2018 Is a Great Year For Smart Homes, Are You Building a Home Smart?
Now that we’re into 2018, it’s time to turn your eyes to smart home products. Whether you’re having your home builder start building a home with them, or you want to add a little intelligence to the home you’re already in, there are a lot of products to choose from. Your smart phone can truly be the control center for your home. With the right setup, you can control your lighting, your thermostat, even your crock pot with your phone.
First: Alexa, Google Home, or the Apple HomeKit
Tomsguide tested these for you. They found that when it came to a personal assistant, Google Home was a little better than Alexa, and Apple HomeKit was far worse than both. However, that’s not the only thing to consider. You also want to think about the other compatible devices you’re going to be linking up to your smart home assistant. This matters more when you’re building a home from scratch, because you’ll pick all your devices and appliances. However, even if you’re not getting everything set up right away you’ll want to think down the road. For this, Alexa has the most devices that are fully compatible at this time.
Start with A Security Camera
The Arlo Q by NETGEAR won Amazon’s choice for security cameras. This camera is packed with features, and works with your Alexa as well. The 1080p camera can take great quality video during the day and at night. Additionally, it detects motion very well, and boasts a flexible scheduling feature. And, the best reason for you to choose this camera is you’ll get a week’s worth of video storage for free.
Is it Even a Smart Home Without a Smart Thermostat?
One of the best reasons for building a home with smart technology is the smart thermostat. With the Ecobee4, you’ll get features like a nice touchscreen, but most importantly, it’s got remote sensors to help make sure your rooms are getting heated and cooled properly. And, unlike the Ecobee3, the Ecobee4 comes with Alexa built in, so if you’re near your thermostat, you don’t need an Echo or Echo Dot to control your other devices.
Even the Lights are Smart!
The Philips Hue White bulbs are one of the coolest features of a smart home. With these smart lights, you can control your lighting wherever you are, as well as setting timers and light schedules. You can even automate your lights so it seems like someone is home even if you’re not. The starter kit comes with the bulbs and the Hue Hub, to integrate with the rest of your smart devices.
Even If You’re Not Building a Home “Smart”, you can Get Smart Plugs
The TP-Link Smart Plug Mini can make any device smart. You can use it to control the power to your normal devices remotely, and even create schedules to turn the plug on and off as if you’re home. And of course, it’s linked up with Alexa and Google Home.
A Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector?
What’s the point of building a home smart if it isn’t safer? With the Nest Protect, it will detect smoke and carbon monoxide like a regular detector, but its sensors also know if you’ve got a slow or fast burning fire. And, because it’s connected, the Protect can tell you which room the fire is, and turn on your lights during emergencies.
Smart Locks? What Year is this Anyway?
Whether you’re building a home or adding on to your existing home, the August Smart Lock Pro is right for you. This smart lock works with your lock and keys, so you’ll never be locked out of your house. The features are great too. You can get keyless access, and lock or unlock your door from anywhere. That’s not all though, you’ll know when you securely close and lock your door with DoorSense.
If you’re looking for a contractor to help you convert your home to a smart home, or you’re thinking about building a home, Chetty Builders is here for you every step of the way. They’ve got years of experience building homes in Kennett Square, and they’ll put them to work for you. Call (610) 444-8880, or visit their website to see how they can help you.
Categorised in: Homeowner Tips
This post was written by Chetty Builders
