Whether the temperature around you is already sub-zero or you’re just starting to see your breath in the air, there’s no better time to winterize your property than right now.
The best way to start (on top of your usual winter home maintenance checklist) is with smart technology. From saving you money to making your property more comfortable (for you or your tenants) to defending against break-ins, the benefits of smart home devices are now too plentiful to ignore.
Exactly what you’ll want to add to your home will depend on your property, but let’s look at eight types of tech that stand to benefit any property owner.
Smart thermostats add automation and convenience to your regular thermostat. Not only can you control temperature from your phone but they also learn your preferences over time and adjust settings automatically for energy efficiency.
How it helps during the winter:
Instead of heating and paying for a constant temperature in your home, smart thermostats help you pay only for the temperature you need—and when you need it. For example, away on a winter vacation? Set a schedule for a cooler temperature while you’re away and benefit from a lower heating bill that month.
Where smart thermostats optimise your central HVAC system, smart heaters optimise the temperature in specific parts of your home. Coming in tower, desktop, floor, and other forms, smart heaters help you customise how different areas are heated.
How it helps during the winter:
Heat distribution in your home likely isn’t equal; basements, garages, attics, offices with outdoor-facing windows or doors, and other areas are likely colder than others—and perhaps only during certain parts of the day or night. Smart heaters help you heat these areas only when they need to be heated without cranking up your central heating, which can be costly and throw off the temperature in other areas of your home.
Cold weather combined with heating systems zap moisture. Smart humidifiers counteract this by monitoring and adjusting the humidity levels in your home as environmental conditions change.
How it helps during the winter:
Have you ever gotten off a plane and noticed your lips are chapped, your throat hurts, and your skin feels dry? That’s a lack of humidity you’re feeling, something that can also happen in your home during dry winter months. But regular humidifiers that run constantly often go too far and cause a feeling of dampness in the air. Smart humidifiers keep your home at the perfect level of humidity, running only when needed and saving you money in the process.
By placing smart leak detectors on your faucets, appliances, water heaters, and other relevant areas around your home, you can detect leaks, freezing, irregular levels of water pressure and humidity, and other risks. Combined with smart shutoff valves and an alert system connected to your phone, you can address these irregularities before they turn into something serious.
How it helps during the winter:
Sub-zero temperatures and water pipes don’t always have a great relationship. During a time when pipes are more likely to burst—and you’re more likely to be away on vacation or visiting family—a smart leak detector can potentially save you thousands of dollars on water damage repair.
With warmth and humidity covered, the next box to check is air quality. These monitors detect pollutants and irritants in the air and often suggest actions you can take to create a safer, less polluted space.
How it helps during the winter:
Did you know that indoor air may be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air? With less ventilation during winter (closed doors and windows), this only stands to become more true. Reduce this pollution in your home and breathe easier with the help of a smart air monitor.
Forget about manual light switches; smart lighting makes sure everywhere in and around your home is lit how and when you want—from your living room to your outdoor pathways.
How it helps during the winter:
Other than the convenience of controlling your lighting remotely (i.e. not having to get out of your warm sheets to shut off a light), smart lighting also saves money by making sure no light is on when it doesn’t need to be. There is also a security aspect here, as motion detection and scheduled lighting can be used to deter intruders, which can be especially useful when you’re out of the house.
You know those blinds that automatically unravel in hotels to reveal the morning sun? Smart blinds bring that luxury to anywhere in your home.
How it helps during the winter:
Light can be limited during winter; smart blinds help you maximize what light there is throughout the day, which can help keep spirits high during the dreary winter months. They also have the added benefit of saving you money on heating; by scheduling them to automatically close when they’re not needed (such as at night or when you’re away), you add an additional layer of insulation.
A smart security system with cameras, sensors, alarms, automated door access, and other security features will help keep your home safe all year round.
How it helps during the winter:
Gifts, vacations away from home, and other factors lead to more burglaries during winter than during any other time of year. With a smart security system in place, you’ll be more prepared to defend against this spike in crime.
Whether you’re winterizing your property to live in yourself or rent out to tenants, these eight pieces of tech will make your life a whole lot easier.
If you’re renting out to tenants, we have one more piece of technology to help: Rhent’s automated leasing software.
Learn how to streamline your marketing and leasing into one powerful platform.