10 Smart Home Devices to Add During Your Next Renovation

Are you looking to spruce up your home? You may think that smart home technology is only something you can add in the future during a renovation.

However, there are many ways to incorporate it into your existing home with very little effort and without having to spend a lot of money. Whether you're looking to add convenience or want to get out of doing certain chores, there's an affordable smart home solution for you.

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Why Add Smart Home Devices During a Renovation?

Smart home technology is a must-have for any homeowner who wants to stand apart from the crowd. A survey conducted by Houzz in 2021 shows that smart home renovation projects are on the rise. In fact, 19% of homeowners who have completed a renovation project in the past year have added smart home technology to their homes.

Larger upgrades often involve extensive custom design work, including hardwiring. However, it is best to upgrade when you are already renovating to cut down on cost and make sure that your home has all of the features needed for its new inhabitants.

Taking advantage of smart home technology during a renovation project will instantly upgrade the look and function of your house.

You should also consider working with a designer to plan smart home technology that truly integrates into the design of your house. In this way, you can make sure that it complements the overall aesthetic of your renovation project.

How Can You Get Started With Smart Home Technology?

With so many options available, it can be hard to know where to start. To get a better idea of what is possible, you will need to know the different types of smart home devices that would work well during a renovation project. Here are some of the best.

1. Smart Lighting

Installing smart lighting is a great way to add convenience and style to your home. You can control your lights from your smartphone or voice assistant, so you'll never have to worry about coming home to a dark house again.

Ditching dumb light bulbs for smart ones is also a great way to save money on your energy bill. Smart bulbs are more efficient than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs, so you'll see a lower bill each month.

By installing smart lights into your newly renovated space, you can create the seamless look that many homeowners are after with their interior design projects. Plus, they will definitely make an impact on the overall aesthetic of your house.

2. Smart Thermostats

A smart home renovation project isn't complete without a smart thermostat because they impact your house's comfort and energy efficiency.

You can save money on your energy bill each month by installing a smart thermostat because they help you keep your house at the perfect temperature.

Smart thermostats can also learn your schedule and adjust the temperature accordingly. This means that you'll never have to come home to a hot or cold house again.

When you're out, it will automatically adjust the temperature settings to make sure your house doesn't waste energy while no one is there. You can also control your thermostat from a smartphone app or through different smart gadgets, like Amazon Echo or Google Home.

The smart thermostat benefits don't stop there. They can also improve the indoor air quality of your house by monitoring the temperature and humidity levels. This is especially important if you have allergies or asthma.

3. USB-C Wall Outlets

USB-C wall outlets are an excellent way to integrate smart home technology into your renovation. The best part? You can get the job done yourself if you're comfortable working with electrical components.

These outlets work like any other smart outlet by allowing you to control them from a smartphone app and schedule automation for times when your house is unoccupied. However, they also include one or more USB ports that provide safe and reliable power for charging electric devices like smartphones and tablets.

Adding USB-C wall outlets in your smart home project is the best way to future-proof your house. With more and more devices using USB-C for power, these outlets will become a necessity in the years to come.

4. Smart Security Systems

Smart security systems make it easy for homeowners to keep their house secure without investing in expensive installation costs or having someone on-call 24/7. They are especially popular among older homeowners who want to ensure their safety but don't want to rely on their grown children for help.

Smart security systems are designed to connect directly to your internet router. They can monitor doors, windows, and other points of entry and detect any changes in room temperature or light levels. The system will alert you when it detects anything abnormal so that you can quickly take action if needed.

The Google Home security system is a great example of how these systems can be integrated into your smart home. With this system, you can use voice commands to arm and disarm the alarm, as well as receive alerts on your smartphone if there's any activity in your house.

5. Smart Garage Doors

Garage doors are one of the most common points of entry into a home. Smart garage doors make it easy to keep them secure while still giving you full control over everything, from connecting your vehicles to beeping remotely if the door has been left open.

They also make it easier for homeowners to schedule times when they can arrive or depart without having to worry about someone accessing their house during those windows of time.

