Manufacturing specialist Chamberlain has issued five top tips for people looking to take advantage of the growing demand for smart home technology.
The firm says smart home hype reached cacophonous levels through 2014, as high-sped connectivity, mobile ubiquity and technological innovation helped make smart devices become a part of everyday life.
Chamberlain quotes industry estimates that suggest the current number of 13 million connected US households will treble during the next three years and reach 45 million smart homes by 2018.
Chamberlain expects hundreds more smart home-related product launches at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, next January. For early adopters, the firm suggests five key areas of development:
1. Control the garage door
Automation technology allows consumers to monitor access from anywhere in the world. Smart phone alerts tell users when the garage is in use or left open, and gives access to delivery companies, guests or workers.
2. Install smart locks
These devices allow people to unlock doors with smart phones and key fobs. Smart locks – which Chamberlain says are priced from $200 upwards – also provide activity alerts, so home owners can monitor who is coming and going.
3. View your home with video
A connected home video camera can help people keep a watch over their property remotely through the streaming of live video to a smart phone. Connected cloud storage allows individuals to access the video at any time and from any location.
4. Automate your light switches
Specialist smart technologies can allow people to appear like they are at home through schedules that turn lights on and off at select or random times.
5. Temperature control
Installing a connected thermostat can save home owners up to 20 per cent on the average heating bill during winter, reports Chamberlain. The devices, which cost about $250, allow consumers to control the temperature of their homes from afar.
