With each passing year, our cell phones get thinner, our buildings greener, and our homes and cars smarter. While the smart technology for homeowners can have its drawbacks — especially for those hoping to live “off the grid” — it can save us hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year, and seriously increase convenience and security. The latest in smart home tech devices allows you to connect as many devices as you can to smart hubs, giving you full control of your home, from your A/C to your garage door, from your cellphone.
To give your home an efficiency boost with a side of futuristic tech, try these top devices set to change the way you think about your home.
Smart Water Heater
Of all the appliances sitting around your home, would you have ever guessed your water heater could connect to your iPhone? For this smart upgrade, you don’t need to run out and spend thousands to install a new water heater. Instead, you can pick up a retrofittable Wi-Fi-ready device like Aquanta, and get the ultimate control over your water heater from your smartphone. You’ll be able to open an app to see how much hot water you have in the tank, compare monthly and weekly usage, and get maintenance alerts if your water heater starts sending mixed signals. Through the app, you can also give your heater a little boost, shut it down, or use the learning function to let the app optimize your usage for you, based on how much water you use and when.
Doorbell & Camera
These two work perfectly in tandem to welcome new guests and know when unwelcome guests show up on your front step. The SkyBell HD doorbell and camera combo is a two-for-one when it comes to security and convenience. It sends an alert to your cellphone when pushed, and lets you see and speak with your visitors, even if you aren’t home. If you see an image you want to capture, you can snag a photograph as well. When combined with Nest’s indoor and outdoor security cameras, you get an extra level of protection: When the Nest camera detects someone nearby, it will automatically engage SkyBell’s camera and send you alerts about unexpected activity in your yard.
Smart Home Security
Advances in technology mean that you never leave your home unsecured again — even if you’re already on your way to the airport when you realize you left your garage door open. Smart home security systems — like ADT Pulse — let you access your security cameras, arm your security system, and lock and unlock doors, all from your smartphone. ADT can also help you monitor your home for water leaks or flooding, and can create the appearance of an inhabited home while in “vacation mode,” automatically turning on random lights and unlocking doors only to let in scheduled guests. This kind of smart home tech gives you complete control over your home’s security, whether you’re there to monitor it or not.
Individual tech solutions make your life easier, but to unlock the full potential of smart devices, hook them up to a “hub” or smart home control system to centralize control of your lights, garage door, security alarms, and nearly everything else to your smartphone or your own vocal commands. Starter kits range in price and solution — some with a focus on things like lights, and others have security in mind, like ADT Pulse — so think about what your first priority is, and then expand on that package as your needs grow.