The ‘Smart Home’ is the new ‘Internet of Things’ or objects that can communicate with each other. The ideal version of the wired future might look like this:
You awaken to lights gradually illuminating your bedroom. Once the lights are up, your heating system warms up your room to comfortable levels. Your shower turns on automatically to your preferred temperature and water pressure, and it shuts off just after you’ve finished bathing.
Once you’ve driven out of your garage, your home alarm system arms itself. It will only unlock automatically if it “sees” you or another family member through programmed biometrics.
While we’re not quite at this ‘Jetsons’ version of smart homes, each year we’re getting closer.
Here are some smart home trends you can have right now, many of which will also save you money each month.
Shrink Energy Bills with Solar Panels and Smart Thermostats
While programmable thermostats have been around for decades, they aren’t necessarily efficient; they simply turn on or off as programmed, whether or not you are there. Smart thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature when they sense you are present. Once you leave, they can kick back to standby mode so that you’re saving energy and money. According to the EPA’s Energy Star Program, a smart thermostat can save you up to $180 per year on heating and cooling.
If you live in a sunny region, you can use solar technology to power your home and save on monthly energy bills. 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. A recent study conducted by the NC Clean Energy Technology Center looked at solar systems in 50 different cities and determined that a solar system saved an average of $44 to $187 per month during the first year of use.
Save Water with Smart Sprinkler Control
The EPA estimates that water used on outdoor landscaping is two to four times higher during the summer months, yet more than half of that excess is wasted on overwatering, evaporation, or wind. And when you live in a region where the weather is unpredictable, it’s hard to know how often you need to water your lawn.
Smart sprinklers can not only help save you lots of money on your water bill but also help protect our precious resources. Programmable by computer or smartphone, they can automatically adjust how often you water your lawn based on the season and the weather. Smart sprinklers can save you up to 50% off your monthly water bills.
Save Time and Money With Smart Appliances
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. For example, smart refrigerators store your food at just the right temperature and adjust the thermostat during peak usage times. The LG THINQ fridge can even alert you via smartphone app if a door is accidentally left open.
Smart ovens ensure your food is cooked completely 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.
Finally, 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.
Are you looking for a home with new smart features? We can help you find the right modern home with cutting edge features to meet your home needs. Get in touch with us today to start your search.