The 1980’s gave us films like Back to The Future where we got to see what some thought technology was headed. The fantasy of hoverboards, flying cars and the Cubs winning a world series were not too far off! While some of their predictions were spot on, they missed the mark on the huge impact home automation can make in our everyday lives. Let’s take a look at some of these advances and how they make our life not only easier, but also safer!
Remote Lighting
It sounds simple. Turn you lights on or off remotely or set them to turn on or off at specific times. No big deal, right?
Think about coming home from work a bit later than expected due to traffic. It’s dark and no lights are on outside or inside your home. Wouldn’t it be safer and more convenient to be able to turn on the front porch or garage light when you pull in and then turn on the house lights before you enter?
You are sleeping and some strange noise suddenly awakens you. Wouldn’t it be easier and safer to turn on all the house lights with one touch before stumbling around a dark house to investigate?
It gets even better from here: Integrate your lighting with your security system so if someone trips an outdoor motion, your lights turn on giving the impression you are home, even if you are not.
Remote lighting makes everyday life easier and much more secure. Especially when it is integrated into your security system.
Thermostat Control (Energy Management)
We definitely think of this as a convenience feature. After all, who likes to come home to a chilly house in the winter or an overly hot house in the summer? Being able to schedule your homes temperature and change it remotely, if necessary, certainly makes life more comfortable.
But, think about this. When your smart thermostat is connected to your security/home automation system, it can also be monitored. For example, it’s an extremely cold day and you are at work. Your system notices that even though your thermostat is set at 72, the temperature keeps dropping. You receive a notification and can have the system checked before it gets worse and can prevent pipes from freezing.
Doorbell Cameras
This home automation feature was more of a necessity this past year with all of our on-line shopping. Staying safe at home meant a lot of ordering out was done by many who never, or rarely, shopped on line before. Knowing when our packages were delivered kept them safe from porch pirates.
But this was not the main reason the security industry came up with doorbell cameras. Over 30% of burglars enter right through the front door. A doorbell camera shows any potential intruder that your home is protected and encourages them to move on.
Doorbell cameras, like remote lighting, also make the appearance that someone is home by being able to answer your doorbell remotely, from just about anywhere. Thieves prefer empty homes so why not make yours appear occupied at all times, and send intruders packing…
Smart Locks
Let’s face it, we have all locked our self out at one time or another. We have also gotten half way to our destination and wondered, did I lock the front door when I left? Smart locks put an end to all that. It also makes it easier to come home with an arm full of groceries and unlock the door before you even get out of the car making it easier to safely get into your home.
Having the ability to remotely open your door also makes it safer when visitors arrive. You can visually see them with your doorbell camera and then unlock your door, even if you are not home to let them in. No more spare keys left in flower pots or under door mats makes your home so much safer.
So, what can make all this new technology even better?
Having it professionally installed by Forest Security. Not only will we make sure everything is set up and working properly, we will also show you how to use everything. If ever something goes wrong, we are a phone call away to assist. New technology can be confusing, Forest is here to help! Call us today for your free home automation quote 708-452-2000
