These days people across the world are obsessed with new technology. From new smart phones to self-driving cars people are looking for technology to make their lives easier.
In the last decade a growing trend has been for people to upgrade their homes with new technology as well.
Maybe you’re thinking about upgrading your home’s technology but don’t know where to start. This is for you! Here are some ideas for upgrading your home’s technology.
Some are cheap while others can be very expensive. Keep reading to find out more!
Word of Advice
Before you begin upgrading your home’s technology we recommend finding an electrician who can check your home’s current electrical system.
In many older homes the electrical systems are not designed for some new technology, so you might have to upgrade the entire electrical system in your home before you begin installing the newest home technology.
If you decide to search online in Texas for Lubbock electricians for example, you will find electricians known for their expertise and hard work because it is ingrained in the culture of Texas itself.
So, don’t try to install your new home technology all by yourself just because you watched a Youtube video and are now an expert.
Call an electrician and let them check your electrical system before you consider any technological upgrades.
Simple Lighting Upgrades
A cheap way to upgrade the technology of your home is to update your lighting. Inside your home you can upgrade to LED lighting.
LED lights can lower the energy bills of homeowners, and they need to be replaced far less than traditional light bulbs.
Traditional light bulbs expend a lot of energy heating up the bulb, which can raise your energy bill.
New LED lights are a great way of upgrading your home’s technology for cheap, and saving yourself money in the long run.
Don’t forget about upgrading the lighting outside of your home as well. Most people’s homes have poor outside lighting with yards, driveways, or sidewalks that are in shadow or poorly lit.
By adding motion sensor lights that are only activated when movement is detected, you can add a sense of safety and security to your home.
Lose your traditional keys
When it comes to home security technology there are some cheap options and expensive options. A new cheap trend in home technology is keypad locks for doors.
Forget a traditional key, your family can type in a numbered passcode into the keypad.
This cheap technological update can make your home appear much more modern, and you no longer have to worry about hiding a key under the mat (where all burglars know to check anyway).
Some of the slightly more expensive options even offer temporary key codes that you can give visitors staying in your home. This would be a perfect option if you own a vacation rental property.
Smart Doorbells
It can be very scary when we get a knock at the door in the middle of the night, or your neighbor says they saw someone looking through your front door when you weren’t at home that day.
New smart doorbells can solve that problem.
Smart doorbells vary in price and features. Some doorbells require a monthly or year subscription fee, while others offer less features but are only a one-time charge.
When you are not home smart doorbells can record videos of people who come to your door. Some are motion activated and some require the individual to actually press the doorbell to activate.
There are even some options that can record audio of the people at your door, or take pictures of their faces.
There are so many options that you can really think about what features would give you the most comfort of mind, and then find a smart doorbell that matches your needs.
Outlets
In the past all we needed were traditional outlets to plug in our lamps, TVs, etc.… However, due to the rise of smart technology we can now upgrade our homes with USB plugs for charging our smart devices.
These smart outlets typically have apps you can download to your phone so you can monitor your energy usage.
Some smart outlets are bigger than normal outlets and might not be able to fit in your current setup. Make sure to check with an electrician before you go about changing your outlets in your home.
Control the temperature
One of the most interesting and exciting upgrades to home technology are smart thermostats. These are not your typical thermostats you grew up using.
Most basic functions of the smart thermostat include an app that allows you to turn on and off your thermostat while you are not home, or even create a schedule for your heating and cooling needs.
Think about being able to turn up the heat on a cold day when you are driving home so your house is already warm by the time you get there!
Some smart thermostats even allow interface with smart technology assistants such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa to allow you to control your thermostat with your voice.
As is the case with almost all of the smart technology options, the more you pay the more features you can receive.
Don’t Forget Your Lawn
If your house has a lawn then you know that an annoying but necessary chore is cutting your
grass. In the past you only had two options. The first option was buying a lawn mower and spending hours each week mowing your grass.
The second option was paying someone to come mow your grass each week. Both of these options ask you to trade your money, time, or both.
Now you can buy smart lawn mowing robots. These robots can mow your grass to a uniform height, use sensors to move around objects, and then move back to their charging stations.
Think of getting your lawn cut each week, and it only requires a little set up on your part.
Setting up the boundary wires for your robot lawn mower can take some time, but once you’ve set up it can save you lots of time each summer.
One thing to consider is that these robot lawn mowers typically work best in flat yards, so if you have a small yard this would be perfect for you!
Final Thoughts
I gave you some great options and resources for upgrading your home’s technology.
Robot lawn mowers, smart outlets, smart thermostats, new keypads, video doorbells, and new LED lighting can all upgrade your home and make it more convenient.
There are so many options that the biggest limitation to upgrading your home will be your budget!