Nearly everything in your home — thermostats, security systems, doorbells, lights, electronic devices, appliances, and more — can be connected and remotely operated using a mobile device. Research shows that 3 out of 5 Americans are buying smart home products to monitor and control their houses using smart devices. Nevertheless, turning a home into a smart home can be a daunting task.

So, whether you’re working on a shoestring budget or are able to explore more robust, whole-home options, it’s important to first understand why and how you can turn your home into a smart home.

Why Turning a Home Into a Smart Home Is a Good Idea

Smart homes can help you save time and money. In fact, 57% of Americans say that having smart products in their homes saved them 30 minutes every day.  That’s 182.5 hours a year that would have been spent turning off lights, checking doors are locked, adjusting the thermostat etc. Smart thermostats alone could save you approximately 20% every year on cooling costs and home heating. Statistics show that 45% of Americans living in smart homes save (on average) $98.30 every month or $1179.60 every year on utilities. It’s no wonder the global smart home market is forecast to hit a value of over 53 billion USD by 2022.

Lighting and Shades

For many people interested in building a smart home, the entry point is smart lighting. Many smart lighting arrangements function without central hubs and can interact with other elements in your home. You can control the smart bulbs and lights with an app on your smartphone.

If most of your bulbs and lights are installed in the ceiling and controlled by switches, you can replace them with dimmers and smart switches. If you prefer lamps, you can use a smart plug to turn the lamp on and off. In addition, you can have motorized window treatments installed, although this is a more high-end option.

Smart Thermostats

Some smart home devices can easily couple with smart thermostats to provide homeowners with cost and energy savings as well as comfort. These devices are not just limited to establishing a cooling or heating schedule based on your preference. They can also sense when you’re at home when you’re not, so the HVAC system will only operate when required.

These days, homeowners add sensors to thermostats so that they only operate on the basis of where they are in the house, instead of triggering the cooling and heating cycles based on the location of the thermostat, which is usually in a hallway.

Voice Control

Smart devices such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa are being widely embraced by homeowners for their ability to play music, read the news, set reminders and timers, and more. They can also act as a central hub for different smart devices, so you can control your lights, thermostat, and almost anything else just with the sound of your voice.

Security Cameras

A good quality home security camera can help you keep an eye on your home no matter where you are, which is especially useful when you’re on vacation or even just out for the day. Indoor cameras can help you monitor kids, pets, or elderly family members living at home, while outdoor cameras can help you track your property for suspicious behavior or even catch burglars in the act. Some models also come with lights that can illuminate the area outside your home when motion is detected.

Video Doorbells

Cameras fused into doorbells can monitor your entryways and allow you to interact with visitors without actually meeting them at the door. They can also help you catch “porch pirates.” The best video doorbells are Wi-Fi-enabled and can be connected with other smart devices in your home.

Smart Locks

Monitoring entryways is great, but to really secure your home’s doors, you’ll want to install smart locks. These are typically operated using touchpads, and the operation is keyless. Not only this, but smart locks also allow you to lock and unlock the door using your phone, anytime, anywhere. You can even create individual security passcodes for different family members or people who access your home, so you always know who’s coming and going.

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

Traditional carbon monoxide and smoke detectors can be unreliable. People often install them and forget about them, never testing them or changing the batteries. Even if they are kept up to date, the mere sound alarms they make are basically useless if your home is empty. On the other hand, a smart smoke or carbon monoxide detector will sound a loud alarm, as well as send a notification to your smartphone or anyone else you authorize in the case of carbon monoxide poisoning or fire. They can even alert the proper authorities to come to the scene for assistance. Some smart carbon monoxide and smoke detectors also come with lights that can help you navigate through your home at night in the event of an emergency.