The Latest ‘Smart Home’ Innovations

At ACJ Electrical Installations, we love a bit of tech! If, like us, you’re a tech enthusiast, you probably already have a few “smart” appliances. But even if you don’t have any, you are likely to know someone who does.

There have been a lot of smart home innovations in recent years, some of the latest ones include:

1.Voice Activated Assistants

An example of ‘smart’ technology that many of us already have in our homes is a smart speaker, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. These devices use voice commands to control smart home devices, set reminders, play music and so much more.

2. Heating Control

Soaring energy costs mean we’re all looking for ways to keep bills manageable, and the latest smart thermostats can make a significant difference. Installing a smart thermostat enables you to control your heating on the go and avoid wasting money on an empty home. You can use your smartphone to turn heating on and off and reduce or increase the temperature. Using heating only when you are home, could save you over £300 in energy costs.

You could also take a further step of installing a smart radiator in each room. You can accurately control the heating schedule room-by-room, and with eco and holiday modes, it’s estimated you can save up to £575 per year compared to a system without heating controls.

3. Smart Locks

A godsend to those who always forget keys, smart locks can be controlled from your smartphone and allow you to grant access to your home.  Even when you’re not physically there, you can remotely allow access to other people such as the dog walker or house sitter.

4. Smart Lighting

Smart lights can aid security and be programmed to mimic the actions of people being at home even when they’re not. Colour-changing bulbs can help energise you in the morning or relax in the evening, be set to as you go to sleep, and brighten slowly to wake you.

With smart lighting systems you can control the lighting in your home remotely or with voice commands and even set up automated schedules.

5. Smart Security

It wasn’t all that long ago that home security meant having an expensive fitted alarm system now, however, the best smart home security systems consist of easily fitted alarms, sensors and cameras that can notify you of any activity at home or in the garden. Video doorbells, for instance, can instantly notify you via your smartphone when a visitor approaches the house, even if they don’t ring the bell, while also saving photos and video

6. Smart Curtains and Blinds

Some expensive hotels and homes have had these for years but now technology has been developed for the more modest home to enable you to open and close curtains and blinds using your smartphone. You can even set timers for dawn and dusk, which can improve sleep habits, and also enhance home security when you’re away

7. Smart Appliances

You can now buy app-controlled appliances such as:

• Fridges that can tell when you’ve run out of milk, and even let you see inside via webcam.
• Ovens with sensor enabled technology which can tell you when food is ready and with apps that provide recipes.
• Washing machines which can allow access to more than 40 wash cycles to take care of specific garments as well as get maintenance updates and information on the energy and water used.
• Smart kettles which enable you to perform the basic task of boiling water, without leaving the comfort of your sofa.
• Coffee machines which can be started via apps and which give information on new blends and flavours.

8. Robots

Robot vacuum cleaners have come a long way in just a few years. Some now feature navigation software that can map out your home and even clean around your mess.

Multi-purpose cleaners now have the ability to vacuum, mop, wash and empty automatically, and robot lawnmowers keep your garden looking pristine without lifting a finger.

And while having your own robot butler might seem like science fiction, the reality is getting closer like Temi who will follow you around being generally useful – face detection means it’s always where you need it – answering questions, showing content, managing smart home devices and acting as a home security droid when you’re not there.

9. Health and Wellness

With the general population getting older, health tech is set to be big business in the next few years, with wellness gadgets helping keep our homes and bodies healthier.

Health technology includes health monitoring, sleep tech, smart pet care, and smart health appliances. Smart health monitoring enables emergency detection, illness diagnosis, and fall detection, applications that particularly help senior or chronic disease patients.

But wellness isn’t just a reaction to illness or fitness, it’s also about feeling good. There are now showers with voice control that can be paired with lights, temperature and even music, to create a true spa experience at home. Some smart shower heads, have programmable temperature and water use gauges that blink to different colours when you’ve hit set limits so you can monitor your water consumption

Air purification can help improve your health at home, especially for those with allergies. The latest connected air purifiers detect levels of particulate matter in the air and adjust the power automatically.

10. Smart Car Charger

Smart chargers are charge points that can be accessed remotely and will usually work via an app on your smartphone. They can allow you to monitor your car’s charging and potentially choose when your car charges.

The latter could be particularly useful if you have a time-of-use tariff, such as Economy 7, when the cost of electricity is cheaper during the night. So, you could set your charger to charge your electric car during those cheaper hours

Summary

Overall, smart home technology is rapidly evolving so there will likely be many more innovative devices to come. When considering smart products, the most important thing to consider is the Wi-Fi that connects it all together, so if you struggle to get full signal in the bedrooms, it might be time to invest in a router upgrade.

If you are within a 30-mile radius of Farnham, Aldershot or Guildford, ACJ Electrical Installations can provide some Smart home solutions for you. For advice on how we can help with your Smart home, contact ACJ Electricals Info@acj-electrical.co.uk