Smart homes have played a role in futuristic films for so long that they became ubiquitous with wealth and the technologically brilliant. However, smart homes are no longer just stuff of fiction – they’re with us today and embedding themselves into our lives. Whether it’s underfloor heating trade supplies, speaker developers or home security experts, every element of the home is getting in on the smart home act. You can learn more about the development of smart home technology by reading this article on How Stuff Works.
Technology has become cheaper and more widely available. That partially accounts for the increased popularity of smart homes, but the technology alone wouldn’t have been enough to persuade become to renovate their homes into smart homes or to move into homes with these improved technologies.
There are several good reasons why householders are making the leap to smart technology within the home:
Energy Savings
Being able to control your heating from a smartphone ensures you can turn it off when it isn’t required. Appliances can be set to turn themselves off after use and smart sensors can be used to alert you to any issues such as an open fridge door. Combined, these smart technologies can reduce the amount of energy you’re using within your home.
Financial Savings
Those energy savings bring with them financial savings. Energy bills are a huge concern for many households in the UK, with the government closely monitoring the number of households in fuel poverty. Any way of mitigating the impact of energy bills on a household is welcome.
Sustainability
As we become more aware of the dangers of climate change and the amount of energy wasted, more and more of us are trying to play our part in reducing energy consumption. Smart homes are an element of that.
Functionality
Homes that are designed to be smart are generally more functional, with every element playing its part in a wider plan.
Enjoyment
They might not be as fun as futuristic fiction once painted them, but there’s no doubt that smart technology can be entertaining. The ability to control appliances remotely makes life easier and many people enjoy the freedom that comes with them.
Many householders integrate smart technology into their homes gradually. As it becomes necessary to replace something like a boiler, for instance, they opt to include a smart meter with it. However, others are getting ahead of the curve by renovating their entire home to become smart in one swoop. Whichever way you go about it, there’s little doubt that smart homes are here to stay.
To take an example mentioned above, underfloor heating systems are an element of home heating that is now able to be controlled by a smart meter and fits in perfectly with the ideal structure of a modern home as sleek and unencumbered by clutter. Underfloor heating removes radiators from rooms, freeing up space and allowing greater flexibility in design. In addition, the heating offered by underfloor installations can be zoned to improve the efficiency of the system. Temperatures can be controlled automatically when combined with smart technology, meaning that heating in your home just becomes another one of those things you don’t have to worry about.
It’s easy to see why smart technology is taking off. It has real-world applications and, because people can experience the benefits first-hand. And it’s not as difficult to sell to the public as other eco-friendly solutions which don’t positively impact them. Consumers are used to their energy bills rising and that fact that smart technology can mitigate that is a great bonus. Of course, there are initial costs to implementing any form of smart technology, so the benefits must be proven to be worthwhile in the short term as well as offering longer term financial savings. There is one major watchword when it comes to the rise of smart technology in the home: “control”.
Whether through perceived energy company greed or governmental diktats, consumers have felt increasingly alienated from the energy market in recent years. A common solution is for consumers to switch energy suppliers, but that’s only dealing with one aspect of the problem. Smart homes put the control back into the hands of householders. They can remotely handle their heating and appliances, use zoning to better control the location of heat, and keep an eye on their consumption long before the bill arrives. In the world of technological advancement, consumers stand to benefit just as much as the technological giants.
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