Smart Appliances Make Smart Homes

In today’s busy word, you may feel like you’re constantly crunched for time, even if you’re not caught in a traffic jam. Fortunately, many smart technologies are emerging that help you live life at a more comfortable pace.

Smart connections.

Appliances and electronics that are considered “smart” are becoming more and more popular for their ability to adapt to our lives. “Smart” is a fairly general term, but it usually implies some sort of connectivity or networking ability that allows the device to communicate with other appliances, or to communicate with the homeowner beyond the normal button press or dial twist.

The smart TV

One of the most popular smart devices found in our homes today is the smart TV. While smart TVs can do all of the things a normal TV can do, they also have the added benefit of web connectivity. This allows video streaming, and the viewing of web content, without the need for an external box or even a cable connection.

Smartphones take some of the work out of housework

Another area where smart technology adds new functionality is the area of large home appliances. While it might not seem immediately apparent why your wet clothes or dirty dishes need an internet connection, it makes sense when you factor in how that connection is used.

Apps and appliances

App integration is one way that manufacturers are bridging the gap between busy days and convenience. So you no longer need to be in the same room, or even the same area code, to start your dishwasher, washing machine or other large appliance.

For example, by connecting your dishwasher to your smartphone, you gain the ability to interface with it from anywhere. Which means that you can wait until the whole family is done showering before you start the load of pots and pans, even if you’re already at work.

A look inside the smart fridge

Smart refrigerators help you keep tabs on what you have, what you need, and what you’ll need soon. Using either barcode scanning or RFID chip technology, your smart refrigerator is aware of what foods are inside it. It can communicate this information to you, and even send you an alert to remind you to pick up specific items. This saves you time by making grocery lists easier, or even automatic. It can even help with meal planning, because you know everything you have on hand.

Smart about energy

If you have a smart fridge, it can help lower your utility costs as well. For example, if your refrigerator knows you’re on vacation, and it won’t be opened for a while, it can run fewer defrost cycles and use less electricity while you’re gone. You can also program a smart fridge to send you an alert on your smartphone if it detects the door is open for an extended period of time.

Your washer and dryer keep you informed

You didn’t want to start the washing machine while your spouse was in the shower. Smart move. But now, it’s an hour later and you realize you never started it at all. If you have a smart washing machine, your smartphone can start the wash for you. And since your dryer knows that you’re not at home, it can enter a longer, more energy efficient drying cycle, and even tumble the clothes with fresh air for a few moments every hour to prevent humidity and mold until you get home.

Smart about safety and savings

Your smart dryer can not only send you an alert telling you when the clothes are dry, it can warn you via smartphone if it detects a blockage in the vent, potentially saving you from wasted energy or, at worst, a dryer fire.

Smart washers and dryers can even communicate with each other to optimize energy savings, and create a more customized wash and dry cycle that helps keep fabric looking newer for longer.

Energy reports: smart appliances help you get smarter with your savings

Smart appliances are also making lives better through their ability to monitor their own resource consumption. Many appliances will give you energy reports that detail what they consume every month. With this information, you can modify your schedule or your device settings to use less energy and even lower your utility bills.

Home comfort showcases innovation

One of the best showcases for “smart” technology is currently found in home comfort. In 2012, Lennox introduced the iComfort Wi-Fi® thermostat, enabling homeowners to control the heating and cooling of their homes from anywhere via cloud connectivity. Remote access, along with live weather forecast and automatic updates, offers a level of convenience that goes degrees beyond what’s possible with a standard thermostat.

Add a little more brilliance and innovation to your home by contacting Hurlburt Heating Cooling and Plumbing.