In today’s world, it seems like there just isn’t enough time in the day to give everything in your life the attention it so rightfully deserves. This feeling often stems from two different schools of thought: there’s either too much on the to-do list, or there’s never enough energy left to complete that list to the best of your ability. Luckily, smart home devices have advanced to address both of these concerns.
There’s technology on the market that’ll help you address that to-do list and take care of certain tasks in a concise way that provides peace of mind. Some of the best pieces of smart technology for this purpose include smart home security systems and smart locks for home exterior doors.
Overview of Smart Home Technologies
A piece of technology is considered a smart device if it’s able to connect to the Internet and be controlled through the use of a tablet, phone, or other connected device. Sometimes, smart technology can all be controlled through the same hub, making it even easier to dictate the behavior of your devices.
Individual pieces of tech with this sort of interconnectivity built into them are part of an ecosystem sometimes referred to as the “Internet of Things,” (IOT) which also includes wearable devices and more advanced machinery. The “smart” moniker they take on has more to do with their ability to be precisely controlled by an everyday user than their competency completing tasks with little-to-no instruction.
The technologies that can be provided in a smart home are increasing as the retail category gets more attention from homeowners. Readily available smart devices that can be purchased by consumers at most relevant retail locations include smart thermostats, robotic vacuums, smart locks, home security systems, and more.
Affordable Smart Home Devices
Adding smart home devices to your property may sound like an expensive endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. Years of commercial availability created a competitive market, so having a smart home for relatively cheap isn’t outside the realm of possibility—especially if you prioritize your purchases and pay attention to your most-desired features in each product category.
Smart Locks
A smart lock may be the most important aspect of a smart home—installing smart locks for home security will help give you more control over your family’s safety and the hint that your home is utilizing an unknown suite of devices for protection can deter would-be burglars. As an added bonus, any smart devices encountered while entering the home can impress visitors and add to your property’s curb appeal.
The most affordable smart locks mostly integrate some sort of keyless entry by way of a numerical pad. The code for that pad can be changed via a smartphone app. In fact, in most situations, you’ll find that the one device you really need for a smart home is a smartphone that can download and operate each required app. Integrating a smart home hub is convenient for smart home owners, but it isn’t necessarily required hardware.
Other Smart Home Devices
Today’s consumer electronics market features a number of low-cost smart devices. Whether that’s because companies want to grow the user base for smart products or because they want you to buy into their smart ecosystem before you try a competitor doesn’t matter—what matters is that you enjoy a quality product for a low price.
Smart assistants are a relatively cheap way to dive into the smart home movement and improve your quality of life. For example, you may notice you’re running low on laundry detergent, dish soap, or one of the many other common household items that always seem like they’re on the brink of needing replaced. You can place an order over a smart device and avoid making a special trip—you may even be able to place your whole grocery order for delivery, saving a ton of time!
Smart assistants can also answer a wide range of questions, help you keep a calendar, act as an alarm, and help control any other smart devices that can be paired with them. As an added bonus, they double as a speaker for music and podcasts!
While smart assistants seem to be one of the more popular options for adding a cost-effective smart device to your home, they aren’t the only way to affordably lean into modernization. Smart bulbs allow you to dim or brighten your lights with a smartphone app, allowing you to find the perfect ambiance for any situation. Smart plugs are kind of like cheating—they turn anything you utilize with them into a de facto smart device, including appliances, fans, lamps, and other things powered by cords, all without the use of a smart home hub. Both of these options can be used to control electronics near an entryway or door.
Smart tags can be placed on a keyring, inside a purse, or nearly anywhere they can be securely held, and be tracked via an app in case you lose that important item. This can be extremely helpful if you have a habit of losing your keys around the house. Lastly, an indoor smart camera is relatively cheap and is a great way to keep an eye on pets when you aren’t home.
Mid-Range Options
If you’re looking for a little more control over your environment and home safety, the price of admission is going to be a little higher for these sorts of devices. However, you’ll notice the difference these higher-end devices make to your quality of life almost immediately, and they’ll soon become an everyday part of your homeowner experience.
