An efficient smart home keeps everything running so smoothly you never need to worry about the little things. But what keeps your smart home tech efficient? Smart sensors!
With smart home sensors ranging from motion to weather sensors, you don't have to stay on top of every setting — it does it for you!
What do these sensors look like? Check it out!
1. Motion Sensors
Motion sensors are one of the most versatile sensors for any smart home. Motion sensors detect motion using infrared beams and temperature changes or ultrasonic waves and changes in position, but either way, these are a great asset to any smart home system. There are so many ways to apply motion sensors to your system, including:
- Alerting you to unauthorized movement through your smart security system (most sensors can tell the difference between small animals and actual intruders).
- Activating smart video cameras so you can see any movement near your home or in your geo-fencing setup.
- Signifying whenever there's movement near a dangerous area like the pool, so you know the instant your pets or kids walk by.
- Turning smart lights on or off whenever you walk by or arrive at your home — never arrive to complete darkness again!
Pro Tip: Tell what you want to happen in your home, and your custom integrator will know where to place and connect the sensors to make it happen!
2. Temperature Sensors
Keeping your space comfortable is vital for any smart home! Temperature sensors work with smart thermostats to adjust the temperature from room to room, which helps the thermostat do its job. But they don't work simply with your thermostat system; you can also use Wi-Fi temperature sensors to control the temperatures in your wine cellar or basement to keep your vintage collection and delicate items safe year-round.
Ask your custom integrators about humidity sensors to help keep your valuables safe!
Pro Tip: You can also use temperature sensors outside to automate your sprinklers to come on at specific temperatures.
3. Light/UV Sensors
You might not think it, but light and UV sensors are necessary for your smart light bulbs and smart shades to adjust their settings. Sure, you can create automation based on timing or a routine schedule, but these sensors will remove the need to change your settings constantly!
- You can order your system to turn on the porch lights whenever dusk happens.
- You can program your automation to turn off all the inside lights when it senses dawn to help you save energy (no more getting after the family for forgetting to turn their lights off!).
- You can maximize the warmth in your home by setting it so that your smart shades open at the highest peak of sunlight during the day and close at dusk.
- You can automatically bring down the shades when it gets too bright to reduce glare!
- You can set it so your bedroom shades open in the morning when dawn breaks, so you wake up to sunlight!
4. Water Leak/Freeze Sensors
Water leaks and frozen pipes can lead to costly water damage if not detected in time, but your smart home is ahead of the game. With smart water leak and freeze sensors, you can help stop costly repairs before they happen. These sensors have probes to detect water and temperature sensors to indicate when your pipes are in danger of freezing, so you can keep your home in top shape.
And if you combine these sensors with an automatic smart shutoff valve, you can stop leaks in their tracks — even if you're not home!
5. Windows & Door Sensors
Also known as contact sensors, window and door sensors will let you know if either is opened with just one notification to your smart device. This way, you'll always be aware if an entry point has been breached! But these aren't only for your smart security; you can also use them to:
- Let you know if the garage door is left open.
- Alert you if someone opens a sensitive cabinet like the liquor or medicine cabinet.
- Keep an eye on that door that doesn't close all the way and is always causing drafts.
- Get notifications whenever someone opens the mailbox — no more constantly checking the window to see if the mailman came by!
- Always know if someone in the house is sneaking out through the window!
- Have closet lights turn on automatically as soon as the door opens!
- Keep an elderly relative safe by knowing if they've left the house without letting you know!
Pro Tip: Window and door sensors have many possible uses; discuss your options with a custom integrator first!
6. Doorbell Sensors
Another sensor you might not think about is doorbell sensors, which are typically built-in to your smart video doorbell. These sensors start recording whenever someone is by the door — before they ring the bell! You get a wide-angle HD live stream the second someone nears your door, which is immensely helpful for identifying and scaring off porch pirates, helping you stay clear of unwanted solicitors, or avoiding that neighbor who won't take the hint!
You can also connect your smart doorbell to your smart lights so they come on at night whenever there's a person by the door!
7. Smart Smoke & Co Sensors
Your home's safety is more than just warding off intruders and keeping your home locked up tight; your environment needs to be safe, too. With smart smoke and CO sensors, you can monitor the air quality in your home for smoke, carbon monoxide, pollen, dust, and other particulates!
Some sensors can distinguish between burnt food and genuine house fire, so you can cancel that noisy alarm before it starts!
Bonus: Weather Sensors
While you can always check your local weather station to keep track of weather conditions, wouldn't it be easier if you could get tailored notifications for just your house? With smart weather sensors, you can! These weather stations measure indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, and rainfall — some systems will even monitor UV levels! These sensors let you:
- Get reliable rain forecasts and alerts for when there's an open window.
- Receive notifications on your smart mirror TV telling you to wear sunscreen when the UV levels are high.
- Automate your smart sprinklers to change watering schedules when there's a chance of rain!
Get Those Smarts!
From smart security systems to smart thermostats, smart sensors are essential pieces of smart home tech that make your home smarter and safer. So don't forget to add these smart home sensors to your must-have list when discussing your plans at Automation Design & Entertainment!
Give us a call today to set up your consultation appointment to get started. Just tell us what you want your smart home to do, and we'll do the rest!