Smart home automation has evolved over the past decade to offer homeowners an easy and convenient way to manage everyday household tasks. These tools are real timesavers and they increase the efficiency of a home. A recent survey by Security.org revealed that over 60% of Americans now want homes with smart devices. Real estate agents are discovering these tools boost the value of a home above the average for the area -- for Winter Springs, the current median sales price is $330,000 -- and now include them as highlighted house features. Here are the smart products that offer the biggest return on your initial investment.
Security
The top choice home buyers are willing to pay extra for are smart security devices. Video doorbells include a digital camera that records whenever someone comes to the front door, allowing a homeowner to see who is on the porch without leaving the couch. Exterior lights are available with or without cameras that are programmed to come on after dark whenever someone approaches your home or whenever you flip them on from an app on your smartphone. Install an internal security system with cameras, locks and alarms that you can control from a digital device, or pay extra for a monitoring service. These tools increase your home's security and often lead to a discount on your home insurance when they are professionally installed.
Thermostat
The next most popular device is a smart thermostat. The latest models learn what temperatures you prefer in certain seasons and times of day and automatically adjust themselves to those settings. This feature saves energy as well as money for you. An override option lets you temporarily change the settings for any length of time. You can also connect this device to Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant to allow you to change the temperature with a voice command.
Sprinklers
Another energy-saving and convenient device is a smart sprinkler controller. This tool automatically responds to the weather in your area to turn the system off on rainy days and increase watering cycles during dry spells. You can set up controls in multiple zones so that your lawn gets more watering time than your flowerbed, shrubs and trees. Use an app on your phone to monitor the controller or do it manually on the tool. Some models give you the option to use voice controls with your home automation device.
Interior Lights
According to Energy Star, you pay around $264 a year, or 12% of your energy bill, on your interior lights. Smart lighting reduces this amount in various ways. You can set them to automatically come on when someone enters a room and turn off when they leave it. Or you can program them to either dim or brighten at certain times of the day. Before leaving home for a trip, you can set lights to go on and off at certain times to give the appearance you are still at
Article is courtesy by Suzie Wilson, Happier Homes