We’ve gotten used to our smart phones in our pockets, but are you prepared for smart homes?  

And what exactly is a smart home?  

How does smart home technology work?  

To answer all of these questions and more, we talked with Scott Hritz and Toni Lynn Scalero with Levelup Automation Florida on a recent episode of Your Home Helper podcast.  

Scott and Toni previously worked together before entering business as partners of a new Florida-branch franchise of Levelup Automation. With a laser-focus on customer service, the duo have grown their business to help and serve clients enhance their lives through innovative smart home technologies.  

Together we talk about what smart home technology is and how you can use it to enhance your quality of life.  

Tune into the podcast for full details or keep reading here for key takeaways.  

What is Smart Home Technology? 

A simple definition of smart home technology is that it’s a broad category of devices and appliances that can be automatically controlled from anywhere with an internet connection, mobile, or other networked device.  

So, instead of manually turning on the lights or adjusting the temperature, you can do it from your phone.  

Some popular examples of smart home technology include:  

  • Interior and exterior lights 
  • Security cameras and monitoring systems 
  • Door locks 
  • Speakers and television 
  • Thermostats and heating or cooling systems 
  • Voice-controlled kitchen devices 
  • Robot mops and cleaning devices 
  • Baby and pet monitors 

This is just the beginning of what’s available—more and more people are implementing smart home devices every day.  

In fact, Forbes reports that in 2022, the average American household has approximately 20 connected devices. In comparison to 2021, smart homes had 55% more cameras, 43% more smart doorbells, and 38% more home hubs in 2022.  

Smart home technology is an emerging and growing field, always innovating new products and solutions. 

Toni and Scott invite people to their Levelup Automation showroom to explore smart home devices and see how they work in action.  

Benefits of Smart Home Technology 

So why do people want to use smart home technology? One of the biggest benefits is, of course, ease and convenience. But besides that, there are a number of major ways people implement technology based on their needs and interests:  

  • Wellness: Smart home technology can make life easier and safer for elderly individuals or those with disabilities. For example, there are devices that can monitor when someone has fallen and call a family member for help. Or, a mattress pad can keep track of heart rate and sleep apnea to monitor someone’s health. This can allow people to live in their home longer and put a family’s mind at ease that their loved one is doing well.  
  • Entertainment: There are some pretty exciting innovations in the realm of entertainment. Smart TVs can now display artwork when idle and sound systems can make you feel like you’re in a movie theater. These options boost entertainment value of things that you enjoy.  
  • Safety: Many people choose smart home technology for increased safety. Doorbells, monitoring systems, and audio or voice-activated cameras can all help people feel safe for themselves and their home while they’re away.  
  • Energy efficiency: Many smart home products can increase energy efficiency by showing you where you’re using excessive energy or automatically adjusting to an optimal place. One big area of this is adjusting the thermostat when you’re away—a click on your mobile device and you can turn the A/C off and lower your energy expenditure and costs.  

There are so many benefits of smart home technology. Toni and Scott described it like a “buffet” to choose from—just pick what works for you based on your desired lifestyle and needs.  

Common Concerns with Smart Home Technology 

With all the benefits of smart home technology to enhance someone’s life, is there anything to be concerned about?  

Here are two common objections to it, and what Toni and Scott told us about them.  

  1. Privacy: The reality is that these devices collect data and there are some real concerns with how it’s stored and used. For those who are concerned about their privacy, they need to pick out the right systems that also prioritize privacy. Some devices, for example, operate on closed-loop systems—data is used only for that device and is never sold externally. 
  1. Electricity use: There’s a misconception that smart home devices use more electricity than traditional ones. The reality is that most smart home devices are optimized to be energy efficient. And because they’re easy to adjust while you’re not at home, you can choose the optimal energy-efficient usage to lower your electricity bill. Some key ways to save electricity through smart home technology is turning off lights, curbing heating and cooling and conserving water 

If you have concerns about smart home technology, we’d simply recommend that you talk to professionals like Scott and Toni and their team at Levelup Automation.  

It’s an emerging field, so it’s normal to be skeptical and not know all the answers. Plus, there’s no one-size-fits-all to smart home technology! Take some time to do your research and understand exactly what’s going to work for you and your needs.  

How to Implement Smart Home Technology 

If you’re interested in smart home technology, your first step is to consult professionals or do some research about what’s out there. You want to find devices that suit your needs and lifestyle, which might be different from what other people have.  

The absolute easiest way to install smart home technology is during the construction phase of a new home or business. This allows you to wire everything correctly, so the access is there for future installation.  

But the majority of people are living somewhere already built—this doesn’t rule out smart home technology! The process might be a bit more tricky, but professionals can still wire your home to install the devices you choose.  

If you want to learn more about smart home technology, check out Levelup Automation on their website or Facebook.  

You can also listen to the full episode of our interview with Toni and Scott on the Your Home Helper podcast. And while you’re there, make sure to check out other episodes of the podcast, too! Our goal is to help anyone involved with real estate to learn valuable knowledge and skills to create the best home ever.  

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Meta Description: Smart home technology is an exciting industry, with new innovations each day. Here’s everything you need to know about it.  

Excerpt: Smart home technology is an exciting industry, with new innovations each day designed to elevate your quality of life. We discussed what it’s all about on a recent episode of Your Home Helper podcast—here’s everything you need to know.