Smart devices

Smart devices really have been a game-changer when it comes to automating a home in the present day. With these devices available quite easily to the domestic customer, and at very reasonable prices might we add, smart devices are able to bring about a level of convenience that is like no other. All you would need is a wireless protocol to have the smart home set up and running.

What is wireless protocol though? Well, in order to set up a Smart Home, homeowners need to have a system of sorts in place to run things smoothly. Wireless protocols provide a means of communication between electronic devices. These can include installing Hubs like ZigBee, Z-Wave, Samsung SmartThings, and of course, Wi-Fi is already one of the wireless protocols found in every household.

Coming back to smart devices, the technology they feature is not only brilliant because it automates a household in some ways, but some devices are also great for energy efficiency purposes meaning cutting back on unnecessary energy consumption, and with that comes a bonus of lower utility bills like the electric, heating, and cooling, and water bills. There is also the added advantage of home security and safety.

Here are 3 smart devices whose installation is definitely worth it, and would explain these factors of automation, energy efficiency, and safety well.

  1. Smart Thermostats

Smart Thermostats may just be the best smart device to hit the domestic market. Why? That’s because at the price points that they are sold at, the technology they feature brings nothing but complete benefits for a home.

These devices connect to the Wi-Fi or any wireless protocol within the home, and are thus accessible through mobile applications that can be downloaded onto smartphones and tablets. Some smart thermostats can also enable voice control if synced to a voice assistant.

What they can do is not only allow homeowners to adjust temperature settings via the mobile app from within a certain range of the device as well as from miles away but also to set schedules for it to follow. Setting schedules allow for maximum energy saving, and so does the fact that some smart thermostat variants have the ability to use geofencing technology in order to determine whether anybody’s home or not – and in turn, switch to eco-friendly temperatures to cut back on the energy consumption.

And what comes with reduced energy consumption? Lower electric bills of course!

  1. Smart Smoke Detectors

Smart Smoke Detectors can singlehandedly improve the safety of any home. Available in battery and wired variants, these devices cover a wider range in picking up any signs of potential hazards within a household. That being said, they perform the functions of both, ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors – that means they can pick up on anything from a smoldering to a fast-burning fire, but they can also detect any gas leaks, especially like carbon monoxide.

What’s perfect about these devices as opposed to their regular counterparts, is that they send real-time alerts to the homeowner’s mobile devices in order to alert them of any potential danger so that they may take swift action. Wired variants are especially useful since they are interconnected – so one alarm trip lets them all go off.

  1. Smart Sprinkler Controller

For those homeowners that have a yard, a smart sprinkler controller will be a game-changer. It cuts back on water wastage and optimizes water usage for your yard, tailored to its particular needs. So while we struggle to water our yards manually or often face issues with sprinklers, a smart sprinkler eliminates pretty much most of the problems.

They use forecasts from local weather stations in order to adjust watering schedules for the yard. So in the case where rainfall is expected later in the evening, for instance, the device will skip the watering. Similarly, smart sprinkler controllers are accessible through their respective mobile applications, and that means using the app as your manual controller or to keep tabs on the watering schedule, or pretty much anything about the sprinkler system.

Even if the device is not set to auto-function, homeowners can use the mobile app to switch the sprinklers on or off as they please. No more having to wait for the yard to be damp while you’re already running late for work.

Conclusion

Of course, there are plenty of more smart devices out there in the domestic market that would be the perfect addition to your homes, but these are the top 3 and highly useful ones that we would recommend that you invest in. They provide energy savings and safety for a home, along with convenience to another level. What else could be more advantageous? Head on over to www.firstenergyhome.com and browse through their smart home catalog to see for yourself. You’ll definitely find a lot of devices that are worthwhile.