Cold winter weather can wreak havoc on your home and utility bill. But the right smart home gadgets can make it easier for you and your family to adjust and thrive all season long. Plus you can save more money in the process! Which is why we put together a list of some of the coolest winter smart home devices and tips to help you beat the cold-weather blues.
Smart Thermostats from MAC
One smart home device that you should consider buying for your home is the smart thermostat. The smart thermostat will keep your family warm and comfortable throughout the winter and help you save money on your energy bills. You can set schedules and remotely change the temperature within your home, no matter where you are!
How Do Smart Thermostats Work?
Simply put, smart thermostats do more than average thermostats by integrating directly with your SmartHome security system. How else do smart thermostats work to make your home more comfortable and efficient? Using real-time data and user input, smart thermostats offer an array of significant benefits, including:
- Ideal convenience — adjust your home thermostat settings, no matter where you are.
- Optimized heating management — program a heating schedule for your family to optimize comfort. We find that most homeowners prefer to set a 7-day schedule so they can have a unique setting for each day of the week.
- Freedom from manual adjustments — never worry about whether your home’s heating system is running or was accidentally left on during your workday or vacation.
- Precision temperature control — coupled with remote temperature sensors, you’ll never have a hot or cold spot in your home again.
- Big energy savings — cost savings for homeowners who can remotely control when their home heating and cooling systems, water heaters, security lighting, and other systems, turn off and on. Take savings on home energy consumption to a new level.
Our tip for winter best practices is to set your smart thermostat to 68 degrees during the times that you expect to be home and keep it above 55 degrees when you’re away to keep your pipes safe.
After setting the heating schedule once, you and your family can enjoy being hands-off when it comes to the smart thermostat.
Flood Protection from MAC
While winter weather doesn’t usually equal flooding, frozen pipes are always a concern. Consider investing in a flood-monitoring system or flood warning system to also help combat frozen pipes. Frozen pipes are a huge problem that many homeowners end up encountering at least once. A burst or crack caused by frozen pipes can lead to devastating home damage and costly repairs.
How Does Flood Monitoring Work?
Fortunately, the damage from frozen pipes can be a preventable problem. Flood warning system and automatic water shut-off can sense frozen pipes (and the potential to burst and flood) before it ever becomes a problem.:
- Water sensors are installed near appliances such as your hot water heater and washing machine.
- When overflowing water is detected, a flood alarm signal is sent to the home alarm panel.
- When water is detected on the alarm panel, an alert will notify you via call or text.
- Alarm systems with the Flood Avert feature, which is an additional piece of equipment, are designed to automatically cut off the water source at the onset of flooding.
Fire Alarm Monitoring
Despite cold and even freezing temperatures outside, fires are always a safety risk inside. Especially with increased use of your home’s heating system, fireplaces, and any plug-in heating devices. While you should always practice caution in any of those cases, it never hurts to have the added protection of monitored fire alarms.
Fire alarm monitoring offers more protection for you and your family in the event of a fire. Normal smoke detectors simply make noise, which is what they’re supposed to do. But all that really accomplishes is to alert anyone in the home or area that a possible fire is occurring. With monitored fire alarms, an alarm monitoring center will be alerted as soon as a fire alarm or smoke detector is triggered. The monitoring center will then alert the fire department and make sure everyone has safely gotten out of the house.
Smart Home Security
Despite the cold weather, many home robberies and break-ins still occur in the winter. But it is generally also the slowest season for these types of incidents. Which means now is the best time to prepare yourself (and your home) for the rest of the year. Consider upgrading your smart home security with My Alarm Center. Ensure you and your family are safe during this winter and beyond!
My Alarm Center’s smarty home security offering provides the luxury of smart home automation and gives you remote access to your security camera systems, total control of your lights and locks, and so much more!
For More Security and Home Automation Tips and Solutions, Stick with My Alarm Center
And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at My Alarm Center. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.