You may recognize a smart device as a voice assistant, a simple tool on your desk you can ask a question to and get an answer from. Yet, smart devices are available throughout the home, and some do more than tell you the weather forecast. When it comes to investing in a smart device, smart homeowners are sure to tell you some of the best ways to make your home safer, more comfortable, and less expensive to own.
What Is a Smart Device?
A smart device can be any type of electronic device that links to other devices through a wireless method, such as the internet or Bluetooth. They perform various tasks autonomously, which means a person doesn’t have to handle the process manually. They connect, share, and interact in a way that makes them “intelligent” or “smart” and, therefore, capable of improving the functionality of a home.
What Can a Smart Home Device Do for You?
Consider some examples of smart home devices. Though many types are on the market today, these are some of the most popular and useful.
Smart Doorbells
A smart doorbell, like a Ring doorbell, provides information about what’s happening outside your home’s front door (or anywhere you place them). They monitor for activity around them. If they detect activity, you receive an alert in a text, through an app, or an email. You can then log into the device to watch a video of what’s occurred.
Ring doorbells go further. They may allow you to interact and have a conversation with someone outside your door. You can choose to tell them you’re home or not. They also continue to record, so you can see what happened or is happening. You have access to what’s happening in near real-time, no matter where you are, as long as you have internet connectivity.
Smart doorbells offer several benefits:
- They allow you to communicate with someone at your door, improving your safety. You don’t have to open the door to find out who is there.
- Doorbells make it possible for you to track who has come to your door, which may be helpful later if you are missing a package.
- They give you peace of mind. You can tell when your child gets home from school, for example.
Have a licensed professional install a smart doorbell for you. That way, it can be hard-wired in to provide ample protection over the long-term. Allowing a professional to custom install a smart doorbell ensures it works just as it needs to for you.
Smart Cameras
Smart cameras work in the same way smart doorbells do, but they can be placed in more places around the home. Some versions are ideal for just indoor use, such as setting up a monitor for the babysitter or one that displays the back door from the inside so you know when people approach the area.
Many smart cameras are placed outside the home. They can provide you with a view of the driveway, walkways leading up to each door, and the side of the home where someone could try to break in. Many activate when there’s motion, and some, like Ring smart cameras, are capable of telling the difference between a person and a backyard critter. Most often, they provide real-time connectivity and recording.
Smart cameras can help you in many ways:
- They give an early warning when someone is approaching your home.
- They record what’s happening, so you can see if someone tries to break in or causes damage to the home.
- Some allow you to display an alarm or enable you to speak through them to warn someone off.
A professional installer can help you ensure you place smart cameras in and outside of your home in strategic locations. They can offer guidance on which type to use as well as handle the electrical setup for them.
Smart Floodlights
Floodlights are big, powerful lights that provide you with the ability to really see what’s happening in an area. For many homeowners, this is critical to keeping their home safe. For example, a floodlight above the garage door illuminates the entire area when the motion sensor is triggered. Some have cameras (others work alongside smart cameras) to record and provide real-time insight into what’s happening.
Floodlights provide a number of benefits themselves:
- They illuminate the area, which makes it far more difficult for someone to hide from your cameras.
- They help you see better and feel safe when you approach the area.
- Some have alarms that can sound with your direction to get people to leave the area.
Smart floodlights are a solid investment when installed by a professional. This ensures the proper wiring and installation, but also helps you to connect all of your smart tools in a single, easy-to-use app.
Installing Smart Device and Smart Home Features
The benefits of smart devices and smart home features like these are easy to see. Having them professionally installed is critical to ensure you get the most functionality out of them. You will also find professional installation helps create a comprehensive level of protection on all areas of your home.
Reach out to Electrical Pros for insight into how to set up smart devices and a smart home you can feel good about.