The ‘smart
home’ is the new ‘internet of things’, or objects that can serve you better by
communicating with each other or directly with you through apps on your smart
phone. In the ideal version of the wired future, all of our appliances and
gadgets talk to each other seamlessly.
What could
living in a smart home look like? Picture something like this:
The lights in
your bedroom slowly illuminate to quietly awaken you in the morning, replacing
the typical blaring alarm. The aroma of fresh brewing coffee drifts in and
stirs your senses. Once the lights are all the way up, the heating system kicks
on, just in time to warm up your room so you’re not shocked once you crawl out
from underneath the duvet.
Once you’ve
driven out of your garage, your home alarm system arms itself. And it will only
unlock automatically when it “sees” and recognizes someone else from your
family approaching through programmed in biometrics.
Do smart
homes really work this way right now? Not exactly…while you may find some of
these smart features in certain homes, we haven’t reached the point where every
feature intuitively knows what you want and when you wanted. However, each year
we’re getting closer and closer toward that shiny, idealized ‘Jetson’ future.
Here are some
trends that we see for smart homes, many of which may also help you save money:
Smart
Thermostats
Programmable
thermostats that are synchronized with the clock have been around for decades.
However, they’re often difficult to set and aren’t necessarily efficient; they
simply turn on or off as programmed, whether or not you are there.
With the
newer models, smart thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature
when they sense you are present. And once you leave, they can kick back to
standby mode so that you’re saving energy and money. Nest does
all of this, and it also allows you to check your usage from your cell phone so
that you can adjust the temperature remotely and save even more.
Smart
Smoke Detectors
Having a
working, effective smoke detector saves lives. But unfortunately, many of us
still have those battery-run smoke detectors that make that annoying, piercing
beep when their batteries are running low on power. And instead of replacing
batteries right away, it’s often easier to pull them out and disable the
detector (while risking our lives).
Many of the
new smart smoke detectors, like the Birdi,
monitor smoke, carbon dioxide, as well as air quality. With this new sensor
technology, they know the difference between a real fire and burnt toast.
Smart
Sprinkler Control
Weather in our
area is predictably unpredictable. Often, especially during the summer months,
we fall into a severe drought. But then we might have one season that brings
extreme amounts of rain, like we did this past spring.
A smart
sprinkler controller like Rachio Iro can
not only help save you lots of money on your water bill but also help protect
our precious resources.
Programmable
by computer or smart phone, it can automatically adjust how often you water
your lawn based on the season and the weather forecasts. You can also remotely
adjust the settings through a mobile app.
Smart
Solar Panels
You can put the
sun to work for you by using solar technology to power your home. It’s green
and renewable, and can save you money over the long term. A recent study
conducted by the NC Clean Energy Technology Center determined that Austin
customers who invested in a solar system saved an average of $66 per month
during the first year that they owned the system.
With smart
solar panels, you can program the technology to monitor their performance and
even turn them off in case of a weather emergency or fire.
Smart Home
Security Systems
Home
monitoring has become much more sophisticated in recent years. With the
old-style security systems, you had to call in contractors to wire your home
with monitoring sensors.
With new
smart technology, you can simply place a few smart devices in your home to
monitor movement and sense whether doors and windows are closed or opened. Some
systems include audio and video monitoring, as well as sirens to scare off
intruders. You get real-time feedback on security breaches through an app. And,
because you’re alerted as soon as the system senses an intruder, it’s more
likely that they will be caught.
Canary is
one popular all-in-one audio-video security system, complete with sirens and
night vision.
Smart
Locks
Go beyond the
standard key locks, which can often be compromised by burglars. The new smart
lock systems give you more control over those who can gain access to your home.
Some systems,
like the Kwikset Kevo, include encrypted
virtual keys that you can program for access for a limited amount of time—for
example, allowing guests over for a weekend, or cleaning service in during a
specific window of time.
Other door
locking systems include biometric technology. The Ola smart lock allows
you to program your lock to recognize your family member’s fingerprints. Other
systems use facial recognition to greet you and unlock your door.
The new August
smart lock integrates with Apple’s technology so you
can ask Siri to open your door for you.
Smart
lighting systems and light bulbs
A well-lit
home feels warm and welcoming, and good lighting can instantly increase the
value of your home.
However,
annual lighting costs can account for up to 12% of your overall electric bill,
or over $200 per year according to Energy Star. You can easily reduce this
expense simply by using smart lighting technology to add efficiency.
The Philips Hue wifi-enabled lights
make it easy to add to your home without installing specialized equipment.
Smart lighting dimmers and sensors can give you more control over how much
energy you use and allow you to turn them on and off through your smart phone.
New smart
light bulbs can give you control over the warmth or coolness levels of your
lighting. With the Lifx LED light bulbs,
for example, you can program your light bulbs to turn on or off when you want,
to slowly wake you up with increasing illumination, or to change from daytime
work lighting to entertainment-friendly shades for parties.
Smart
Appliances
Programmable
slow cookers and coffee makers are the quaint, old-fashioned versions of these
home conveniences. Newer, smart appliances give you more control over how your
food is kept and prepared, and make it easier for you to complete pesky
household chores.
- Newer coffee makers, like the Smarter coffee machine, let you ‘order’ your coffee exactly to your liking, adjusting everything from bean grind to temperature to strength to time that it’s ready to drink.
- Smart refrigeration technology can help you store your food at just the right temperature, adjusting the thermostat during peak usage times. For example, the LG THINQ fridge can alert you via smart phone app if a door is accidentally left open.
- Smart ovens can ensure that your food is cooked to the right level of done-ness, and alert you when your meal is ready to eat. June, a new counter oven invented by former Google, Apple, Go-Pro and Path employees will give you even more control—it will contain cameras, thermometers, and other technology to ‘learn’ what you like to eat and make menu suggestions.
- Smart washers and dryers have customizable controls so that you can safely wash any type of fabric. Some units include controls to increase drying time to save energy. And soon, connected appliances from GE, Oster, Samsung, and other makers, will be able to re-order soap and fabric softener directly from Amazon, so you won’t even have to think about running to the store at the last minute.
Have you
tested any of these technologies in your home? Did we miss any of your favorite
home technologies? Let us know in the comments!
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