Smart home technology in garage doors is still in its early stages. However, there are already a few different smart garage door controllers on the market that offer homeowners a variety of features and benefits.

6. Automatic Blinds and Smart Textiles

The future smart home is all about automating the little things that make life easier. Automatic blinds and smart textiles are two things that can add a lot of convenience to your home.

Automatic blinds can be controlled with a smart home assistant or smartphone app, making it easy to adjust the lighting in your home. Smart textiles are fabrics that have

Smart textiles have the potential to be a game-changer in our daily lives. However, we're still just scratching the surface and exploring all of its possibilities, with automation becoming more embedded into homes every day.

They make it easy to customize the look and feel of your home while maintaining control over how much light comes in at certain times. One idea? Set them to close during specific day hours, so they block out light but allow people to wake up naturally if they prefer lighter spaces.

7. Smart Water Heaters

If you've been considering a new water heater, this might be a perfect time. Homeowners can now take advantage of modern technological advancements and enjoy peace of mind knowing that their investment will last longer with an internet-connected model.

The smart water heater provides remote access to temperature control from anywhere in the world, as well as watching for leaks or performance problems unnoticed before because they're not being watched closely by homeowners themselves.

Smart plumbing is the future of home improvement, and it starts with the water heater. Consider an upgrade to a unit that will save you money and give you a better quality of service for the years to come.

8. Electrochromic Smart Glass Windows

One of the biggest benefits of electrochromic glass windows is how they can lower energy consumption. Auto-tinting window film works by reacting to ambient light rather than traditional blinds, which suffer from air movement and temperature changes. They also give homeowners plenty of control over the intensity of light that comes through, whether they prefer complete darkness or something lighter for tasks like knitting or reading.

9. Smart Radiant Wall Heating Panels

Smart home products are designed to make our lives easier, and there's nothing more convenient than being able to control your home's temperature from your smartphone.

For homeowners who prefer a warmer home, radiant walls are the best way to go. Unlike forced-air heating systems like radiators, these panels evenly distribute heat throughout a room without forcing air. They're also easier on your skin and hair because they don't blow hot air directly onto you.

10. Smart Built-in Speakers

The best smart home devices are the ones that make your life easier and more enjoyable. That's why built-in speakers are such a great addition to any home.

Not only do they provide high-quality audio that can be controlled from your smartphone or smart home assistant, but they also blend seamlessly into your decor.

They connect wirelessly to your home network, making it easy to play different music in different rooms. Another benefit? Smart speakers can help control other devices in your home by voice command because they typically include microphones that allow you to issue commands directly.

Smart Home Tech Is the Wave of the Future

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, households are no different. The modern home is about more than just providing shelter. It's an experience that connects us to the world around us in new ways, unlocking a higher level of comfort and security.

Smart home tech is already on its way into homes around the world, with many people opting to take advantage of these convenient systems during their next renovation or remodel.

18 Smart Technology Ideas for Improving Your Home

Anyone with a busy schedule knows how tough it can be to maintain an organized home. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone! Smart home technology has become so advanced that homes can nearly run themselves, saving both time and money. In fact, 57% of Americans say smart technology saves them more than 30 minutes a day. Here are the 18 best smart home devices to help improve your home!

Talk to Your Home

Smart speakers are the do-it-all hub of your smart home. These virtual assistants connect your smart technology—including thermostats, lighting, security, music, and more—allowing you to control everything by speaking to them. The speakers are small, unobtrusive, and can be hidden in plain sight. By placing several smart speakers throughout your house, you’ll always have complete control of all your smart devices.

Protect Your House

Nothing is more important than the safety of your home, and it’s now easier than ever to improve your home security! By installing a smart security system, you can keep an eye on the front porch with doorbell cameras, lock and unlock your house from afar with a smart lock, and be alerted to unwanted activity inside your home with motion-activated smart security cameras.

Establish a Smart Lighting Schedule

Do you find yourself leaving the house and wondering if you turned off all the lights? Install a smart lighting system! This home automation system is a complete hub for all of your lights and allows you to create a set-it-and-forget-it schedule that turns bulbs on and off. Not only will you save on energy bills this way, but your automated lighting can also help you wake up in the morning and deter potential break-ins.

