5 Reasons to make your home a smart home

Liz Miller

5 Reasons to make your home a smart home

You may have heard about smart homes, but what does a smart home really mean?

Smart homes allow residents to control some or all appliances, thermostats, lights, and other devices remotely through an internet connection. Most residents usually control these things on their smartphones or tablets. These tools can often help you to save money, reduce expenses, or set reminders. Devices that are voice-automated can help those with limited vision and can link to cameras and locks that allow you to safely see visitors and never get locked out if you forget your keys. Some smart devices can even tell you what is in your fridge these days!

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5 Reasons to make your home a smart home
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Wade’s top 5 reasons to make your home smarter

Of course learning to work with smart devices can be challenging but the rewards can be worthwhile. Consider Wade’s top reasons to make your home smarter.

  1. Fall Prevention - Enjoy the ability to turn lights on and off in other rooms by voice command. This is not only a good security feature but could help prevent a fall when walking in the dark.
  2. Reduce Costs - Reduce costs and save energy by automatically turning off unused lights and appliances. Smart thermostats can also reduce heating and cooling costs.
  3. Set Reminders - Voice assistants can remind you to take your medicine on time and not forget important events.
  4. Gain Insights - Smart doorbells can let you see who is at the door without opening it or showing yourself at the door.
  5. Safety - Smart locks can lock your door automatically when you leave so you don’t forget and offer options of keyless entry in case you do forget your keys.

Share your smart experiences

Learning new tech can be a lot of fun and even funny. Wade loves to hear your experiences with smart devices whether it is funny, fun, or helpful.

Please share your stories on how technology has helped your personal or professional lives or ask your questions by emailing him directly at: wade-the-guide@getsetup.io

Wade’s top 3 smart devices to help you age in place at home

Not sure which devices you should start with in your home? Wade has put together his top three smart devices and why he suggests these for the smart home newbie. These tools help aging adults save money, stay safe, and have more peace of mind.

  1. Smart Doorbells - These allow you to see who is at the door and open the door from any place in your house. That way you can allow an aid in or a family member or loved one. They can also record 24/7 your front door area so you can see if anyone has taken anything from your porch or yard like your Amazon packages. This is also a good way to monitor your home when you are away and see if you have any surprise visitors.
  2. Smart Locks - These can be used to open your door from your car, so you don’t have to fumble with keys if you are carrying in groceries. Right from your smartphone you can also check to see if you remembered to lock the door and if you forgot you can lock it from your phone without having to return home. Plus these locks let you know if the door was left ajar or open.
  3. Smart Thermostats - These can change the settings with voice commands from anywhere in your house.  You can also turn the thermostat up or down using your smartphone before you come home so it is comfortable when you arrive.

How to start getting smart technology in your home

Still a little unsure about all these smart devices? That’s normal. The best way to start feeling comfortable about smart technology in your home is by educating yourself about it.

1. Explore Smart Technology - A great way to explore smart technology is by taking informational classes on the options. GetSetUp offers a series of classes on a variety of Smart Home products to learn about a few and decide which one is right for you.

2. Pick A Smart Tool - Once you have explored devices and have selected one that meets your needs, order it! Check prices at your local stores and also online to see which offer the best discounts and deals.

3. Start To Play With Your Tech - Once the smart technology arrives, start to test it out. If it has voice commands practice. Test your settings. The best time to test and play with the device is at the beginning then you understand the full breadth of its abilities.  (Also it’s still under warranty usually if you have any issues and some tech perhaps you can even return in the initial window after purchase if you don’t like it.) Until you learn to use all the great tools and features you don’t know how useful it can be!

These days, there are plenty of apps and services to make your home and life operate more smoothly. In these classes, you'll learn how to automate your home and life for comfort, safety, and ease.

Where is my smart home information stored?

Smart Home information is generally stored on the tech application that goes with the devices or at times can be transferred to the cloud. The cloud is a way of accessing information from anywhere through a device connected to the internet. This makes it easy to access information from video surveillance from a laptop or smartphone anywhere in the world, and means you can have multiple users checking the devices.

To learn more about the Cloud consider classes in the cloud series that best meet your needs.

Curious about the Cloud? These classes will help you understand what the Cloud is, what you can use it for, and which one makes sense for you.

Learn About The Cloud

If you found all of this overwhelming and want to start with just the basics of technology to interact without making your home smart just yet, not a problem. Refresh some of your technology skills to get the most out of basic apps like Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, and more. You can work your way up to Smart Home technology once you feel comfortable connecting and using the internet and technology apps.

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Refresh My Technology Skills

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