8 Smart Home Technology Trends that Can Save You Money

The ‘smart home’ is the new ‘internet of things’, or objects that can serve you better by communicating with each other or directly with you through apps on your smart phone. In the ideal version of the wired future, all of our appliances and gadgets talk to each other seamlessly.

What could living in a smart home look like? Picture something like this:

The lights in your bedroom slowly illuminate to quietly awaken you in the morning, replacing the typical blaring alarm. The aroma of fresh brewing coffee drifts in and stirs your senses. Once the lights are all the way up, the heating system kicks on, just in time to warm up your room so you’re not shocked once you crawl out from underneath the duvet.

When you step into the shower, it turns on automatically and remembers your preferred temperature and water pressure. And it will shut off right when you’re finished as it knows how long you take to bathe.

Once you’ve driven out of your garage, your home alarm system arms itself. And it will only unlock automatically when it “sees” and recognizes someone else from your family approaching through programmed in biometrics.

Do smart homes really work this way right now? Not exactly…while you may find some of these smart features in certain homes, we haven’t reached the point where every feature intuitively knows what you want and when you wanted. However, each year we’re getting closer and closer toward that shiny, idealized ‘Jetson’ future.

Here are some trends that we see for smart homes, many of which may also help you save money:

Smart Thermostats

Programmable thermostats that are synchronized with the clock have been around for decades. However, they’re often difficult to set and aren’t necessarily efficient; they simply turn on or off as programmed, whether or not you are there.

With the newer models, smart thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature when they sense you are present. And once you leave, they can kick back to standby mode so that you’re saving energy and money. Nest does all of this, and it also allows you to check your usage from your cell phone so that you can adjust the temperature remotely and save even more.

Smart Smoke Detectors

Having a working, effective smoke detector saves lives. But unfortunately, many of us still have those battery-run smoke detectors that make that annoying, piercing beep when their batteries are running low on power. And instead of replacing batteries right away, it’s often easier to pull them out and disable the detector (while risking our lives).

Many of the new smart smoke detectors, like the Birdi, monitor smoke, carbon dioxide, as well as air quality. With this new sensor technology, they know the difference between a real fire and burnt toast.

Smart Sprinkler Control

Weather in our area is predictably unpredictable. Often, especially during the summer months, we fall into a severe drought. But then we might have one season that brings extreme amounts of rain, like we did this past spring.

A smart sprinkler controller like Rachio Iro can not only help save you lots of money on your water bill but also help protect our precious resources.

Programmable by computer or smart phone, it can automatically adjust how often you water your lawn based on the season and the weather forecasts. You can also remotely adjust the settings through a mobile app.

Smart Solar Panels

You can put the sun to work for you by using solar technology to power your home. It’s green and renewable, and can save you money over the long term. A recent study conducted by the NC Clean Energy Technology Center determined that Austin customers who invested in a solar system saved an average of $66 per month during the first year that they owned the system.

With smart solar panels, you can program the technology to monitor their performance and even turn them off in case of a weather emergency or fire.

Smart Home Security Systems

Home monitoring has become much more sophisticated in recent years. With the old-style security systems, you had to call in contractors to wire your home with monitoring sensors.

With new smart technology, you can simply place a few smart devices in your home to monitor movement and sense whether doors and windows are closed or opened. Some systems include audio and video monitoring, as well as sirens to scare off intruders. You get real-time feedback on security breaches through an app. And, because you’re alerted as soon as the system senses an intruder, it’s more likely that they will be caught.

Canary is one popular all-in-one audio-video security system, complete with sirens and night vision.

Smart Locks

Go beyond the standard key locks, which can often be compromised by burglars. The new smart lock systems give you more control over those who can gain access to your home.

Some systems, like the Kwikset Kevo, include encrypted virtual keys that you can program for access for a limited amount of time—for example, allowing guests over for a weekend, or cleaning service in during a specific window of time.

Other door locking systems include biometric technology. The Ola smart lock allows you to program your lock to recognize your family member’s fingerprints. Other systems use facial recognition to greet you and unlock your door.

The new August smart lock integrates with Apple’s technology so you can ask Siri to open your door for you.

Smart lighting systems and light bulbs
A well-lit home feels warm and welcoming, and good lighting can instantly increase the value of your home.