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Replace Your Light Bulbs

Smart light bulbs offer a flexible, easy-to-install smart lighting solution that saves money. Upgrade light fixtures by replacing old bulbs with smart ones so you can control the brightness, color, and shade of each individual fixture. In addition, these bulbs will cost less in the long run, can save more energy, and last longer than conventional incandescent lighting.

Turn Every Outlet into a Smart Outlet

Chances are that most of your current electronics aren’t compatible to sync with your phone or tablet. But thanks to smart plugs, home automation is easier than ever! WiFi plugs fit over existing outlets and allow older devices to be controlled through smart home apps and smart speakers, turning your hand-me-down floor lamp or old coffee maker into a smart device. Smart plugs even help you calculate how much each device is adding to your energy bill, so you can identify costly appliances that need to be replaced.

Maintain the Right Temperature

You don’t need your home to be at the perfect temperature when you’re not around, so why pay to heat and cool it? Smart thermostats make your home more energy-efficient by allowing you to control the temperature from anywhere, leading to 10-15% savings on air conditioning and heating bills. After a short period of manual direction, these thermostats learn your preferences and automatically adjust the temperature for you.

Run Things Through Your Smart TV

Looking for an all-in-one entertainment hub? Consider a smart TV! These smart home devices allow you to access your favorite streaming services for TV, movies, and music through a voice-controlled smart speaker or the smart TV itself. You never have to worry about misplacing the remote again!

Let the Fridge Help

Among the best smart home devices to help with kitchen organization is a smart refrigerator. With a smart fridge, you can remotely see what’s inside of the refrigerator, send notes that appear on the fridge’s screen, and receive alerts if the door is left open. Many fridges also have voice recognition software, so you can ask for recipes, find measurement conversions, and update your grocery list.

Cook Like a Master Chef

Tired of waiting for the oven to warm after a long day out? Smart ovens allow you to begin preheating from a distance. This helpful home appliance also lets you view and adjust timers remotely, have cooking notifications sent to your phone, and switch the oven on and off from afar. Some models will even change functions and temperatures based on the recipe you ask them to cook, automatically shifting between roasting, broiling, and baking to create the perfect meal.

Make the Faucet Your Kitchen Assistant

Between dirty hands and full armloads, cooking has many situations where it’d be helpful to turn on the sink just by speaking to it. Smart faucets do exactly that! With a touchless kitchen faucet, you can turn on the faucet with your voice or a wave of your hand. These smart appliances can also dispense exact measurements of water. Need exactly two cups for the recipe you’re working on? Just ask!

Keep Your Dishes Clean

Ever needed a utensil and realized it’s sitting dirty in the dishwasher you forgot to run? Never again! With a smart dishwasher, you can set your dishwashing schedule to ensure you aren’t left with empty cupboards. You can use this home automation device to check cycle status, monitor performance remotely, and start and stop the dishwasher outside its normal schedule.

Never Miss Out on Your Morning Coffee

Few things are worse than waking up and realizing you forgot to turn on the coffee maker the night before. With a smart coffee maker, you’ll never be without a fresh cup of your favorite blend! Just add water and grounds, sync your coffee maker with your daily alarm, and say goodbye to the days of scrambling to start brewing before work.

Always Stay On Top of the Laundry

Have a bad habit of forgetting to start the laundry machine, leaving you desperately rummaging through your closet for fresh clothes at the worst possible moment? That’s no longer a fear with smart laundry machines! With these handy smart devices, you can start the washer and dryer from wherever you happen to be so you can keep your cycles moving and your closet stocked with clean clothes.

Clean Up with a Robot Vacuum

Tired of using your valuable time on simple household chores like vacuuming? Let a robot vacuum do it for you! Smart vacuums can be set to run while you’re at work or on the go—and they’re so quiet you can even operate them overnight! These compact home automation devices have intelligent navigation systems that adjust to the specific contours of your home and seamlessly move between different surface types, handling everything from carpet and hardwood to tile!