Before getting into smart home security options, it’s worth noting one of the most popular mid-range smart devices: the smart thermostat. It’s one of the most useful, cost-effective smart devices available today since it can help you save money on utilities by improving the energy efficiency of your home.
An in-house smart Wi-Fi network is another great option that’ll improve your home’s connectivity across the board. Yes, it’s true that this is a necessary step if you have smart devices spread across your home because they all need to reside on the same network in order to talk to each other. However, as an added bonus, upgrading your Wi-Fi network will probably grant you and your family access to the fastest Wi-Fi speeds.
Advanced Smart Locks
If you’d like to get more advanced than the aforementioned keypad locks, why not attune your home’s security to each member of your household? There are smart locks on the market that’ll respond to voice, locks that can be opened with use of a cell phone, or locks that can be attuned to a fob that each family member carries with them. Each option can entirely eliminate the traditional lock-and-key mechanism from a doorway, significantly increasing the integrity of a door against possible breach.
Enhanced Home Security Systems
One of the most popular consumer products in the smart device space has become the residential smart security system. These require a more substantial investment because they’re usually weather resistant, consist of multiple cameras, have features like motion detection or night vision, and boast advanced connectivity options like the ability to receive short clips via smartphone any time a camera is triggered.
When used in tandem with a smart security system, a smart doorbell can provide a superior level of safety for your front main exterior entryway. Smart doorbells often include their own small cameras that can grab images of visitors who set off its motion detection sensor, as well as two-way microphones that allow you to speak to visitors without opening your door.
High-End Options
Right now, the highest price points for smart devices tend to fall into the entertainment category. Smart televisions can provide access to lifetimes of entertainment from the comfort of your living room, while smart speakers can create a theater-adjacent experience for family movie night.
The majority of other top-tier smart experiences serve to expand some of the cheaper options. For example, converting a home’s entire lighting system as well as adding light arrays in outdoor spaces, or implementing a smart hub that’s capable of handling control of large-scale installations like multiple secured and monitored entry points.
High-Tech Smart Locks
The highest end of the smart lock market takes individual entry one step farther by more accurately pinpointing authorized entrants through the use of biometric data—usually, this is done with fingerprints. Since this kind of technology is still fairly new for the residential security market, it isn’t cheap. Also, like most advanced smart home technology that’s used outdoors, some effort should be put into keeping it safe and dry.
Should I Put a Smart Lock on My Front Door?
The first question you should ask yourself when considering a smart lock is if you’re comfortable enough with technology to interact with it on such a critical level. If you feel like you’ll be able to properly set up, utilize and—if necessary—troubleshoot your lock, you should consider one. There’s a reason technology is heading in this direction, and it isn’t just for convenience. The removal of a traditional physical lock-and-key setup increases the integrity of the door when faced with physical attempts to compromise it, while the removal of a key from the equation lowers the possibility that the means of entry will fall into undesirable hands.
You may not want to make the shift away from traditional security methods, though. Maybe you’re averse to new technology or you don’t have access to reliable smartphone or Internet service. You could also be skeptical of such a large investment that replaces a system you’ve had in place for a long period of time. Whatever the case, there are ways you can increase the security level of your home without opting for an entirely new locking mechanism.
Smart home security systems and smart doorbells can be great gateway technology to the smart home world, and they can help keep your home safe independently of any smart lock. Fiberglass doors are also a strong candidate for homeowners looking to improve their home’s resistance to intrusion. Fiberglass entry doors maintain their integrity longer than doors made with wood or metal, and they’re more resistant to direct impact. Regardless of your opinions on the smart home movement, fiberglass doors are an easy way to use modern tech to improve your front door’s overall safety factor.
Plastpro Home Upgrades
At one time, every feature of your home was a new idea or piece of technology that had to be accepted and adopted before it was put into regular use. Technology’s role in our everyday lives is steadily increasing, and the implementation of smart home tech can make your life easier, safer and more intuitive.
While working to update your home and possibly improve your home security with smart devices, consider how important a door upgrade could be to your overall project. A new fiberglass door could improve safety, but it can also work in tandem with a smart thermostat to greatly impact your overall energy bill. Reach out to a Plastpro dealer today to explore your options.
