Spring Break is around the corner & is your vacation home or rental property smart and saving you money when vacant? If you are like many people nowadays who are renting their property on Airbnb, VRBO, or HomeAway then these basic system upgrades are a must! With a few simple upgrades you can start managing your property's security, lights, climate & much more from anywhere in the world all via user-friendly mobile applications.
But where do you start?
Today there are several affordable smart-home technology solutions on the market that give you the ability to control the energy consumption when home or away. Converting typical appliances like light bulbs, switches, thermostats & outlets can help prevent wasted energy usage & give you control of your home ensuring it's running efficiently.
Also the addition affordable solutions like smart keypad door locks, perimeter cameras & video doorbells can help ensure your property is protected year-around.
If you want to make your vacation home or rental listing even more desirable, simple additions like today's hottest media streamers like a Roku or an Amazon Fire Stick can ensure you & your guest have access to familiar content as you start or wind down your day.
Finally, you want to ensure your property has a reliable Wi-Fi network. Adding a few Wi-Fi Access Points, a.k.a. Wi-Fi extenders, will ensure every guest has easy access to the internet no matter where they are on your property.
Energy Control Solution: Lighting Control
In your everyday home you try to be efficient with the energy consumption, right? So it's safe to assume you would like to do the same at your rental or vacation home. Changing the standard LED bulbs to smart-led-bulbs like Philips Hue can give you the ability to control the lights & ensure they are turned on before you or your guest arrive & are turned off after you & your guest check out.
If bulb swaps are not ideal for your property, swapping out the light switches, dimmers or adding a lamp dimmer is also an option from a provider like Lutron Caseta.
Lighting is just one part of making your vacation or rental property more efficient.
You also need to be able to manage the climate control, right?
Climate Control
Simply converting your basic thermostat to a Smart Learning Thermostat from companies like NEST or Ecobee can give you the ability to control your property's climate, & to have it set to the ideal temperature when you or your guest arrive. Likewise, once you or your guest check out you can set it to an ideal vacant temperature to lower your energy usage. All of these solutions can be controlled via their mobile app from anywhere in the world, & they also integrate in with voice control providers like Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple's Home Kit.
Smart Outlets
Simple upgrades like these $9.99 basic but SMART plug-in adapters can ensure that your connected devices are turned off stopping energy consumption once you or your guest leave. Best of all it, it does NOT take a certified electrician to install. Just follow the included simple step-by-step set-up instructions & you're on your way to savings & even more control of your property's energy usage.
Smart Home Security: Connect Keypad Locks
Who wants to fumble with keys anymore? Isn't having a 4 to 6-digit code more efficient & effective, especially if you are renting your property? Having the ability to generate new codes on the fly for each guest that rents out your home, ensure your property & guest will be safer while you are away. There are several manufactures on the market with Smart Door Locks, & the newest is the NEST X YALE LOCK which offers a mound of cool features to keep your property & guest safe & secure.
Perimeter Cameras & Video Doorbells
Security cameras are a great way to ensure your property is secure while away. They also can detour any unwanted visitors & document any outside damage should events like this occur. The most popular solutions on the market come from manufactures like the Logitech Circle2 (wired or battery powered), Nest Outdoor IQ Cam & the Popular Ring Stickup, Spotlight, Floodlight & Video Doorbell Cams. Depending on your level of desired security & existing wiring infrastructure, these options can provide the needed security your property deserves. All of these platforms have two-way communication, cloud recording storage options & a user-friendly mobile applications that can be viewed from anywhere in the world that offers a cellular or internet connection. To learn more about these solutions we encourage you to visit our website's Home Security page.
Enticing Entertainment Upgrades
While the main priority of a vacation/rental home is to disconnect & enjoy the surroundings, it is nice in the mornings or evenings to sit back & enjoy some quality video content the entire family can enjoy. Adding access to familiar entertainment content via a media streamer like a Roku, Amazon Fire Stick or AppleTV gives you or your guest the ability to enjoy the entertainment that is most likely accessed on a regular basis in the primary home. Having access to local news outlets, movies & TV shows are a great way to enjoy & market your home to potential renters.
Reliable Wireless Network Finally, all of these devices do require a strong reliable wireless network to operate properly. Typically we see that the ISP (Internet Service Providers) modem/router doesn't have the strength to blanket the home in wireless connectivity. Simply adding a few WiFi Access Points or 'Extenders' will ensure these smart devices are connected to the network & will give other devices like cellphones, tablets, laptops & more reliable access to the web. Today Wi-Fi MESH solutions are very popular & companies like Eero & AmpliFi are leading the pack because of their entry price, set-up & expandability depending on the size of your property.
In closing, with just a few simple smart device additions to your vacation or rental property you can start having more control & start saving money on your monthly/yearly utility bills.
Should you be needing an on-site consultation to discuss your personal property needs, Digital Delight has proudly been providing design & deployment services to the greater Houston, TX area for the past 20 years, and we would be delighted to visit with you. Simply click here & submit your request.
We thank you for taking the time to read our suggestions & feel free to drop a comment with any other recommendations you may have to make your vacation/rental property more efficient & enticing.
Have a great day.
D I G I T A L ☝️ D E L I G H T
🌐 www.DigitalDelight.com ☎️713-283-8100 📧Estimates@DigitalDelight.com