However, annual lighting costs can account for up to 12% of your overall electric bill, or over $200 per year according to Energy Star. You can easily reduce this expense simply by using smart lighting technology to add efficiency.

The Philips Hue wifi-enabled lights make it easy to add to your home without installing specialized equipment. Smart lighting dimmers and sensors can give you more control over how much energy you use and allow you to turn them on and off through your smart phone.

New smart light bulbs can give you control over the warmth or coolness levels of your lighting. With the Lifx LED light bulbs, for example, you can program your light bulbs to turn on or off when you want, to slowly wake you up with increasing illumination, or to change from daytime work lighting to entertainment-friendly shades for parties.

Smart Appliances

Programmable slow cookers and coffee makers are the quaint, old-fashioned versions of these home conveniences. Newer, smart appliances give you more control over how your food is kept and prepared, and make it easier for you to complete pesky household chores.

Newer coffee makers, like the Smarter coffee machine, let you ‘order’ your coffee exactly to your liking, adjusting everything from bean grind to temperature to strength to time that it’s ready to drink.

• Smart refrigeration technology can help you store your food at just the right temperature, adjusting the thermostat during peak usage times. For example, the LG THINQ fridge can alert you via smart phone app if a door is accidentally left open.
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  Smart ovens can ensure that your food is cooked to the right level of done-ness, and alert you when your meal is ready to eat. June, a new counter oven invented by former Google, Apple, Go-Pro and Path employees will give you even more control—it will contain cameras, thermometers, and other technology to ‘learn’ what you like to eat and make menu suggestions.
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  Smart washers and dryers have customizable controls so that you can safely wash any type of fabric. Some units include controls to increase drying time to save energy. And soon, connected appliances from GE, Oster, Samsung, and other makers, will be able to re-order soap and fabric softener directly from Amazon, so you won’t even have to think about running to the store at the last minute.

Have you tested any of these technologies in your home? Did we miss any of your favorite home technologies? Let us know in the comments!

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Don’t Get Burned – Get a Home Inspection to Save Money on Your Next Purchase

Okay, you made one of the most important decisions in your life: you’re buying a
home! You found your ideal home. It’s in your desired neighborhood, close to everything
you love, you dig its design and feel, and you’re ready to finalize the
deal.

But, whoa … wait a minute! Buying a home isn’t like buying a toaster. If you discover
something’s wrong with your new home, you can’t return it for a refund or
an even exchange. You’re stuck with your buying decision. Purchasing a home is
an important investment and should be treated as such. Therefore, before finalizing
anything, your “ideal” home needs an inspection to protect you from throwing
your hard-earned money into a money pit.

A home inspection is a professional visual examination of the home’s roof, plumbing,
heating and cooling system, electrical systems, and foundation.
There are really two types of home of inspections. There is a general home inspection
and a specialized inspection. Most general inspections cost around $400. The cost of the specialized inspection varies from type to type. If the inspector recommends a specialized inspection, take that advice because buying
a home is the single most important investment you’ll make and you want extra
assurance that you’re making a wise investment.

By having your prospective new home inspected, you can:

1.Negotiate with the home seller and get the home sale-ready at no cost to
you
2. Prevent your insurance rates from rising
3. Opt-out of the purchase before you make a costly mistake
4.Save money in the short and long run

How Much Money Can a Home Inspection Save You?

A home inspection helps to find potential expenses beyond the sales price, which
puts homebuyers in a powerful position for negotiation. If there are any issues discovered
during the home inspection, buyers can stipulate that the sellers either
repair them before closing or help cover the costs in some other way. If the sellers
do not want to front the money to complete the repairs, buyers could negotiate a
drop in the overall sales price of the home!

Perhaps even more importantly, a home inspection buys you peace of mind. Your
first days and months in a new home will set the tone for your life there, and you
don’t want to taint that time with worries about hidden problems and potential
money pits.

To help you understand how much money a home inspection can save you, here
are some numbers from HomeAdvisor to drive the point home … so to speak.
Roof – Roofing problems are one of the most common issues found by home inspections.
Roof repair can range between $316 and $1046, but to replace a roof
entirely can cost between $4,660 and $8,950.

Plumbing – Don’t underestimate the plumbing. Small leaks can cause damage
that costs between $1,041 and $3,488 to repair. Your home inspector will look for
visible problems with the plumbing such as leaky faucets, water stains around
sinks and the shower, and noisy pipes. Stains on walls, ceilings, and warped floors
show plumbing problems.

