How to Create a “Smart” Home

You probably hear the term “smart” used to refer to various forms of technology these days. A smart home is one where you can control lighting, locks, appliances, thermostats and security cameras remotely with your smartphone, tablet or Web-connected computer. You can even preprogram these devices to turn on and off automatically at specific times, which can save energy and enhance your home’s safety and security.

Steps for Transforming Your House Into a Smart Home

While the winter season is a joyous time for most folks due to the holidays, it also presents a few home security and energy challenges. With all those gifts under the tree, your home can easily become a prime target for your friendly neighborhood burglar.

Here are some steps you can take to make your home smarter — and safer — during the winter season:

Use cameras to monitor your property: Did you know that more than 400,000 home break-ins occur in the U.S. during the last two months of the year alone? With a smart home surveillance system, you can monitor who is coming and going at your home with your mobile device, even if you’re many miles away. You can also use motion sensors that will activate your cameras whenever someone attempts to enter your property.

Install smart door locks: If you’re planning to travel during the holidays, smart locks can bolster your home security efforts while you’re away. For example, you can use your smartphone to unlock the front door to allow a friend or neighbor inside to feed your pets or water your plants. No more worries about hiding a key under the mat or having one fall into the wrong hands.

Control your home’s temperature with a smart thermostat: Installing a smart thermostat will help you keep your home at the ideal temperature throughout the day and night and eliminate the need for manual adjustments — you could reduce your heating bill over the holidays and throughout the winter by as much as 20 percent. Many smart thermostats also feature a vacation mode that provides automated temperature control if you plan to be away.

Automate home lighting: The strategic use of interior and exterior lighting will make your home appear occupied and reduce the likelihood of a break-in. Installing automated light switches will enable you to have lights go on and off based on a predetermined schedule. This will also help you conserve electricity, which is especially beneficial if you hang a lot of holiday lights.

Contact Titan Alarm for More Helpful Smart Home Tips

At Titan Alarm, we’ve been helping Phoenix- and Tucson-area residents find ways to make their homes safer for more than a decade, and we can do the same for you. Contact us to learn more about how smart technology can enhance your home’s security during the holidays — and the rest of the year.

Learn More About Smart Home Technology

Updated by Titan Alarm on November 5, 2018.