There is nothing wrong with the devices and appliances that you already have in your homes. Functioning well and just doing their thing, and in comes, an advertisement enticing you towards a much better product than the one you already have.
Well, this article is not one to entice you with the fancy features and the sleek designs of such gadgets, rather we’re here to explain to you why you should consider replacing your ordinary devices with their smarter counterparts. The choice is of course up to you. If you’re already satisfied with what you have at home, then why bother changing it? You do you!
So as we mentioned, here are 3 devices that we think should be installed in place of their ordinary counterparts in homes. Why? That is because these devices provide energy efficiency that helps you in the long term with lower utility bills for instance, and for safety and security purposes. You may already have a security system in place, but there is no harm in taking home security up a notch for the sake of your family.
Have a read.
Use Smart Smoke Detectors
The smoke detectors home depot stores normally sell come in different variants. Though they may do the job, there is also the off chance that the type of smoke detector you’ve bought is probably only good for certain things.
So what you should know is that there are 2 kinds of smoke detectors: ionization which respond quicker to flaming fires, and photoelectric smoke detector which can detect smoldering fires. There’s also the issue of gas leaks like that of carbon monoxide which can be fatal for humans and animals alike. People normally have to get a separate detector for that.
If you were to replace a regular smoke detector with a smart smoke detector instead, the one device combines all three functions – they can pick up on anything from fast burning to smoldering fires and even carbon monoxide and other gas leaks. Isn’t that much more convenient?
Then there’s the question of whether you’d prefer the wired ones or the battery ones. One thing that you should know, however, battery smoke detectors whether smart or ordinary, operate individually, whereas with wired ones if one device is set off, they all do.
Install a Smart Thermostat Instead
Our thermostats are one of the reasons why we have higher monthly utility bills to pay. Forgetting to turn off the thermostat in time, leaving it on unnecessarily while you make a quick run to the store – things like these are the reasons why. Investing in a smart thermostat can do wonders for a household. These devices are not just great for energy efficiency purposes but they provide you with the opportunity to enjoy a sliver of home automation.
Smart thermostats can be controlled through mobile applications, so unlike ordinary ones, should you want to make that quick run to the store you can switch off the thermostat and conveniently switch it back on using your phone when you’re turning into your street. In the same way, a lot of smart thermostats can sync to voice assistants which allows for them to enable voice control. Convenience once again is where you don’t have to walk over to the thermostat each time to manually adjust the temperature.
While these are the basic functions of a smart thermostat, some additional ones you can expect are motion detection and mobile location tracking – by which your smart thermostat can automatically adjust its temperatures throughout the day using motion sensors, your phone location, and even based on weather forecasts. Other than that, some smart thermostats can even literally learn your usual temperature settings to work themselves throughout the day.
Two things to take from this particular device: convenience and energy saving.
Video Doorbell for the Extra Security
Video doorbells are not like the typical video intercoms. Well, the working is the same – it shows you whose outside, lets you speak to them and if connected to the door lock, can unlock the door with the press of a button too. Except with smart video doorbells these features are much bolder. Bolder in the sense that you can answer the door from your smartphones and tablets – regardless of wherever you happen to be at that moment; home or away.
The video quality however is exceptional. HD with night vision and a head-to-toe, wide-angle view so you don’t miss a single thing. And some video doorbells also allow for video storage because the camera quite literally substitutes as a surveillance cam too – rewind the footage and see if you missed out on anything. These devices are also known to send alerts, not just when the bell rings, but if it detects any suspicious activity outside your door even if the bell hasn’t been rung.
It lets you stay on top of your home security with access to the view of your front porch 24/7.
Where Can You Find These Devices?
As sophisticated as they may sound, smart devices are not all that expensive and can be found in tech stores in your area. But if you do not want to risk wasting time searching, then head on over to www.firstenergyhome.com today and browse through their Smart Home catalog. You’ll find that there are so many more types of smart devices, each bringing with it some unique features that might just be useful for your home.