5 Ways to Winterize Your Home with Smart Technology [+1 Bonus!]

Winter is in full swing, and boy, can you feel those temperatures drop. And trying to keep your house warm through all the temperature lows and horrible weather is a challenge. In the past, you've probably had to re-caulk your windows, install heavier drapes, put in weatherstripping, or even stuff old rolled-up blankets under drafty doors — that's a lot of work!

But it turns out there's a smart way to winterize your home — through smart home automation! With the right set of smart devices, you'll make winterizing that much more straightforward. And we'll go over just what those are!

1. Smart Thermostats

Let's start with a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats keep your home cozy, but more importantly, they also help save on energy costs! They can sense how much energy each room uses and adjust accordingly to pinpoint problem areas, monitor the temperature in each room, remotely control the temperature, and automatically place the best settings for the home.

So, instead of leaving your HVAC system to run all day, you can tailor it to your needs. For instance, if everyone is out of the house during the day, you can create a "daytime" setting where the thermostat is at its lowest setting and only starts to warm up the house within 20 minutes of everyone arriving home. Or you can use geo-fencing to warm up the house once it senses you're nearby!

2. Smart Shades

Even with the longer nights and icy winter days, there's still plenty of sunlight, which you can maximize by installing smart blinds. Smart blinds will open and close at specific times according to your schedule or by sensing the optimum sunlight levels with the sensors, allowing you to warm your home more naturally.

You can also coordinate your smart blinds with other devices like your smart thermostat to help keep a consistent temperature. You can even have your smart lights coordinate with your shades as well, so you're never in complete darkness!

3. Smart Leak Detectors

Whether you're going away on vacation or live in an area where things freeze over, it's a great idea to install a smart leak detector! Anything can cause your pipes to leak, but your pipes freezing over is a major cause.

With a smart leak detector, it will sense when water flow is acting unusual and then shut off the valve — no overflowing leaks here! You can also customize the settings for when the leak detector will shut off the valve and receive personalized analytics of your home's water system. Either way, you'll avoid costly damages, save water, and prevent mold build-up!

Pro Tip:?You can add smart leak or smart water detectors to any water source, including your water heater!

4. Smart Outdoor Lights

Of course, winter brings longer nights (that always seem to start at 5 pm!), but you can still add some light with smart outdoor lights! You can set up automatic timers, motion sensors, or geo-fencing so that your outdoor lights come on right when needed. No more stepping on an icy sidewalk for you — now you'll be able to see where you're going whenever you leave or enter the house.

You can also program your lights to come on at certain intervals while you're away on vacation, so it looks like your home.

5. Smart Security

Speaking of going away on vacation, a smart security system is a must-have for all winter endeavors (and let's face it, it's helpful year-round, too!). Smart security systems utilize door sensors, motion sensors, and video surveillance to protect your property, letting you monitor everything from wherever you are.

So, if you want to go on vacation but are worried about leaving your home vulnerable — don't! Your smart security system will take care of that.

BONUS: Other Winterizing Solutions

The last winterizing solutions you should consider should include a smart humidifier and IoT tiles. A smart humidifier will increase the moisture in a given room on a schedule so you can avoid dehydrated skin or irritated nasal passages. The humidifier will also alert you when to refill the tank.

IoT tiles are sensors you can place near your valuables, like musical instruments, antique furniture, or car batteries in a garage, that will sense when temperatures or humidity get too low or too high. That way, you can protect your valuables from any harmful weather fluctuations.

Stay Warm!

There you have it: the smart way to winterize your home so you stay warm and cozy all season long! And the best way to get started on your?smart winterizing?journey is with DAVE! Our experts have years of experience and will set your smart home to your specifications.

Contact us?today to set up your consultation appointment, and we'll help you get started!