CSA Online by James Dolan Home smart home How smart home technology can change the way we live for the better What makes a home “smart”? First things first: what exactly is the difference between a “smart” home and every other home? Very simply, a smart home is one that integrates one of several automated technologies into the existing, more familiar living systems and basic household functions – lighting, heating, entertainment, home security and so on. The basic elements of smart homes have existed for many years: think about those simple mechanical timers we used to connect to the living room lamp to make it seem as if we were still at home, for example. Or that motion sensor you connected to the light above the garage to deter would-be prowlers. But over the past decade or so, the proliferation of wireless internet and Bluetooth connectivity have greatly expanded the capability of many simple devices to become automated and controlled by a central hub, or even more conveniently, via a smartphone app. These days, it’s theoretically possible to connect nearly any device or mechanical system in your home to a wireless connection, and thereby turn it into a “smart” device – your thermostat, for example. Or your refrigerator. Or your toaster, your coffee machine, your room fan or pretty much any appliance that might get plugged into an electrical socket. Once done, you can monitor that device’s status, turn it on or off, or receive important information about what’s going on in or around your home from pretty much anywhere in the world where there’s an internet connection. Benefits of a smart home You can see how this kind of capability makes routine tasks such as turning on the lights, brewing your morning cup of coffee or setting your thermostat to ensure that your home is warm when you wake up a whole lot easier. Beyond the convenience, however, there are several other benefits to a smart home: Energy savings – ever mistakenly left the lights on when you’re away from home? Or forgotten to turn off the lawn sprinkler at night? Smart devices let you automate such tasks, allowing you to be a lot more efficient regarding when and where in your home you use your electricity and other utilities. That’s good news for your wallet – and for the planet as well. Home security – these days, smart door locks, home security cameras, motion sensors, smoke detectors and more can all be controlled by your smartphone, offering you an easy-to-install 24/7/365 wireless security system for your entire home. For snowbirds who plan to be away from their primary residence for several weeks or months of the year, the ability to keep an eye on your home from halfway around the world is a huge benefit. Environmental monitoring – another big benefit for snowbirds. Keeping the heat at a constant level over the winter, watching out for leaky pipes or setting up a sensor that sends you an alert when something’s not right – this kind of automated monitoring can prevent small, easy-to-fix problems from becoming expensive repairs later on. Personalized settings – anyone who lives with someone else knows the household arguments that can ensue when one person likes it warm and the other runs cold … or when one person prefers it bright and the other likes it moody … or one likes classic rock and the other likes smooth jazz. Smart home technology offers an easy solution to such annoyances, with the ability to create personalized settings and adjustments for devices and systems to suit each person’s preferences in every room of the house. Easier living for elderly and disabled people – voice-command smart devices such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google ‘s Home Assistant can be a big help for elderly people who aren’t as mobile as they used to be. And the recent development of smart home health-monitoring devices and emergency response systems can give the aged and infirm even more peace of mind. Your home is changing. Its systems are becoming more sophisticated. More complex. Smarter. That’s right: smarter. New internet-enabled devices and appliances are changing your home from being simply a roof over your head to a kind of interconnected machine that can make living easier, more convenient, safer, more affordable and, in some cases, a lot better for the environment. Let’s take a look at exactly what makes a home “smart,” along with some of the reasons you might want to integrate some or all of these technologies into your own living space. 42 | www.snowbirds.org
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