Technology has become deeply embedded into daily life, from education and the workplace to entertainment and communication. Now, even your home can be fitted with the latest innovations to make it more efficient. Smart home technology has gained traction in recent years, with more equipment available for various home functions. The smart home technology market is set to generate $154.4 billion in 2024, with the market value expected to reach $231.6 billion by 2028. It’s clear that smart homes are no longer a futuristic fantasy. They’re becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience, security, and potential energy savings.
Smart homes use connected devices and appliances to perform tasks and automate routines. Smart technology allows your home to react more intuitively to the environment with sensors and software. Other smart devices can provide easy access to information and execute actions with simple voice commands. By providing insightful data and practical functions, homeowners can make the necessary adjustments to save money, time, and energy effortlessly. There are many ways to make your home smarter, so if you’re planning a home renovation in 2024, here are four smart home trends you can incorporate:
Smart water networks
Traditionally, watering lawns can be wasteful, especially during dry seasons. Smart water networks with sprinkler controllers and wireless soil sensors can take the guesswork out of lawn care. They can allow you to schedule watering, control different zones in your yard, and even skip watering when it rains. These intelligent irrigation systems are driven by weather data and soil moisture, which can adjust water usage to ensure that plants receive the right amount of H2O, reduce wastage, and promote sustainability. By adapting to weather conditions, they can also prevent your lawn from getting too much water than necessary. This smart landscaping technology helps you reduce your environmental impact and keeps your lawn healthy and looking great.
Smart kitchen appliances
Outfitting your kitchen with smart kitchen appliances and gadgets can take your cooking experience to a new level. A smart fridge can tell you what is inside without you having to open it and can even recommend recipes based on the contents, saving you time when preparing for dinner. They can also show the internal temperature, time controls, and other information on the built-in screen or a mobile application on your phone. You can also get alerts if any gear needs changing or if a door is open. Gadgets like a smart air fryer can be voice-controlled by connecting to voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also see the cooking status on your phone so you can grab your food once it’s finished.
Energy-efficient thermostats
Your HVAC system consumes a lot of energy, and accidentally leaving it on or using it too often unnecessarily can be bad news for your energy bills and the environment. Smart energy-efficient thermostats can reduce utility bills and the house’s carbon footprint, allowing you to practice sustainability at home. You can use it to adjust heating and cooling in your home automatically or even program your HVAC to adapt to your behavior and preferences, such as having it react to your presence or absence in the house and adjusting accordingly. Another option is to set it to different temperature thresholds depending on season or weather, so it only heats or cools an appropriate amount. This allows your household to save money and energy and be more environmentally friendly.
Smart security systems
Smart security systems offer a variety of features to keep your home safe and secure. These can include locks that can be controlled remotely, security cameras that provide live footage of your home, and motion sensors that trigger alarms if unwanted activity is detected. You can monitor these devices through your mobile phone and check for any disturbances. Some technologies can even call local emergency services like the fire department or police when an alarm is set off, giving you peace of mind when you’re away from home.
Written by Alejandra Christine Cameron
Exclusive for kcsimprovement.com
