Thermostat & air conditioning
On those scorching hot days, there is nothing worse than coming home to a stuffy house. You can now buy and install products that let you control the temperature of your house, even when you’re not home. In some cases, you can even program them to automatically turn on or change temperature at different times of the day!
Lighting & appliances
If you’ve ever been halfway to work and had that sinking feeling you’ve left the iron on, stress no more! The home automation market has grown so quickly, you can now buy lightbulbs and electrical switches than can be controlled from your smart phone. Not only is this a whole lot safer for those occasions where a hot appliance has been left burning, but it can also be extremely energy saving. Notice that lights are left on at home while you’re at work on your lunch break? Switch them off with the click of a button!
Security
Whether you have pets home alone, or just worry about your valuables, investing in a good security system is a great option. Rather than old-school security systems that make a lot of noise and not much else, you can now get cameras set up around the home that notify you of any suspicious behaviour. Is someone walking around your yard? The camera will pick up the movement and send you a notification on your smart phone, so you can check whether it’s just the postman or something more sinister! In conjunction with lighting and appliance automation, you can even feign being at home while you’re away on holidays.
Doors
If you’ve ever been in a rush to leave for work in the morning, you’ve probably forgotten to lock the front door or close the garage. You can now get sensors that let you know when a door has been left unlocked, is ajar or (in the case of your garage) is wide open! Depending on the product, you can even close and lock doors, or just be notified if there is an issue in your home.
Safety
While we’ve all heard of safety switches that are designed to protect appliances from damage, often these are reactive and don’t stop the issue from occurring. Whether you’re using smart switches to turn off hazardous appliances, or monitoring blown bulbs via your smartphone, home automation can make your home a whole lot safer. You can even get heat and water sensors, so you’ll know straight away if there’s a fire in your home, or if flood waters are rising.
