What smart home tech do you recommend?
/by Brian Huie on 9/10/2024
Lighting & security are the top areas that I recommend investing in for your home.
There are so many great areas that you can implement smart features in your home, but if you need to narrow it down to get the project off the ground, I recommend focusing on lighting and security first.
You can start by changing out your exterior lights to smart bulbs and/or install smart security lights, such as the many types available from Ring, Nest, etc (pick one brand and stick to it for all of your security needs). Smart lighting around the yard helps make a home less vulnerable to opportunistic trouble. Then, add-in a security/alarm system to your home’s interior. Many systems today are an easy DIY set-up. And, they have many add-ons available, such as smart smoke alarms that integrate into the phone app, and emergency service calling capabilities.
Smart locks can be very handy to let in house cleaners, dog walkers, etc, and you can customize when they have access. There are tons of different options available, including options that hide the smart keypad from view, provide access to delivery drivers under specific conditions, even some that offer geo settings to lock automatically when you leave a certain perimeter, so you’ll never have wonder if you forgot to lock the door. My personal favorite is the August lock, because it allows you to keep a decorative handle set when adding the smart capabilities- something I have yet to see a competitor do without sacrificing security.
In my own home, I find that a combination of smart switches and smart fans inside are very helpful. For example, if I’m away from home for longer than anticipated, I can turn on the lights for my dog from away.
