Six Tips on How to Make Your Home a Smart Home

Innovation in the smart home technology space has truly soared in recent years. Now, homeowners can enjoy never-before-seen levels of efficiency, convenience and sophistication at affordable prices.

If you are ready to “smarten up” your lifestyle, consider new home construction in Montgomery County, PA. Purchasing a recently-built property by Hallmark Homes Group can give you a chance to start with a clean slate and install the latest voice- and app-controlled gadgets and inventions. From the convenience of your smartphone, you can manage every aspect of your home such as lighting, temperature, safety, security, entertainment and more.

What are the Benefits of Having a Smart Home?

Smart-home technology can easily be compared to smartphones. Both are connected devices that allow us to stay in touch with the world around us, perform tasks for work or school and entertain ourselves. However, instead of relying on our own two hands (and eyes) to do these things, smart home products use voice control or apps to make them possible. Imagine what your life would be like if you didn't have to worry about turning off the oven before you left for work, what temperature you want your house set at when you get back from vacation or what lights you wanted to be turned on the next time you walk through your door.

You know what a smart home is and how it works, but how can you make your home into a smart home? The experts in everything new home building and design at Hallmark explain a few ways.

Invest in a Smart Speaker You Can Talk To

A voice-activated smart speaker is the centerpiece of a smart home. The top two brands are Google Assistant and Alexa, and both respond to vocal commands to control thousands of technologies designed to heighten your personal comfort and enhance the overall enjoyment of your home. You can set timers, dim the lights, preheat the oven, lower the blinds and initiate many more actions by simply speaking.

Choose a Better Option for Lighting

Smart bulbs and fixtures can help you set the perfect mood in each room according to function. You can use colored bulbs to set a warm tone in dining areas and shared spaces while other areas such as the kitchen and front walkway can be brightened to maximum capacity. You can also upgrade beloved antiques and fixtures with smart switches and all lighting units can be controlled by voice activation, a smartphone app, or a wall-mounted console. If you love to let in the sunshine, you can also install smart window blinds which can be programmed to open every morning and close in the evenings helping with your home's energy efficiency.

Control The Temperature With A Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats allow you to warm up or cool down the home as you see fit. You can even use your smartphone to activate the air conditioner or to turn up the furnace from a remote location – even before you get home – so that you enter a house that is at an ideal temperature for the season. These devices can also help you save money on utility bills by being programmed to minimize operation while you’re asleep or away from home. 

Keep Your Home Secure

Smart technology has revolutionized home security systems to all-new levels of safety. Smart locks can be checked and operated remotely from a smartphone or manually with fingerprint-recognizing touch screens. Security cameras and smart doorbells can monitor all activity inside and outside the home at all times, with video feeds from every angle that can be accessed and viewed for many days after the fact.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors are Part of The Interconnected Team As Well

Smart smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors should be on alert day and night if unsafe air quality becomes present in the home. Readings from these devices can be checked manually or from an app on your smartphone that also notifies you with alerts. These units can also be tied into the security alarm system so that anyone and everyone in the area will know about hazardous conditions. 

Keep The Whole Family Entertained

Home entertainment is more sophisticated than ever, allowing you to immerse yourself in your favorite types of visual and audio media. Smart TVs can be programmed to broadcast sound from speakers set at every imaginable angle. Also, a smart speaker can be voice-activated to play your favorite music on demand or programmed remotely to greet you with the perfect tunes as you arrive home every day.

If you want to live in the cutting-edge of home automation, it’s time to smarten up. Hallmark is committed to providing its customers with new construction homes in Montgomery County PA that are built for today’s lifestyle and ready for any smart home upgrades you would like to make. Contact us today if you have any questions about how we can help build your dream home!