Smart home devices are becoming standard household items. In fact, smart homes, in which many of the home’s functions are remotely controllable through apps, number almost 200 million worldwide. Many of us are familiar with several smart home products, and we likely already have a few. But which ones are worth the investment, and which ones can we live without?
Q: Do you need smart devices in your home?
A: Currently, there aren’t any utilities or necessities that are inaccessible to homes that aren’t considered smart. For example, you don’t need internet connectivity for your furnace to work properly. That’s not to say that won’t change someday. But, for now, the reality is that you don’t need smart devices. However, many have benefits that are worth considering.
Q: Do smart home devices save money?
A: Perhaps the smart device that most people are familiar with is the smart thermostat. A smart thermostat connects you to your home’s heating system through an app on your phone. The connectivity allows you to control the home’s interior temperature whether or not you’re home.
Additionally, the app allows you to set a program, similar to a programmable thermostat, to adjust the temperature at set intervals. However, better than a programmable thermostat is the ability for smart thermostats to “learn” your family’s routines and adapt their programming to maximize efficiency.
Smart appliances have similar programming and learning features that can save additional energy costs. Smart lighting offers similar benefits. So, while the robotic vacuum cleaner won’t likely earn cash for you, smart devices that control heating, cooling, refrigeration and other energy-consuming systems can save money on your energy bills.
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Q: Are smart security systems worth the cost?
A: Smart security systems are likely worth their cost for several reasons. A security system that protects your home doesn’t just tell you that your home has been burglarized. Today’s smart security systems encompass all kinds of real-time safety features, warnings and notifications and can store them in recordings.
Even if you live in a safe neighborhood, a smart security system can provide monitoring of dangerous gas buildup, potentially lower your home insurance premium, notify you of fire or other damaging events, allow you to double-check things you may have forgotten, provide peace of mind and, of course, deter burglars.
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THIS IS AN ADVERTIsem*nT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisem*nt, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary.
Q: Can smart home devices be hacked?
A: Smart devices, like anything connected to the internet, can be hacked. However, there are numerous ways to protect your system from attracting uninvited guests. Although putting safety measures in place won’t guarantee that someone can’t hack the system, it’s likely that if it takes too much time and effort to get into yours, the culprit will choose an easier target. Keep your smart devices safe by taking the following steps.
- Ensure that your Wi-Fi system has a strong password
- Use a different password for each device when applicable
- Change all of your passwords every several months or less
- Use smart products from reputable companies
Q: Do smart home devices have high ROI?
A: Not only can smart devices save you money through energy savings and potential home insurance rate reductions, but they can also increase the value of your home when it’s time to sell. Most sellers of smart homes realize 50% returns on their investment. However, the more significant benefit may be that buyers tend to choose to purchase smart homes more readily than houses without the technology.
Q: Are smart devices worth it?
A: Overall, the convenience factor of smart devices makes the investment worth it to most purchasers. But remember that convenience is the goal for many, while saving money is a nice benefit. When it comes to dollar-for-dollar smart device value, consider how much money you might save on utility costs or by minimizing the risk of loss by installing a particular device to decide if the investment is worth it to you.