Heating and Cooling – Ensuring the home’s heating and cooling system is working
properly is very important. Your home inspector will make you aware of any problems
with the existing system and let know you whether the system is past its
prime and needs replacing. You don’t want to throw down $3,919 to replace an
aged furnace. Nor do you want to spend $5,238 replacing an ill-working air conditioner.
Replacing and repairing a water heater gets pricey too. Wouldn’t you
rather use your savings for a vacation?

Electrical Systems – When thinking of the electrical system, no problem is better
than even a small problem. Electrical problems might seem small, but they can
blossom into thousand-dollar catastrophes. Make sure your home inspector examines
the electric meter, wires, circuit breaker, switches, and the GCFI outlets and
electrical outlets.

Foundation – If your home inspector sees that the house is sinking, that means
water is seeping into the foundation; cracks in walls, sticking windows, and sagging
floor also indicate foundational problems. The foundation is so important that
if the general inspection report shows foundation problems, lenders will not lend
money on the home until those issues are solved. Foundation repairs can reach as
high as $5,880 to repair.

As you can see, a small investment of a few hundred dollars for a general home
inspection can save you tons of money and future headaches. To save even more
money, you might consider investing in a specialized home inspection as well. A
specialized inspection gets down to the nitty-gritty of all the trouble spots the
general home inspection might have located.

How Much Money Can a Specialized Inspection Save You?

A general home inspection can trigger a need for a specialized inspection because
the general home inspector spotted something off about the roof, sewer system,
the heating and cooling system, and the foundation. If humidity is high where
you’re buying your home, a pest inspection is recommended. Usually, a pest inspection
will check for mold as well as pests. Most homebuyers have a Radon test
done to ensure air quality.

Roof – Roof specialists examine the chimney and the flashing surrounding it. They
also look at the level of wear and tear of the roof. They can tell you how long the
roof will last before a new one is needed. They’ll inspect the downspouts and gutters.
The average cost of a roof inspection is about $223. Most roof inspections
will cost between $121 and $324.

Sewer System – Making sure your sewer system has no problems should happen
before the closing because what might look like a small problem can turn into a
large problem in the future. If any issues pop up, you can negotiate with the seller
about needed repairs or replacements before closing. Cost of inspection will vary;
on the low side, it might cost you around $95, and on the high side, it might cost
you $790. Compare these numbers to repairing a septic tank, which can cost, on
average, $1,435 (though it could reach as high as $4,459), and you can see that
the cost of an inspection is worth it when you catch the problem before you buy.

Heating and Cooling System – A HVAC specialist will check the ducts for blockage
and for consistent maintenance of the unit. The repairs needed might be small or
they might be big, but this small investment will save you headaches and lots of
money down the road.

Foundation – A foundation specialist will pinpoint the exact problem with the foundation.
The specialist will look at the grade or slope of the home. The ground
should slope away from the home in all directions a half inch per foot. Most homeowners
have spent between $1,763 and $5,880 to repair their foundation. And the
average cost to re-slope a lawn is at $1,705. Most homeowners paid between
$933 and $2,558 to re-slope their lawn.

Pest Inspection – Termites eat a home’s wood structure from inside out and can
cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home. Other pests can turn
your dream home into a nightmare. Depending on the humidity of where you live,
you should a pest/termite inspection every two years or so. You can start with
your potential new home. Most inspections are extensive and cost between $109
and $281. The good news is that most pest management company will guarantee
the past inspection if bugs show up.

Radon Test – Radon is a naturally occurring invisible odorless gas that is the second
leading cause of cancer. A radon test is a good test to have done as a good
habit. The cost of radon test is low and its cost varies from state to state.
Here’s more information about Radon.

Steps You Can Take to Save Money Using a Home Inspection

To help yourself save with a home inspection, you will need to:

Attend the inspection – Attending the inspection is important because it’s an opportunity
for you to ask questions.

Check utilities – Checking utilities let’s know the energy efficiency of your potential
home.

Hire a Qualified Home Inspector – We can recommend bona-fide home inspectors
to you. You can compare our recommendation with all inspectors who belong to
the Home Inspectors Association of BC. While the decision of who you work
with is always yours, we can educate you so that you make a wise homebuying
decision.