A lot can be done with a smartphone and the right set of household tools. From keeping your home at a comfortable temperature while saving money to keeping an eye on invaders and troublemakers, home automation has delivered a lot of tools to revolutionize modern living. Here are a few problems and their tech-based solutions to help you figure out what you can gain from a well-calibrated automation suite.
Air Conditioning, Heating, And Ventilation Control
The weather is getting weird, the economy is awkward, and being on the go is always an option. Smart thermostats can help you maintain a comfortable home temperature while cutting back on heating and cooling costs when you're not around to enjoy it.
The most basic feature of smart thermostats is the ability to turn the system on and off remotely. This usually uses wireless internet connectivity (Wi-Fi), and allows you to use a smartphone, tablet, or computer to make changes to power and temperature.
In most cases, you're connecting to an app that connects to your home automation system, which needs to be connected to the internet as well. A username and password (or other security credentials as security requirements evolve) is used to long in, and even if you have concerns about hacking, you have the option to shut the system down to a highly-customizable system.
Even without remote access installed, you can make better temperature adjustments. If the weather outside so unstable that indoor temperatures are constantly turning the system on and off, make a wider temperature range.
Instead of dealing with a struggle to stay at 76 degrees, a range of 75-78 can be set to avoid those weird on and off clicks that barely save energy.
Smart Surveillance Systems
As a step up from standard security cameras, you can use a surveillance system that captures the area on video either permanently or through motion detection.
For 24/7 recording, home automation allows easy access to security cameras through a computer or mobile device. Once again, if hacking is a problem to you and you'd rather avoid Wi-Fi, the wireless service can be disabled and you can control the system manually with a cable.
Motion sensor systems can turn on when something moves near or within the camera's field of vision. Lights can be added to this configuration, and alerts can be sent to your phone or email. You can even combine motion sensors and 24/7 recording to create bookmarks for noticed events in the camera's field of view.
Contact a home automation professional to discuss other aspects of making home life easier.
