Using Smart Technology to Revolutionize Home Maintenance

Smart home products are becoming more popular, with many people having at least a connected appliance or device or two in their house. This isn’t just a fad; smart home tools can make life easier too. More importantly, they can save homeowners time and money on operations and preventive maintenance practices. Here is a closer look at how this technology can revolutionize home maintenance.

Lighting and Energy Usage

Lighting and power for appliances can be a significant drain on energy bills. The problem can arise from something as simple as forgetting to switch lights off when you leave a room or failing to unplug something that isn’t in use.

Smart technology can set a reminder for (or even automatically take care of) these simple tasks and, in turn, increase longevity and decrease maintenance requirements.

Energy Monitor

A smart energy monitor constantly records data on power use in the home. Not only can it help you save money on your bills, but it can also help reduce your carbon footprint.

You can easily link up your energy monitor to your smart hub, after which it will update you regularly on energy usage in the home. In addition to cost savings, you can use the data to decrease unnecessary usage and increase the lifespan of your appliances and fixtures.

Light Bulbs

How many times have you neglected to switch the lights off when leaving a room? Smart bulbs cover you when you forget, cutting down your energy costs and increasing the longevity of your bulbs.

You can connect your lights to a hub, such as Google Assistant or Alexa for a higher level of control. You can use your voice when at home and a smartphone app when anywhere else.

Some light bulbs even come with a motion detector, which can turn them on and off automatically. This saves on light usage, and it can serve as a security feature to deter burglars when you are not at home.

Plugs and Power Strips

An energy monitor will tell you how your energy usage looks and which appliance is using the most energy. Smart plugs and power strips go an extra mile and limit how much energy each appliance can use.

With a smart plug, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to unplug an appliance. Many of them come with a timer feature, switching themselves off a certain amount of time or when they are not in use. You can also turn them off remotely using an app on your phone. By setting usage patterns, you will know exact energy costs, and you will be able to calculate the most effective maintenance and replacement schedule.

Plumbing and Water Usage

Your home’s plumbing stands to reap massive benefits from new technology. Not only can smart monitors diagnose pipe or fixture issues and you when a problem arises, allowing you to respond before the situation gets worse, but they can also help prevent issues through effective maintenance planning and professional plumbing services based on usage and performance data.

These tools can also help you avoid expensive water damage issues from an unseen leak.

Water Monitor

A smart water monitor is a handy multi-purpose device that can measure water usage, water pressure, temperature, and quality.

Take the simple case of water softener assessment and repair. Without the right salt levels, the appliance will have a hard time maintaining the quality of your water. The same applies if it isn’t functioning properly. It might be a while before you notice a drop in water quality. By the time you notice a change in taste, smell, or increased residue, the problem might have gotten worse, and repair costs will be higher.

A water monitor constantly measures salt levels and lets you know when they drop too low. You can then replenish the supply or look into the need for possible softener replacement. The same tool can also assist when it comes to assessing the need for the repair or replacement of a boiler. In this case, the water monitor checks the temperature to see if it remains consistent. You can detect minor changes and schedule boiler repairs early rather than waiting until you need an emergency fix.

Pipes and Leak Detection

Household leaks are both very common and very wasteful. Before you visually detect a pipe leak, chances are you’ve lost plenty of water already, and you may have mould or water damage, as well. Here again, a smart water monitor can help. The device would detect leaks anywhere in your plumbing system, including underground and in walls, using ultrasound. It would then send you an alert on your smartphone if something goes wrong so you can repair the leaky pipe or replace the faulty section.

Sprinklers and Irrigation

Smart home technology doesn’t stop indoors. With a smart water controller, you can also automate landscape maintenance and plan it in a way that makes your garden and lawn safe for everyone to use. Smart water controllers can be connected to your outdoor system. In addition to setting watering schedules, it can detect issues and let you know what it is time to repair outdoor taps or check sprinklers and irrigators for leaks.

Heating and Air

Smart home technology can also assist with maintenance related to HVAC systems and climate controls.

Thermostats

A smart thermostat typically contains embedded motion sensors so it knows when people are home. It will then turn the heat up or down, depending on peak traffic hours. You can also set up temperature limits so it never goes beyond them, as well as control it with your smartphone or voice (if connected to a smart hub).

In addition to energy-saving, you can lower the need for filters, vent cleaning, and HVAC maintenance because you are minimizing use.

Smoke Detectors

While a regular smoke detector sounds an alarm when smoke levels rise above a certain point, a smart smoke detector goes the extra mile. These devices will tell you exactly where in the house high smoke levels have been detected, as well as how fast a fire is spreading.

They can also alert you to low battery levels, so you can make a change before the device loses functionality.

Air Conditioner

Apart from being able to control the air conditioning from your smartphone or with your voice, you can also connect a smart air conditioner to your smart lighting system, so it turns on and off using the lights as a signal to show when someone is in the room. Smart air-conditioners also give you control over the temperatures in different rooms in your house.

Air Quality Monitor

With an air quality monitor, you can know exactly how safe the air in your home is. These devices will tell you when the air quality changes, as well as log the exact compounds and humidity in the air.

Many of them are portable, allowing you to use a single device to check each room in your home with one small device. You can then use the measurements to determine how to maintain good air quality, time air filter changes, or alter cleaning schedules.

Appliances

A smart fridge will allow you to adjust temperatures with your voice or smartphone, and it will even keep inventory, so you know what’s missing at home the next time you pass by a grocery store. It can also alert you when it is time to clean or make repairs.

Other devices, such as smart washing machines, dishwashers, and ovens can likewise alert you when they need cleaning or repairs. Since they can do so at the first sign of an issue, you can deal with problems before they get too bad.

Maintenance Scheduling

Smart devices can also help when it comes to scheduling maintenance and planning repairs and replacements.

Subscriptions

Some smart device manufacturers offer subscription services with their replacements. For example, your smart heating and cooling system needs air filters. With a subscription service, the device can send regular requests to the manufacturer to have these items delivered when they are needed. You can decide the frequency of delivery to your liking, and decide how you would like them delivered. Many vendors also offer a discount when you sign up for such a subscription service. Light bulbs, batteries, and cleaning products also fit into this category.

Digital Calendars and Reminders

Digital calendars and reminders can also help you remember the important tasks, such as re-stocking your fridge, checking your smoke detector’s batteries, or having a regular inspection of your home’s plumbing and lighting systems. With this simple tool, you don’t have to rely on your memory when it comes to scheduling repairs.