How to Make Your Home Smarter

Technology is changing the way we do everything, including basic day to day processes at home. The innovation of the smart home is making life more convenient and opening up more and cooler possibilities. Best of all? 

You don’t really need to break the bank anymore to enjoy the latest and greatest home tech. Many homebuilders are making great strides in making affordable smart homes for everyone! Here are some cool inventions that will make life easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable...

Touchscreen Deadbolt

The touchscreen deadbolt series from Schlage makes it possible to lock and unlock your home doors from a remote location. The system can also be programmed with access codes that can expire after a set length of time. For example, you can give the neighbor an access code to take a package inside and then turn off that access code. 





This lock means that you will never need a key to get inside again and the built-in security system will alert you if someone tries to force the door open or tampers with the lock. Modern smartphone integrations also make it an incredible security tool for when you’re gone on holiday or work trips.

Smart Toilet

Smart toilets have been available in Japan for a while, but they will be more readily available soon. Here are just a few of the features that come with a smart toilet:

• Heated seat
• Warm water spraying and air drying (no more toilet paper!)
• Automated seat and lid lower on their own
• Self-cleaning features (no more scrubbing)
• Remote control capabilities
• Music system
• Weight, BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar monitoring capabilities
• Potty training assistance features
• Sample catcher (no more visits to the doctor’s office to leave a sample!)

What could be better than a hands-free toilet that cleans itself, plays your favorite music, helps monitor your health, and keeps you feeling clean and fresh? We all spend more time in the bathroom each day than we’d like, so upgrading to a smart toilet is one way to make the necessities of life much more enjoyable.

Smart Oven & Range

LG has designed a line of appliances with their new THINQ technology. The THINQ electric oven and range boasts several features that are quite desirable for anyone who spends time in the kitchen. Here are just a few of the key features:

• 6.3 cubic feet of space inside with three racks (LG’s largest oven ever)
• Fastest boiling element on the range
• Infrared cooking technology (same as used on premium outdoor grills)

This smart appliance also comes equipped with several smart features to enhance the cooking experience:

• Use your smartphone to monitor cooking progress while away from the kitchen.
• Verify that all of the cooking functions are off when away from home. No need to race home to make sure you turned the oven off after baking those cookies.
• Use the LG app to browse recipes on your smartphone and then send your chosen recipe directly to the cooking unit. The unit will then automatically set the precise temperature and cooking time needed for your recipe.
• Monitor the self-cleaning functioning while you’re away from home. This means you can clean and run errands at the same time.

Expect to pay about $600 more than the cost of the standard LG oven and range to get these added features. If you love to cook, but also have a busy and demanding schedule, this might be the solution for you.

Phone-Controlled Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers are an often overlooked amenity of your home, but they make a great difference in your quality of life. A secure, quiet, and efficient garage door opener makes your life more convenient, peaceful, and secure. 

Just like any other technology, garage door openers have been impacted by the smart home revolution, as smartphone integrated technology allows you to control your garage from your pocket, with added features of security and customization.

Crockpot WeMo

Do you love using a slow cooker? Having a slow cooker means that dinner can be cooking while you are away all day. However, what do you do when you are away longer than you expected? The new Crockpot slow cooker with WeMo makes it possible to use an app on your smartphone to control your crockpot at home. 

You can also program your crockpot with multiple functions before you leave home. For example, you can set the slow cooker to cook on low for eight hours and then switch to the warm setting until you are home. You can even use your smartphone to turn the slow cooker off. With a capacity of six quarts and a dishwasher-safe stoneware and lid, you can cook for the whole family and clean up easily too.

Sleep Number Dual Temp Layer Mattress Cover

So you are always freezing and your spouse is hotter than a firecracker. Thanks to Sleep Number, your nighttime temperature battles could be over forever. No need to find a happy medium any longer. 

Sleep Number has created a layer that fits on top of your existing mattress and makes it possible to have each side of the bed set at a different temperature. You can use a remote to program your ideal temperature and even set the timer to match your alarm clock.

While this invention may sound like a dream come true, the dream does come with a hefty price tag attached. Then again, when you think about the fact that you spend about 3,000 hours each year on average sleeping in bed, maybe this solution won’t seem quite so expensive after all.

Simple, Budget-Friendly Ways to Make Your Dumb House Smart

Smart home technology was once a sci-fi concept, then a novelty and now a must-have for today's homeowners. According to reporting from CNBC, 2017 is poised to be the year of the smart home. 

Consumers are expected to race to figure out how to update their homes with everything from climate control Nest thermostats to smart appliances that tell you when you're out of milk and eggs. 

But with options including Samsung's Family Hub refrigerator retailing at $5,999, homeowners can feel squeezed out of the smart home market.

Although you can purchase top-of-the-line smart home appliances and fully outfitted homes, you can also pick up gadgets for less than $100 that add convenience and smart connectivity to your home. 

Here are five simple, budget-friendly ways to make your dumb house smart.

Install a smart security system

An ABC news affiliate sent letters to 86 inmates serving time for burglary to find out what could keep homes safe. Most of the intruders said they would immediately leave if an alarm system went off, and that cameras were a big deterrent.

Fortunately, it's not difficult to do some smart updates to your home security, including installing home security cameras. Lorex cameras, for instance, help monitor your home whether you’re at home or work. 

They're also an ideal choice if you have high ceilings or tucked-away spots where you want to install your cameras at a greater height or distance from your digital video recorder without unsightly or expensive cabling.

Get smart lighting

Smart lightbulbs have hit the mainstream and are an inexpensive way to dive into the connected marketplace. A Philips Hue starter kit wirelessly connects to the Hue Bridge for remote-controlled lighting that can set the ambiance and color palette of your home. 

You can even create an inspired landscape from a photo of your favorite vacation. For homeowners with big connectivity plans, the LIFX Wi-Fi smart LED light bulb adds color while integrating with the Nest, SmartThings products and Alexa voice control.

Use a smart switch

Add some convenience and efficiency to your home at the same time with the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch. According to the Department of Energy's Berkeley Lab, roughly 50 devices and appliances in an American household are always on and draining power. 

Belkin removes the sense of urgency of worrying whether or not you turned off the lights. Users can manage their power consumption and turn appliances off and on remotely and slash their electric bill.

Find a smart assistant

Now you can finally afford that personal assistant you've always wanted. But instead of hiring a human, you can just use Amazon's Echo Dot and stick to a smart budget. Like its big sister the Echo, Alexa can answer your questions ranging from the weather to the best place to grab dinner tonight. 

You can also ask your Dot to play music and keep track of what's going on with your Fitbit or arrange for an Uber. It keeps your hands free while you run your household and focus on more important things.

Stay safe with a smart smoke detector

Everyone wants their smoke detector to be as smart and alert as possible to avoid a catastrophe. But instead of investing in expensive devices, you can pick-up Roost, a Wi-Fi-enabled 9V battery, and use its app to turn your old smoke detector into something smarter. 

You get notifications to your smartphone if the alarm is triggered while you're away, and let you know when your battery is almost out.

Adding some smart updates to your home can keep you connected, increase the safety to your home and add convenience to your life. And it can all be done without a $5,999 refrigerator to keep your leftovers fresh for tomorrow.