By 2025, we can expect to see 64 billion Internet of Things devices worldwide. No, this isn’t science fiction. In many of our lifetimes, we will see IoT devices in every aspect of our lives.
While we aren’t quite there yet, several home technology devices are trending in 2019.
Read on for a list of the most popular smart home trends out there.
1. Smart Speaker
One of the most popular items in smart home technology trends is smart speakers. Siri, Google, and Alexa are taking over homes all over the world.
Smart speakers are a smart house technology that lets you talk to your house. The speakers allow you to lower the temperature, turn off the lights, check the weather, and they can even tell your kids a bedtime story.
As far as smart home trends go, smart speakers are at the top of the list for both practicality and popularity. Best of all, smart speakers can integrate with other smart house technology you might own.
2. Smart Plugs
Another of the newest home technology trends is smart plugs. As people become aware of their carbon footprint coupled with the rising energy prices, they look for ways to save energy and lower their bills.
Energy efficiency renovations are on the list of best home improvements for maximizing your resale value.
Smart plugs allow any appliance you plug in to become smart. From lamps to TVs, you can control the power to your devices from your smartphone.
Some smart plugs will monitor your energy consumption to let you see how much energy your appliances are using. Then, it’s easy to shut off power when you aren’t using that appliance and stop phantom energy usage.
Since phantom power can account for 10% to 13% of your electricity costs, it’s wise to shut off your appliances before you go to bed.
3. Smart Video Doorbell
Regular doorbells are so 2018. This year and beyond, you will see many more homes with smart video doorbells.
These doorbells have built-in cameras and speakers so that you can see and talk to whoever is at the door.
You can also use the app to see what’s happening on your doorstep. If you’re busy upstairs, you can tell the delivery person to leave the box on the step. You can tell your guests to come in while you’re in the kitchen stirring a delicate roux.
A smart doorbell is one of the best tools for home technology. You can even connect your smart doorbell to a home monitoring system for increased safety.
4. Smart Lock
A trending smart house technology device is a smart lock. Installation is typically easy and takes less than an hour.
There are various types of models. You can unlock some smart locks by waving your smartphone in front of the lock, and others by tapping a button in the app. Some even open when you say your password into your phone.
Many smart locks automatically lock when you close the door. This means never worrying that you’ve left the front door unlocked.
You can choose between smart locks that still have a key lock/unlock option or ones that are completely keyless.
One of the best things about smart locks is that they allow you to send virtual keys to whoever you want, such as babysitters, friends, or repair persons.
You can set a virtual key to be active for only a certain amount of time. That way a service person would only be able to get in what that virtual key on the specified date that they are coming to do repairs.
The app also tracks who comes in and out of your home (and when). You can set the app to send you alerts about your door activity.
If you also have a video doorbell, you can talk to people at your door with video chat. You can let unexpected visitors in this way as well.
Keep in mind that smart locks use batteries. As soon as you get an alert that it’s time to replace the batteries, do it. Otherwise, you may lock yourself out of your home out because the smart lock has no power left to unlock the door.
5. Smart Home Security
A big benefit of smart house technology is that you can have more peace of mind.
Smart home security systems go beyond the standard camera that you could install.
You can either monitor your home security system yourself or pay a monthly fee to have your house under 24/7 professional surveillance.
A smart home security system lets you connect to your house through an app on your smartphone. You can get individual devices like motion sensors, indoor and outdoor security cameras, garage door openers, window sensors, or all of the above.
Final Word on Smart Home Trends
These are only five of the current smart home trends across the United States, Canada, and beyond.
There are other trending smart home technology devices that we didn’t cover in this post, such as smart appliances, smart light bulbs, smart trash cans, and even smart pet dishes.
Thanks to the Internet of Things, we will continue to see smart gadgets available for the home. Adding these smart devices to your home makes your life easier and more appealing to potential buyers.
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We can advise you on how to get top dollar for your property if you decide to sell. Contact us today to book an appointment.