One of the biggest challenges for many mountain homeowners is combining modern with a natural, rustic design. Smart gadgets can bring your home into the modern tech age both functionally and aesthetically, without taking away from the calm rustic mountain vibe. Below is a list of our top 10 must-have smart home gadgets to make your mountain home a smart mountain home.
1. Nest Thermostat
The Nest thermostat works to save energy by learning your habits and the energy features of your home. After installation, Nest thermostat will spend the first few days learning your temperature habits. It will adjust the temperature to your preference when you are home and change it when you are gone. It will also assess how quickly your home heats and cools. It can connect to your hot water tank, allowing you to prepare your water for a bath on cool winter nights in the mountain community. Control both your thermostat and water heater through an app on your phone. This thermostat has a large, round, touch-enabled display that can be set to project a digital clock face for an added design aesthetic.
2. Nest and Yale Lock
The Nest and Yale Lock is an easy install smart lock with a clear digital display. Set a 4 to 8 digit code on the app and use it to open the deadbolt of your door. You can also assign codes for different users and receive alerts that will notify you when the door is unlocked and what user unlocked it. The app allows you to see usage history, lock the door when you are away from home, and initiate a privacy setting to suspend all codes when you do not want other users walking in without knocking. Perhaps the best feature is the ability to assign a temporary code with a scheduled time limit for dog walkers, house sitters, housekeepers, and contractors, etc.
3. Echo Products
Echo products are great for entertainers. And with gorgeous mountain views, who wouldn’t want to host? Prepare a meal or snacks with the Echo show. Look up recipes on the HD screen and go hands-free as you receive step by step instructions all through voice commands! When your guests arrive, Echo speakers can be placed around a room or throughout a home and synced for a surround sound experience. You can also easily adjust the equalizer settings for a stronger bass or treble for different moods.
4. Ring
Ring is one of the most popular new smart home tech companies on the market. One of their best products is the Ring peephole and doorbell video camera. When visitors approach your door, motion sensors initiate the video camera and notify your phone so you can see live footage and interact through the two way talk feature with the person at your door. It can also help you scare off unwanted visitors to your home. Some of their outdoor video products also give you the ability to see diverse wildlife that might approach your home while you are not around.
5. Nest Protect
This amazing product is a combination of smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Put one in each room of your home and assign it a name and when it detects smoke or carbon monoxide, it will tell you which room the danger is in. If it is something simple like a burnt meal, you can silence the alarm right from your phone. You will also receive a text notification when you are not there, so you can alert authorities before your home is ablaze. It also provides a night light for hallways and will light green and tell you if the batteries are still good at night.
6. iDevice Switch
If you are hesitant to purchase smart house tech or do not want to spend the money on smaller tech, the iDevice Switch is the perfect device to wade in for smart tech beginners. This adapter works by plugging into the wall socket and plugging devices into the iDevice. The device enables the user to automate current devices without having to buy a separate device as well as enable scheduled on-off times for energy conservation.
7. Wemo
This smart light switch allows you to control lights and fan in your home right from your phone. Set a schedule for light to go on and off, and to dim or sharpen. You can set a time or turn your porch light on when you get home late from work and when you are gone, Wemo will randomly turn on and off lights throughout your home to scare off intruders.
8. Tilt Smart Blinds
Thin shades are a great way to let the natural light in without letting it overpower the room. Forget stopping your work or pausing in the middle of a conversation to adjust the blinds throughout the day. Tilt will draw the shades for you. If you do not have roller shades, their smart blinds product will attach to blinds for opening and closing with ease.
9. Skydrop Smart Sprinklers
Have a beautifully manicured lawn or garden, but aren’t always home to adjust
the setting when you get rainy weather? Skydrop senses the weather and corrects your sprinkler settings accordingly. It also calculates the amount of water to supply based on how fast water will leave the type of soil, the rate of wind, the amount of shade and sun it receives, even the type of plant you are watering. Skydrop easily connects to your current system, allowing you to have peace of mind when you are away.
10. WINBOT
Forget the ladders and squeegees, the winbot comes to the rescue! This product is perfect for large, high windows common in mountain homes. It’s simple. Just click the winbot to the window, press the start button, and walk away. Similar to popular robot vacuums, the winbot uses sensors to identify the parameters of a window and then maps out an efficient path to clean the window. When it is finished, it will return to the same spot you placed it.
Outfit your beautiful mountain home with smart devices that give you peace of mind and comfort, and the ability to give others the same feelings.