Smart Home Devices Attention Homeowners:5 Smart Home Features Worth the Extra Cost Attention Home Owners:5 Smart Home Features Worth the Extra Cost What smart home features are worth the extra cost? Which ones can be safely discarded and ignored? Let's take a look at some that are really worth it. Read More Install Before You Leave for the Summer Vacation 6 Home Smart Gadgets to Install Before You Leave for the Summer Vacation When you leave your home for the holidays, these six smart home products will prevent damage from fires and floods , they will protect you against any thief they are absolutely worth the money. Read more.
With everything from smart plugs, 18 ways smart plugs will make your life easier and safer. 18 ways smart plugs will make your life easier and safer. Smart plugs are a small investment that can make a big difference in your daily life. Take a look at these easy and effective ways to use them in your home today! Learn more about an all-in-one smart home solution, you can find out which device best suits your budget and concerns based on where your vacation home is located and how you want to connect.
The first thing you'll probably want to do is keep an eye on your summer home, so get a home surveillance camera. Practical uses for your home. Surveillance cameras. Practical uses for your home. Surveillance cameras. Home surveillance cameras are becoming more popular with each passing year. Technology improves and prices fall. Here are some practical uses for home security cameras, some of which may surprise you. Read More
A smart security camera like Dropcam Dropcam Pro WiFi Monitoring System Review and Giveaway Dropcam Pro WiFi Monitoring System Review and Giveaway The Dropcam Pro is a small, WiFi-enabled security camera for personal use. We purchased this unit for our review. Read More
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If you don't want to buy an expensive gadget, you can always consider using a webcam. Use your webcam for home surveillance with these tools. Use your webcam for home surveillance with these tools. Having your own home surveillance system can be a powerful deterrent. -Being intruders, spies roommates or frustrating co-workers. Here are 6 great options for webcam-based surveillance products that you can use today! Read More a Home Security Camera! Read more . The drawback here is that if the computer or phone crashes for any reason, you will lose access to the source.
You can opt for a small and discreet smart security camera. Sound and safe:4 Smart and safe home security devices. 4 Smart home security devices. Read More
Nest, a smart home giant that has its fingers in all the smart home pies, also has a line of security cameras. With a “budget” indoor and outdoor security camera and a more expensive option for each, there is something for everyone.
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The top-of-the-line Nest Cam IQ isn't cheap at over $300, but at that price, it comes with a ton of features. It offers a crystal clear image, magnifies any type of action within your view, and comes with facial recognition and a built-in speaker and microphone. This capability means you can actually communicate with your family back home through your security camera, a feature that has a joke written all over it.
Any security or privacy concerns are worth considering when it comes to installing a smart camera in your home. At a time when your online privacy is constantly being compromised, smart devices are simply not immune to serious privacy risks. Samsung SmartThings Security Flaw:What You Need to Know Samsung SmartThings Security Flaw:What You Need to Know Security researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered a number of design flaws in Samsung's SmartThings platform. The flaws potentially undermine the security of any smart home setup that uses the SmartThings ecosystem. Read more associated with the Internet of things.
While a camera can instantly tell you what's going on in your home, another option is to opt for a motion sensor. The drawback here is that you won't know exactly what triggered the motion sensor, but the Samsung SmartThings Motion Sensor is an extremely affordable option that's easy to set up. The sensor will notify you if it detects movement or a change in temperature.
You can also connect your motion sensor to smart light bulbs. Movement will cause the light to turn on, and could be a potential deterrent to intruders.
Talking about Philips Hue or LIFX smart bulbs? Choose the best smart light bulb for your home Philips Hue or LIFX? Choose the best smart light bulb for your home Are you overwhelmed by the number of smart lighting products available? Here you will find everything you need to know before choosing smart light bulbs for your home. Read More
Not only can you schedule smart bulbs to come on at a specific time every day, you can also control them from an app on your phone.
Smart light bulbs come in all shapes, sizes, and even colors. Here are the best multi-color smart light bulbs of 2017 Here are the best multi-color smart light bulbs of 2017 There are so many options for smart home lighting that it can be overwhelming! These colored bulbs offer you the best features available today. Read More Did you know that a few LED bulbs could be the difference between a home break-in and peace of mind? It sounds weird, but it's true. Read More BeON Home's lights also turn on and off if the doorbell rings.
You can get three bulbs for $43 and you can control your lights with the free BeON Home app.
If you want simple and affordable smart light kits, Ikea is one of the latest brands to get in on the smart light action. You can get a bulb and motion sensor for just $25, or a dimming kit with a bulb for about $27. The bulbs alone aren't much cheaper than other brands, running $15 or $18. /P>
Another way to give the impression that someone is living in your home is by installing automatic shades. Open the shades a bit during the day and close the shades at night, making it impossible for anyone to see your house.
