the gun safe, or any other.
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The smoke detector has gone off.
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The temperature of your home has gotten too high or too low based on the desired range you set.
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Water is leaking.
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The lights are on.
Just put sensors in the parts of your home that you’re most likely to worry about, then set up all the alerts you want. You can find sensors that connect with your home’s WiFi, then check on them anywhere else that you have internet service. It’s surprisingly simple to set up, and the payoff is enormous.
Smart Home Surveillance
Take your security system up a notch by connecting it with home automation technology. You can get alerts when a camera detects motion, or just check in from your smartphone whenever you want. If someone is staying at your home, you can monitor them as they enter and exit the property– this works very well in conjunction with the smart locks discussed in point number one. Alternatively, you can use the surveillance system to communicate with people even when you’re out of the home. Use it to check on your dog throughout the day or answer questions for the babysitter without going home from your night out.
Control the Temperature
When your HVAC is connected to your smart home technology, you can raise and lower the temperature from anywhere. If you’re going on a trip, you can turn your system off before you leave to save energy while you’re away. Then just turn it back on before you return, and you’ll walk into a home that’s just the right temperature. You can even use smart home automation settings to turn the system off every weekday while you’re at work, and back on before you arrive home in the evening. If you’re working up a sweat in the kitchen, just ask your voice assistant to turn the AC up without having to wash your hands and adjust the thermostat.
Surf the Web
Smart technology runs on the internet, so it makes sense that you can use it to peruse your favorite websites. Just like you can ask the voice assistant questions on your phone, you can do this throughout the home as long as it’s set up with the right technology. Some people find that this is especially useful in the kitchen, as you can check the recipe without touching anything with your dirty hands. It’s also useful when you need a little bit of guidance while you’re up to your elbows working on something else around the home.
Deter Thieves
Smart home security systems will go a long way toward keeping your home safe, but there are even more ways you can use this technology to deter thieves. Some smart technology can be randomized to turn the home’s lights on and off at different times every day, which is a creative and helpful idea. Some thieves might track when a home’s lights go on and off, and this tech will make it impossible for them to identify a pattern. It’s especially useful for people who travel a lot, or who only live in the Bay Area seasonally.
Turn Out the Lights
Smart lighting is awesome for a variety of different reasons. If you have a lot of light switches in your home, it can be hard to remember which is which. When all the lights are connected to your smart technology, there will be no more trial and error with all the different switches. Turn off the lights without getting out of bed, then wake up to an easy morning with home automation.
Automate Your Morning Routine
If you’re not a morning person, let your smart home remove some of the burdens. Home automation can turn your morning routine into something that reminds you of The Jetsons. Your house can be programmed to open the blinds, turn on the lights, start the shower, and even play some soothing music when it’s time to work up. You can even tie the morning function in with your coffee maker so it will start brewing before you go to the kitchen.
Smart Home Theater
Home automation doesn’t just make our lives easier– it also makes them more fun. Turn your home theater into a state of the art media room by connecting your video and sound technology with your home assistant. Press a single button to close the blinds, dim the lights, fire up the projector, and start playback from your favorite streaming service. If you want to turn the movie up or down, don’t bother looking through your pile of remotes– just do it from your control center or smartphone.
A Truly Universal Remote
All of the functions above are impressive by themselves, and they’re even better as a holistic approach. Home automation serves as a universal remote that controls your whole life. Take things to the next level by automating parts of your daily routine. You can even program groups of commands for the morning, bedtime, or movie night.
Home Automation in San Francisco
Home Automation was still considered a utopian idea for the future back when Performance Audio was founded in 1976. We always knew we’d see amazing technology in our lifetimes, though, and have kept up with it as it evolved. We’re the Bay Area’s leaders in smart house solutions, so contact us today and let’s automate your home.