Complete Lawn Care with Ease

If you don’t want to waste your Saturday afternoons or weeknight evenings mowing the lawn, think about setting a mowing schedule with a smart lawn mower. Robot lawn mowers take up less garage space and run on electricity, saving you money on gas, too. To top it all off, they’re quiet and can run at any time of day!

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Upgrade Your Green Thumb

Want to beautify your home with little effort? Keep your house plants looking their greenest with self-watering pots! Just fill up this smart pot, and it will distribute water and nutrients on a set schedule for up to a month. This is an excellent smart home gadget to have if you’re someone who’s not home often or if you’ve been forgetful when it comes to watering your plants.

Ensure Your Pets Are Fed

Between working overtime, traveling, and long weekend activities, there are times you need to feed your animals but aren’t at home. Set a smart pet feeder in your dog room or cat room to make sure they get their meals! These smart devices allow you to manage your pet’s feeding times, portion sizes, and food supply. You can set a schedule or remotely dispense food through an app if you’re away from home longer than expected. As an added bonus, many smart pet feeders include a camera so you can check in on your furry friend!

Utilize the Right Apps

Often, the biggest hurdle when organizing your home is remembering what needs to be done around the house. Look into organizing apps that can help you stay on top of everything! Get all your apps and devices on the same page with IFTTT, keep moving through your to-do list with Tody or Homey, ditch dozens of product manuals with Centriq, and track of your various passwords with Vault.

Looking for more ways to improve your home? Get some inspiration with these home improvement projects and space-saving renovation ideas!

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7 improvements smart home tech really needs to thrive

Nanoleaf

Recently, I addressed industry changes promising to “fix” the smart home by the end of 2022, alleviating issues like overloaded Wi-Fi and fractured platform support. Those changes should make the technology more appealing to both veterans and newcomers, but for sales to go through the roof and adoption to be less stressful, there are arguably a number of other long-term improvements companies need to make. Read more: The best smart home devices you can buy

“No-touch” setup

Setting up a smart home has become a little easier in the last few years. Companies have tried to cut out unnecessary hurdles, perhaps the most notable example being Amazon’s “Frustration-Free” process: With compatible products, all you need to do is plug something in, open the Alexa app to the Devices tab, and you’ll get a pop-up wizard guiding you through the process.

What if you didn’t even have to go that far, though? Imagine buying a four-pack of smart bulbs, screwing them in, and having them pair with your platform of choice automatically. It’s technically feasible, especially with universal protocols like Matter and Thread.

Imagine buying a four-pack of smart bulbs, screwing them in, and having them pair with your smart home automatically.

However, there are still a few obstacles. The tech would require a hub constantly scanning for new gear, and/or accessories that send a ‘ping’ when they’re first powered on. You’d still want to hop into an app to change names and room settings, and you’d also have to prevent accessories from trying to connect to a neighbor’s home. Nevertheless, a fully automatic setup is one goal to strive for. Dig deeper: The Matter smart home protocol and why it’s a big deal More machine learning

Machine learning is certainly used in the industry — Nest Learning Thermostats have been around since 2011. But it’s oddly absent from some areas, such as app-based automation routines. Platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant maintain secure records of your accessory use, so why aren’t they suggesting routines based on frequent actions? If I keep turning on the heater each morning around 6 AM, it should be a no-brainer to recommend a matching routine. That can be done entirely using AI processing.

The specific Nest approach — in which user habits are replicated behind the scenes — should be more widespread as an option. You wouldn’t want it for a smart lock, naturally, but consider how handy it could be if lights switched on at the same interval before sunset without having to schedule anything. Better presence options and detection

The major platforms are all (reasonably) good at automations based on whether a phone is entering or leaving a geofence, but it should be simpler to create routines for multiple people, as well as exceptions based on who’s home. Things can get really complicated in family situations, where some people may be using different mobile operating systems — if they have a phone at all.

It should be simpler to create routines for multiple people, not to mention exceptions based on who's home.

