Upgrades to Improve Home Function

(Family Features) hen smart home technologies first emerged, their purpose was largely for convenience and operating the devices was often clunky. Today, smart devices seamlessly integrate into connected home systems to make living more efficient, improve home security and even offer advantages for your health.

If you’re considering upgrades to your home, smart technology is a savvy way to add value and function.

Smart lighting is among the most prevalent of smart functions on the market, largely because of the multiple benefits it offers. You can set regular lighting patterns and also manage those lights from your smartphone, so forgetting to turn off a light is no longer an issue and you can fool would-be-thieves into thinking the house is inhabited when you’re away.

Another consideration is climate control, which accounts for a big chunk of a typical household’s energy consumption. The idea of programming your thermostat is nothing new, but smart thermostats take programming to a whole new level. Not only can you schedule temperature changes to coincide with your coming and going (and manage those changes with an app when you’re not even at home), today’s smart thermostats also have sensors that learn your daily habits and can adjust the climate accordingly.

In an average home, the pollutant level is normally low when people first enter the house, or after effective ventilation. However, after an extended period of time, daily activities can raise the level of humidity and carbon dioxide to unhealthy levels that can cause headaches, dizziness and sleepiness, and can contribute to long-term health issues.

“Few are aware of the impact of indoor air on their health and wellbeing,