Nowadays, technology is everywhere and integrates into every aspect of our lives—including our homes!
What, even just a few decades ago, would have been thought of as science fiction is our reality.
And now, smart home devices are everywhere.
While some just stick the word “smart” before their name to trick you into buying them, others really do offer you a greater range of features than the non-smart versions.
It’s those devices—the ones that do more than just connect to your WiFi—we’re going to explore now, and how they can make your new Atlantic Builders home truly smart!
Smart thermostats are one of the core smart products you can get that will really increase the intelligence of your new home. Smart thermostats come in many levels of “smarts,” offering such features as enhanced schedule programming, app control, smart speaker (more on that below) interaction, and energy optimization.
And that last feature needs to be showcased, since energy optimization is a big bonus of a smart thermostat. These devices will not only maximize efficiency when you are home, but also minimize energy consumption when you aren’t. And, of course, both of these factors will have the wonderful side effect of saving you money in energy bills!
When someone approaches your door and rings your doorbell, you normally have to get up, head to the door, and peek out a window or peephole to see who it is. Smart doorbells include a video feed that allows you to see through an app who is at the door without leaving your chair. And not only see, but also talk with.
And since it’s through an app, you can interact with people at your front door even if you are not actually home yourself! Definitely useful if you’re expecting a delivery and can’t be there in person. Plus, smart doorbells include motion-sensitive features, which can notify you, record, and increase your peace of mind while you are away from home (with additional options added on a subscription basis).
Smart cameras (both inside and out) are excellent ways to extend your eyes and ears on your property—just like smart doorbells. And also like smart doorbells, smart cameras trigger recording and notifications. Smart cameras are great for keeping an eye on your yard, making sure the dogs don’t get into trouble, or saying hello to your children when they come home from school.
Plus, depending on your camera, smart cameras can also be used to activate other events. Smart light bulbs and smart plugs are just two of the items that can be paired with smart cameras. And what can you do with those two smart accessories? Keep reading to find out!
Smart light bulbs and smart plugs can be installed anywhere in your home (either replacing a current item, like a light bulb, or just being placed between a plug and an outlet). They work exactly as you would expect: They get a command from an app and turn on or off (or, in the case of the bulbs, dim and/or change color).
They are simple ways to connect rooms and less intelligent electrical accessories to your smart home. Use them to schedule lights to turn on and off at specific times (no more worrying about falling asleep and leaving all the lights on), to easily light your way to a midnight snack, or to look like someone is home when you are actually away on vacation.
Even your kitchen can get an advanced degree with a slew of smart appliances. From smart refrigerators that let you build a shopping list on their integrated screens and then send it to your phone, to air fryers and coffee makers that can be remotely started, to instant pots that can be monitored from afar, smart appliances are here to make cooking easier.
A smart kitchen can help automate (and streamline current automation) some of the more routine tasks you do every day. Instead of having to set a timer on your coffee maker, for instance, and then waking up in time for hot coffee, you could have it start your morning brew when you turn it on from the app whenever you naturally get up in the morning.
Not only can you revolutionize the room where you get your nutrition, you can also smart-ify your exercise room! Of course (and without saying a brand name), everyone has heard of a smart exercise bike. It has a screen, tracks your progress, and provides you with guidance for even more workouts.
Smart rowing machines offer the same benefits, as do smart strength training equipment. There are even smart mirrors which are mirrors with a screen behind them where you can view exercise videos. And, to make sure all that exercise is working, get yourself a smart scale. These scales can track all sorts of things about your health, which will show you how well your exercise routine is working!
The final thing on this list is the smart accessory that can unite so many of the other ones into one ecosystem of home intelligence. The current batch of smart speakers (Amazon Echo, Google Nest, and Apple HomePod, to name the biggest players) seeks to interact with all your other smart devices granting you even more control over your home by creating a centralized smart home hub.
And this is where a smart home jumps into Star Trek territory. Now you can use voice commands to interact with your smart products. With a few verbal cues, you can not only set the stage for movie night by dimming the lights like a real theater, but you can also lower the thermostat a little, make sure your chili is at the proper temperature, and check to see if your guests are the ones who just rang your doorbell. Smart speakers also allow you to set complex programs for all your devices so that one stimulus or command can trigger a whole host of actions.
As you can see, smart home technology offers a wide range of devices designed to enhance comfort, convenience, security, and energy efficiency. Whether you're just starting with a single device or building an interconnected smart home ecosystem, the benefits and possibilities are endless.
And the growing adoption of smart home technology isn’t just a trend: It’s shaping the future of how we interact with our living spaces. Now is the perfect time to explore the potential of smart home technology and how it can fit into your lifestyle. And if you’re looking for a home that’s built with the future in mind, be sure to explore the new homes by Atlantic Builders!
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