One way around this is presence detection based on cameras, room sensors, or Bluetooth beacons. At some point, smart homes should start using these to tailor room settings to individuals, rather than applying blanket settings chosen by an account holder or whoever last spoke to a voice assistant. Better multi-user management

Speaking of families, we need streamlined management for multi-user households. While every platform now offers multiple profiles and parental controls, those systems are inconsistent, and there’s no simple way to limit someone’s device access. My four-year-old son’s favorite thing in the world is talking to Alexa — but unless he’s using the Echo Dot in his room, which is specifically set up for Amazon Kids, we can’t stop him from hijacking other speakers without muting them outright. It should be easier for primary account owners to limit a child’s control based on their profile and/or voice, picking and choosing which items they can interact with.

On the flip side, we also need protections against abusive partners and easier ownership handoffs. If you want to transfer even a single smart bulb, you have to perform a factory reset and let the new owner handle the installation. Shuttling accessories between accounts on the same platform should be dead simple. Heck, under the same account, platforms sometimes force you reconfigure geolocation features when you upgrade to a new phone. That is tedious, and it should change. Related: How to use Alexa Household accounts Cleaner dashboards

Anyone who uses the Google Home app on a daily basis probably yearns for a better dashboard. While Google has improved things somewhat via shortcuts, you still can’t view all your accessories at a glance. You have to scroll through a long list organized by rooms, and even then there’s little surface info about current device status. You can tell that your Nest Audio is playing something, but not what, and you can tell that living room lights are on, but not which ones or how bright. Google’s whole platform assumes that you want to toggle every light in a room at once — you have to dig down a layer to control individual fixtures, say if you want to turn off your Nanoleaf panels but not your light bulbs.

Smart home dashboards should be simple enough to feel like a TV remote while surfacing as much data as possible.

Schemes tend to be even less convenient in third-party brand apps. Whether or not they’re designed to control an entire smart home, though, dashboards should be simple enough to feel like a TV remote while surfacing as much data as possible.

Perhaps the best dashboards belong to the Alexa and Apple Home apps, both of which use tiles that display essential status info for favorite accessories, and let you tap on most of them for basic on/off functionality. You can always dive deeper to control products like thermostats. There are ways the apps could improve further — Alexa, for example, doesn’t use tiles anywhere but the Favorites dashboard — but there’s a decent foundation to work from. Comprehensive lists of supported accessories

If you’re new to smart homes, it can be strangely difficult to find the list of your platform’s compatible accessories. Most Google search results point to “best of” articles like Android Authority‘s, and even when there are official pages, they often showcase just a handful of products, fronted by the platform creator’s own. Apple is once more doing the best job with a very thorough list organized by category, but they’re almost cheating given the lower number of HomeKit partners and strict certification requirements.

Official lists should be readily accessible, since the alternative tends to be scouring the internet for hours, especially if you’re hunting for niche accessories like air purifiers. Better still would be feature comparisons, or at least lists of devices that support platform features like Alexa’s Frustration-Free setup or HomeKit Secure Video. See also: The best Alexa-compatible devices Simpler troubleshooting

So long as you’ve got a decent Wi-Fi 6 router (and/or a hub) and everything’s powered and in range, smart homes can run for months or years without a hitch. But when there’s a problem, it’s often difficult to figure out what’s wrong. Apps tend to explain little more than they’ve lost connection with a device or accessory.

For smart home products to sell as well as 'dumb' ones, they need to be just as effortless to use and fix.

We shouldn’t have to say this, but where possible, error messages should narrow down issues. Is wireless signal weak? Did power cut out? Did my hub or router forcibly drop a connection?

Even when this isn’t possible, companies should do more to guide users through troubleshooting steps. Tactics like power cycling, removing signal barriers, and upgrading your router might be obvious to veterans, but they’re not for the average person. For smart home products to sell as well as “dumb” ones, they need to be just as effortless to use and fix. Continue reading: The smart home privacy policies of Amazon, Apple, and Google

Which smart home improvement do you think is more crucial? 174 votes No-touch setup. 14 % More Machine Learning. 16 % Better presence options and detection. 20 % Better multi-user management. 11 % Cleaner dashboards. 15 % Comprehensive list of supported devices. 9 % Simpler troubleshooting. 10 % Other. Tell us in the comments. 7 %

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