Three Practical Smart Home Uses

With the advent of smartphones, smart watches, and almost any other kind of “smart” device you can think of, it was only a matter of time before smart homes became part of the conversation. After all, the home itself is a kind of technology. It involves specialized building materials to keep the elements out, and to maximize heating and cooling. It contains an electrical and plumbing network into which various devices are connected. The difference is, we now have the technology to connect things in ways that weren’t imaginable twenty or thirty years ago.

But a lot of people have a lukewarm reaction when they hear about smart homes. There are so many new devices and technologies being released, and keeping up can be tiring. People naturally become skeptical of new offerings. They know from experience that some of them are gimmicks, and really aren’t going to be around very long. They wonder if smart home technology falls into that category. Why invest hundreds (or thousands) of dollars into something that doesn’t have much staying power, or doesn’t really even serve a practical purpose?

There are many, many practical smart home uses to consider — but here are three important ones.

1. Lighting configurations



We’ve all had the experience of walking through the house and turning on various lights to create the exact configuration we want. What about being able to program different lighting configurations and recall them at the touch of a button? Simply choose your mood or activity and set the lights accordingly.

2. Forgetfulness

Another experience we’ve all had is leaving on vacation, even if just for a few days, and being troubled by the idea that we forgot to turn off the heat, the air conditioning, the lights, or the sprinklers. Smart home technology virtually eliminates that worry. If you’re worried you’ve forgotten something, simply open your smart home app and see exactly what lights are one, what the temperature is, whether the sprinklers are on, or any number of practical functions. Turn things on or off instantly at the touch of a button, wherever you are.

3. Temperature management

Getting home to find a house that’s much too warm or much too cold is never an ideal scenario, especially when you’ve already had a busy day. With a smart thermostat system, you have real time monitoring of your heating and cooling situation. You can turn the temperature up or down while driving home from school or the office — so that when you walk in the front door, you receive a pleasant greeting from your home!

Maximizing your smart home investments

Getting the most out of your smart home investments involves careful choices from a growing market of devices and features, not all of which have equal compatibility or functionality. Home automation specialists represent a new industry that will continue to grow in the coming years, as people seek to get the most out of their home automation investments. But as more and more of these specialists appear, it becomes more important to work with the most experienced and reputable among them.