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Smarthomes are easier to put together than ever.
No More House Shouting
Smarthomes don’t always work well in family situations.
Automation is particularly hard in homes with families and music integration can lead to account issues.
But one area where Smarthomes shine is communication.
Related:Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: Which One Should You Buy?
Never Leave the Lights on Again
It happens often enough to be truly annoying.
You get home from work, and one or more lights are on.
If you aren’t using automation,you should be.
That leaves your garage, and perhaps the rest of your home, vulnerable to bad actors.
A water leak sensor is probablythe most overlookedsmarthome sensor you’re able to install.
Or wandering to another room entirely.
With a little smarthome magic, you do without your remote—at least in a pinch.
you’re free to control aFire Tv cubewith Alexa, which lessens the need for a voice.
Roku devices used to require a third party app to work with Google Home but recently introduced native integration.
It isn’t perfect yet.
A more powerful route is to set up aHarmony Huband a voice assistant.
Keep the Thermostat Where You Want It
It never fails.
You arrive home to find the house roasting.
When you ask Gramma why the heat is set so high, she hasn’t even noticed.
(This incredibly specific scenario may or may not be a true life example; I admit nothing.)
Your wallet will thank you.
Modern consoles, like the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 don’t truly turn off at all!
While this is convenient if you use your consoles a lot, it does take power.
Sometimes, it makes sense to leave these devices to do their thing.
For other devices, it’s not so important.
Related:How Much Does the Xbox One’s “Energy Saving” Mode Really Save?
When you get home (or on a schedule), turn the plug on.
There are evensmart power strips with multiple outletsthat act like independent smart plugs.
Make Things Harder for Porch Thieves
Unfortunately, porch theft is on the rise.
But aVideo Doorbellcan help.
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Both Amazon and Google offer excellent video doorbell options.
But video doorbells are highlight effective at helping to stop porch thieves.
Related:hideguibars04.png
There are two reasons for this.
First, it’s possible for you to get a notification as someone is walking towards the door.
You don’t have to wait for them to press the doorbell.
The second reason is that thieves are becoming more aware that video doorbells are a thing.
But they come withtheir own challenges.
Easily Reset Your Router When it’s crucial that you
Routers are strange devices.
They act up, slow down, or just stop working altogether with no obvious reason.
you’re free to spend a lot of timetroubleshooting a router.
But you probably should justreboot the thing.
After all, you’ll need a Wi-Fi signal to trigger that smart plug.
Stop Handing Out Keys to Your Home
You started with two keys.
Then, you made a third.
And now that one is gone because you lent it to someone and never saw it again.
you’re free to even control some locks by voice assistant.
Smarthomes can solve many annoying problems, from the small to the great.
The biggest thing is determining what problems you are facing, as no two homes are alike.
