What is a Smart Home?

Enjoying all your home comforts at the touch of a button… what could be more luxurious?

Back in the day, a TV remote control was considered high tech, saving the viewer from getting up and down from their chair to change channels… but that seems light years ago, thanks to breakthroughs in technology and innovation. Now everything from heating to lighting to opening the front door can be controlled with barely the need to lift a finger.

So, what is a smart home and how can it improve your life?

A smart home is one which is equipped with electronic devices and technologies which can be controlled remotely by a smartphone or computer… and the possibilities are simply endless.

The latest generation of smart home controllers means you have ultimate control of all electronic functions in your home, from making sure the heating is on to drawing the curtains and monitoring your CCTV to keep a watchful eye on your home, even when you’re away from it.

These actions, and so many more, can also be pre-programmed to save the need for repeated input from the homeowner.

Smart homes – they’re game changers. They give the homeowner control over their environment from wherever they are in the world, meaning their homes are not just more comfortable and customised but also energy efficient and economical.

Favourite Smart Home Appliances

We all know about smart TVs which can connect to the internet without having to have a separate set top box or streaming device, but now smart technology has expanded significantly with more innovations being created all the time.

Smart lighting systems allow homeowners to change the brightness or mood of each room at the tap of a button, whether it is bright for reading or cooking or dimmed lights for watching a film or entertaining in the garden at night – or all off when the family are all heading to bed for the night.

Smart thermostats can control room temperature intuitively, so heating can be programmed to come on at a certain time and the temperature and can adjust if the weather changes. This energy-efficient approach means there is no need to leave heating on all day, which both wastes money and harms the environment.

Automated curtains and blinds can be programmed to open and close as required based on your lifestyle and routine, and smart locks mean there is no need to leave a key under a flowerpot for emergencies. Instead, homeowners can control who can get into their home via a smartphone or fingerprint reader. They can give virtual keys to family, friends and trusted service professionals without compromising security… and take them back as necessary.

CCTV has long been established as an important security tool but being able to look back at a footage to find out who burgled your home doesn’t stop it happening. The new generation of CCTV offers so much more and with the latest cutting-edge technology, you can keep an eye on who is coming and going while you are away from home via your phone or tablet as well as receiving notifications triggered from sensor beams so you can act in real time if there are unwanted visitors… before it is too late.

It seems Blur got it wrong… modern life is not rubbish.