Being a dad comes with many responsibilities including protecting and providing for your family. It can often be hard to stay on top of it all and find time for yourself. As a kid, you may have pictured a life similar to that of cartoon character George Jetson, who had a personal robot butler and a fancy machine that dressed him every morning. While these particular conveniences don’t yet exist, the future of home automation has arrived. A good home automation system will protect your home and family all while making life at home a whole lot more comfortable and convenient.
Protection
Protection is instinctively at the top of a father’s priority list. Sigmund Freud, a psychologist and one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, once said, “I cannot think of any need in childhood as great as the need for a father’s protection.”
Security systems of the past were once linked to phone lines which could be cut by intruders. Good quality home security systems keep burglars and other home invaders at bay through the use of wireless technology which cannot easily be disrupted or interfered with. Top notch home automation and security systems will let you breathe a little easier because you control the security of your home and family whether at home or away.
Key features that provide your home and family with the protection you want include:
● Remote monitoring of your home from a computer, tablet or cell phone
● Motion Detectors in and around your home
● Security cameras that allow you to keep an eye on your home while away
● Sensors to let you know when doors or windows have been opened
● Fast communication between you, your monitoring company and emergency services
● Remotely lock and unlock doors
● Notification to your internet device when a medicine or gun cabinet has been opened
Dad’s can’t be everywhere, so strategically placed motion sensors and video surveillance can let you know who is knocking at your door, notify you when the kids get home from school and, essentially, keep you informed of what is going on anytime you aren’t at home
Save Money
It may be hard to believe that paying a monthly fee for home automation can help you save money but, in the long run, it can add up quickly in your wallet. To effectively save money, your home automation system should include:
● Thermostat Control
● Appliance Control
● Lighting Control
The ability to control your thermostat can save you a bundle each month. Find a home automation system which allows you to control the temperature when you are home and automatically shuts off when you leave. Additionally, if your home automation system includes remote access, you can turn your heat up, down or off while you are at work or even away on vacation.
Sometimes in the rush out the door for work or getting the kids to school on time, you may forget to shut off the lights as well as a few electronics. If your home automation has a user-friendly app with remote access, it can take care of that for you. Just a few taps on your smart phone will turn off the lights, coffee pot and even your wife or daughter’s hot curling iron. Furthermore, while away on vacation, you can remotely turn on certain lights in and around your home to ward off potential intruders.
Convenience
A good home automation system makes your life a whole lot more convenient giving you the ability to control just about everything in your house right at your fingertips. It doesn’t matter if you are crawling into bed after a long day, sitting in your favorite easy chair, watching your son’s soccer game or daughter’s ballet performance or across the world on business.
While there isn’t yet a personal robot included to take the garbage out to the street every week, choosing the right home automation system will save you time and money while protecting your home and family, so you can enjoy all the pleasures that life and fatherhood have to offer.
David Glenn is a home improvement expert. He occasionally freelance writes about home automation and making your home more green.