Automatic Window Shades The Best Automated Shades And Why You Need Them The Best Automatic Shades And Why You Need Them It's possible to turn your blinds into "smart shades" by installing an affordable electronic pulley system. Here's how you can get one and what it can do for you. Read More
This is probably the most cost-effective way to go, rather than buying and installing an expensive set of smart blinds. Why You Should Automate Your Window Shades Why You Should Automate Your Window Shades Automatic window shades offer peace of mind in homes with children and pets. Let's take a look at the automated blinds market and why you should automate your blinds. Read more. For your vacation property, you might also consider smart blinds just for rooms that are particularly visible from the street.
Another key gadget you'll likely want in your summer home is a smart valve. Not only will this alert you to any water leaks, but it can also shut off the water supply to prevent flooding.
In some cases, smart valves can even preemptively prevent a leak by shutting off the water supply when you suspect a leak may occur.
See a selection of smart valves Install a Smart Valve and Stop Your Basement From Flooding Install a Smart Valve and Stop Your Basement From Flooding What if you could prevent flooding or water damage by installing a single piece of equipment? Of course, I am talking about smart water valves. Read More
Smart water sensors rely on electricity and WiFi, so in some extreme weather conditions 7 Smart Home Products You Probably Should Avoid 7 Smart Home Products You Probably Should Avoid Security issues, compatibility, and high cost of entry they continue to hurt the market aspect of adding adopters. Here are some smart home product categories worth avoiding, at least for now. Read More
A Smart Alarm Smoke Detector Battle:Roost Smart Battery Vs Nest Protect Battle Smoke Detector:Roost Smart Battery Vs Nest Protect Once you see how the Roost Smart Battery and Nest Protect stack up with each other, you'll wonder how you came to a long without any. Learn More or Air Quality Monitor 6 Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitors You Should Buy For Your Home 6 Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitors You Should Buy For Your Home The quality of the air we breathe is very important to our health and quality of life, and these six smart air quality monitors help ensure the air in your home is as safe as possible. Read More can be used to detect dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and can warn against smoke that could indicate a fire in your vacation home.
Devices like the Nest Protect send notifications to your phone when they detect high levels of smoke or CO2. Combined with other Nest products, these devices can keep things from getting worse.
For example, Nest Protect can send a signal to your Nest Thermostat to turn off the heat if it detects a CO2 or smoke leak from your heating system. Nest Protect multiple devices can also allow you to pinpoint the exact room or location of any threat. When it comes to a property that is far from where you live, these automated processes can save precious minutes that are the difference between an inconvenience and a distaster.
Netatmo's Smart Smoke Alarm also has some cool features. When connected to other smart devices, it can turn on all the lights in your home if the alarm goes off, for example. And best of all, the battery should last 10 years so you can install it and not have to worry about it for quite some time.
A smart lock Everything you need to know before installing a smart lock Everything you need to know before installing a smart lock Smart locks are becoming more popular, but there are still many valid security concerns. These are the facts you should know before making a purchase! Read More So why would you need that when closing your summer home?
The Lockitron door lock, for example, will allow you to let neighbors or friends through during an emergency. The $99 lock makes it easy to share access to your home with friends, and you can easily revoke access whenever you need to.
This is a great accessory for other smart home devices. If your motion sensor or water valve notifies you that something is going on in the house, you can let someone in remotely if they can get there faster than you.
If you rent your vacation home on Airbnb, this type of lock will also make it easier for tenants to temporarily access without having to give them a physical key.
The August Smart Lock has a similar capability but costs more than $229, and it will also notify you when the front door is opened. The app will also let you know who's coming and going, so if you have teens who might try to make it to your summer home without you, you'll know.
There are plenty of all-in-one security devices out there that can be a more cost-effective way to get the most out of your smart devices. You can also consider smart home hubs. 7 Smart Home Hubs You've Never Heard Of. Before the 7 smart home hubs you've never heard of. Some smart home hubs get all the press, so you may not be aware of these lesser-known gems. ! One of these lesser known smart home hubs might be the perfect fit for you! Read More Which Smart Hub for Home Automation is Best for You? For a while, people thought the idea was nothing more than a gimmick, but recent product launches have shown that smart home automation is starting to deliver on its promises. Read More A good starting point is to think about what features are most important to you and determine which smart center offers the best or most affordable service in each of those categories. Some security devices come with a monthly subscription, so you'll want to factor that into your overall cost as well.
The Canary home security system is a security camera, siren, and air monitor in one. The basic system costs $149 and will send you HD video and audio alerts right to your phone. You can buy kits with additional cameras and sensors.
The Piper home security system comes with a camera, siren, motion and sound detector, and has a two-way audio system, and will also set you back $149 at its current discounted price.
There are a few general factors to consider when choosing your smart devices:price, ease of setup, and cost will always play a role in your decision. Businesses (and customers) will often share setup videos on YouTube, and this is a great way to gauge whether your tech savvy is enough to get a given gadget up and running.
Another important factor to consider when choosing any smart device is, how long has this company been in business? You don't want to invest in an expensive gadget from a startup, only to have them shut down and you're left with a very expensive paper weight or door stopper.
Which smart home gadgets are must-haves for your summer home? Or do you think it is not worth investing in technology? Have you installed any smart devices in your home, office or vacation home? Let us know in the comments.
