So you want to upgrade to a smart home, but your husband’s not convinced. Maybe it’s the cost. Maybe it’s the complication. Maybe it’s just the perceived hurdle of learning a new system.
Ladies, we’re with you. Smart homes (and smart security) are the future. They’re the present, in fact. They’re how you know your kids are home safe from school. They’re how you protect your family not only from break-ins, but also from fire, flood and other disasters. They’re how you never, ever get locked out again (and how you finally, FINALLY say goodbye to the hide-a-key poorly camouflaged in plastic dog poop).
But back to the point: your husband’s not on board. Yet. But he will be, once you run these 5 awesome facts by him:
1. It Can Save You Big Bucks
We like to start with this one, because it’s such a convincing reason to go smart: Automate your energy – thermostat, A/C, lights, etc. – and you can save big on your electricity bill (and save our planet in the process).
You can easily program your system for energy savings, by turning the a/c up or the heat down while you’re out, always turning off the lights, etc., but it goes beyond that: with new IFTTT (if this, then that) controls, you can also tell your smart home to automatically adjust the a/c up if the outside temperature goes down. And that translates to savings, every month.
2. You’ll Never Get Locked Out
Anyone who has ever waited for someone to deliver an extra key (or worse, had to wait for – and then pay – an emergency locksmith) will love smart locks. With just a tap of your smartphone, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your doors at will. Even when you’re not there, so if your kiddo forgets her key, you won’t have to rush home, either.
3. You’ll Never Panic Again (at least, not about house stuff)
Has your husband ever had that horrible, panicked moment of, “Did I lock the front door?” “Did I turn off the stove?” “Is the garage door closed?”
Yeah, so have we. And so had the people who invented smart homes, so they did something about it. Now, smart locks and smart appliances/outlets make it easy to remotely access your home, to double-check that your doors and appliances are locked, turned off, and completely safe.
4. You Can Keep Your Kids Safer
A smart home not only makes life easier, but also makes life safer. Today’s greatest systems can send you text alerts for almost anything, like letting you know your kids have gotten home from school. But beyond that, your smart system can warn you if a child opens a cleaning cabinet, medicine case, or other do-not-open door. Program your home to fit your lifestyle (and concerns).
5. Can You Say, Sports Night?
This is the cherry on top of the smart home package: preset functions. With the push of a button – or, in the newest and techiest systems, a simple voice command – you can activate a world of presets, for example, auto-locking your doors, closing the garage, and turning off the lights when you go to work.
But that’s not all. Now, you can also set some pretty sweet entertainment presets. Teach your system to go low on lighting and auto-play some romantic tunes for an evening in, or turn up the lights and blare the speakers when your favorite team (or movie) is on. You can even couple your entertainment presets with basic security, like locking all the doors, so you can enjoy your downtime with nary a care in the world.