Everybody wants to feel safe and secure at home. And it is no wonder that safety is one of the primary concerns for all homeowners. People strive to protect their households and adjacent territories to the maximum in order to minimize the risk of unauthorized intrusions, burglaries, and thefts.
Fortunately, the modern market teems with various security products and systems, providing an excellent choice for the most exacting customers. Depending on the sought security level, budget, and personal preferences, some people will confine themselves to motion sensors or surveillance cameras while other would pack their residences with sophisticated alarm systems and all possible security products for indoor and outdoor use. And while for most average apartments a security camera might be enough, a detached house, even a small, one, requires a more complex protection. This is exactly what all-in-one home security systems are designed for.
Created to provide 24/7 overall home protection, home security systems come in a variety of bundles. Thus, entry-level systems include several door and window sensors, motion detectors, and a digital control panel. Meanwhile, more comprehensive packages also include a number of motion-activated cameras, siren alarm speakers, signal lights, smoke detectors, etc. The more security devices the bundle contains the more efficient security level the system can ensure.
By means of connection and control, home security systems fall into three major types: broadband, cellular, and phone line. The latest models use broadband and cellular connections, with the Internet data transfer being faster and more cost-effective and the GSM option being more reliable and protected. Allowing you to monitor literally all areas inside and outside your household, modern home security systems connect to WiFi and can be easily controlled from your smartphone or tablet via an app.
To further reinforce your home safety, you can upgrade your domestic security system with smart locks. These smart devices can be incorporated in an already existing protection system or can be used independently as well. Installed either right on the deadbolt lock or instead of it, smart locks are extremely functional. As any regular door locks, they perform a home protection function and keep your house securely locked from possible unlawful invasions. On top of that, they ensure a high degree of convenience for its users. Remotely controlled from your mobile gadgets, smart locks will save you the need to carry heavy key bundles in your pockets and allow you to provide other individuals (friends or relatives) with access to your dwelling by assigning a virtual key.
So here are the 4 key benefits of smart locks:
- Free access to your home anytime;
- No more heavy bundles of keys weighing you down;
- Multiple user codes;
- Programmable - easy to change and update on demand.
Read more about smart locks here.
A garage is an integral part of many households since all car owners want to keep their vehicles duly shielded from nasty weather conditions and securely protected from theft. Garage door openers will automatically open or close your garage door when you arrive or leave the house. The whole system is activated and controlled remotely. Hence, you don’t need to get out of the car. When it is freezing cold or unbearably hot outside, you can step out from the comfort of your car to the comfort of your home. Yet, it is not only about convenience but also about safety. The latest garage door opener models feature a rolling code option. It means that a system code changes every time you open or close your garage door, giving burglars no chances to capture it and keeping both your garage and your home securely protected from intruders.
Highlights of garage door openers:
- Convenience of use;
- Cost effective;
- Secure and safe;
- Quick access from smart phone apps.
To learn more about the features and technology garage door openers can offer you, click here.
You may be improving the comfort of your home in many different ways, but if it's hot and stuffy, you won't feel comfy. What you should add to your smart home is a smart climate control system which will automatically adapt your home environment to your needs, allowing you to feel cozy and relaxed. All you need is to build a wireless thermostat into the HVAC system and program it in accordance with your daily schedule.
This little gadget is clever enough to raise or lower a room temperature to the ultimate level as well as follow the preset operation patterns. Besides, most modern thermostats usually feature Internet connectivity option allowing you to control the HVAC from multiple gadgets. This means even if you suddenly have to leave or you happen to forget to turn the heat or air conditioning down, you will be able to do this via the app without coming back home. An intelligent climate control solution will not only let you enjoy maximum comfy living environment but also help you optimize your energy costs and significantly reduce your electricity consumption.
Some other smart devices, designed to add comfort to your living space and create a favorable environment are air conditioners, air humidifiers, fans, heaters, fireplaces, and even automatic drape and shade openers.
Interior home lights, be it gorgeous chandeliers, elegant floor lamps, string lights, spotlights, night lights or lava lamps are not only functional light sources but also great means of adding style and accents to your home design and creating some specific mood or atmosphere. Meanwhile, outdoor lighting including lanterns, wall lights, stake lights, post lights, and security motion sensor lights, are designed to illuminate your house adjacent areas and further enhance your house security. Today, you can find a number of smart advanced solutions that will help you incorporate all your light fixtures into a single easy-to-control smart system to get the most out of your home lighting and, at the same time, save on your electricity bills.
- Smart bulbs are the first step towards your high-tech lighting system. Thanks to the LED technology, they last longer. Besides they can be controlled and customized remotely through a home automation hub, special app, or Smart Home systems.
- Smart light switches will let you dim the illumination in any area of your home without even the need to get off the couch or light up any of the fixtures when you only approach your house.
- Smart plugs are the most versatile and efficient smart light devices that provide the highest level of control not only over lights but also over all plugged-in electronic appliances and even contribute to the house security system when paired with motion-activated lamps.
Read smart bulbs, light switches, and smart plugs reviews to find more details.
Smart technologies have made their way to every sphere of our daily life and there are opportunities for automation not only in such essential home systems as security, indoor climate, and lighting but also in minor, yet, not less important facets that make our life even more comfortable and easier. Thus, there is a whole range of smart home appliances that can be either activated and controlled remotely or pre-programmed to perform certain jobs. They are:
- kitchen appliances and washing machines with WiFi feature,
- robotic vacuums and mops,
- smart sprinklers,
- robotic lawn mowers,
- robotic pool cleaners, etc.
Once you’ve stuffed your house with a variety of smart technologies and features, you definitely need an effective and convenient tool to control all those systems. And today you have such a tool. These are voice assisted technologies such as Apple Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Windows Cortana compatible with different software accordingly.
This technology offers truly amazing capabilities by tracking and fulfilling your voice commands. Apart from controlling all your smart devices and systems, you can simply check time or weather, order pizza, listen to your favorite music, call for a taxi, access your bank account, etc. No need to type or scroll menus, just send a voice request and let the service perform the task.
You can download the suitable software to your laptop, smartphone, or tablet or use a special speaker somewhere in the room to get an access to the voice assistant functionality.