With Santa just a few days away from coming down your chimney, you’re likely filling out your list and looking at all the latest and greatest gadgets that might suit your fancy. If you browse long enough, there’s a good chance you’ll come across a few home automation products. These products can turn your home into something straight out of a science fiction novel by letting you control almost everything from your phone.
Here are a few ways you can live like the Jetsons with a fully automated home.
Lights
How many times have you forgotten to turn the light off when you leave the house? This bad habit wastes energy and costs you money, but you can easily kick this habit with technology. Buying smart light bulbs from Philips will let you control your lights from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.
Alarm
Almost every modern home security provider will offer the ability to arm and disarm your alarm system remotely. This feature lets you arm your system when you forgot, and gives you the ability to let neighbors or friends in without sounding the alarm. Some of the fancier alarm systems will even come with door locks that can be controlled remotely as well.
Thermostat
There’s no need to heat or cool your home when you’re not there. With a Wi-Fi thermostat, like Nest, you can adjust your thermostat on the go and stop wasting money on unneeded energy. These thermostats can also be programmed to automatically raise and lower the temperature based on when you’re regularly in and out of the house.
Everything in one Place
You can go with an a la carte option and get just one or two of the above-mentioned items, or you can centralize all your home automation devices with one app. This gives you the ability to control everything in your home from one place. These systems are a bit more pricey than the a la carte options, but it is much more convenient.