Home automation‘s benefits include convenience, comfort and safety, and that’s why the smart home phenomenon is here to stay.
The following products will transform your lifestyle with the flip of a switch and swipe of a screen. You’ll be able to save time, effort and energy, and let the app do all the work.
1. Make Any Light Bulb Smart
Have you heard the expression, “What’s old is new again?” Well, that’s certainly true with the C by GE smart switch, which turns any light bulb into a smart one.
This smart switch (ranging from $49 to $74) lets you time, turn on and off and control any brand of incandescent, halogen, CFL or LED bulb with a voice assistant, app or touch.
The system also provides wireless, whole-room lighting control by bulbs on different circuits with no complicated setup.
What’s great about this switch is that anyone can install it, so it’s DIY-friendly; you don’t need an external hub to control it; and it’s virtually child-proof — little fingers may touch it, but your app and voice assistant remain in control.
2. Clean the Air with More Control
The Humidity Sensing Fan from NuTone’s Roomside Series makes life more convenient and safe, as it takes the guesswork out of indoor air quality control.
The fan turns on when it senses a gradual rise in humidity, and its adjustable sensitivity allows for faster reaction to rising humidity levels. (Which comes in handy to clear fogged mirrors fast!)
It’s Energy Star-certified, comes with a dimmable LED light, a grille with fewer vent slots to clean, and can be used in a bathroom, home gym or nursery — anywhere that could use cleaner air quality.
And retrofitting this fan couldn’t be easier, with installation entirely from the room-side — there’s no need to go up in the attic!
3. Install Smart Garage Doors & Locks
Have you ever left the garage door open overnight, and had an uneasy feeling the next morning? That’s just one reason to consider a smart garage door opener.
Using an app, you can set schedules to make sure the garage door is shut before bedtime, but open for deliveries when you’re away from home. This prevents porch thefts, which have risen along with mail order’s popularity.
An app also sends alerts when your garage door is open or closed, and lets you remotely control your garage door. Coupling convenience and security, what’s not to love?
Smart locks meet a modern household’s needs far more than their keyed counterparts.
Let’s face it: passing out keys to children and friends can be risky, and results in lots of lost keys, raising security concerns. Apps make life easier.
You just need your phone to lock and unlock your home’s doors, send alerts when the door is unlocked, or view the status of your door’s lock. (Who hasn’t forgotten whether they locked the door, just after leaving the driveway?)
And forget those extra keys (just like your friends did, in the old days!) You can set up personalized codes for visitors — such as babysitters, pet sitters and workers, and save the money and worry about passing out keys.
Watch “Smart Lighting and Ventilation Solutions for Your Home”
