12 Cool Things You Can Do with Home Automation

Technology has a way of making us look cool. And no, we’re not just talking about futuristic computers and gadgets or shiny new toys. You know what else is cool? Home automation.

Home automation covers the centralized control of home systems like lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), audio appliances, entertainment, home theater, home security, and even swimming pool, among many others. We have covered some of the biggest benefits of home automation in a previous post; this time, let us have some fun by talking about some of the many cool things that you can do with an automated home. If we miss out anything, or if you would like to add to the list, simply leave a comment in the section below.

Sleep better at night. Do you lie awake at 2 a.m. unsettled by the mysterious “bumps” and sounds in your home? Put an end to that with an automated home security system, one that can send you a cell phone or E-mail alert whenever something shady happens.

Schedule and initiate events. Very futuristic, no? Watering your garden on a weekend will never be the same.

Intelligently control your thermostat. Wouldn’t it be nice to heat or cool just the master bedroom at night? Then wake up in the morning with the rest of the house having automatically adjusted the thermostats? With home automation, the temperature in your home can be always comfortable and energy-saving.

Stop dreading the power or utility bill. We know that you work very hard. We also know that you deserve far more than having to squander a significant portion of your income on the power and utility bills. You know what’s cooler than an automated home? An automated home that doesn’t run up the costs of operating it.

Have an intelligent cook. There are a number of home automation technologies that actually allow you to have a microwave that recognizes your dinner entrees, and which will then determine cooking time automatically for you. It’s like having your own personal chef!

Become a lighting expert. One of the most popular home automation features is automated lighting. Yes, you can have a lamp turn itself on automatically when you walk into your bedroom at night. (With a single clap of the hands, perhaps?) You can also intelligently control the light in a room – and the color of that light – according to the level of sunlight or ambient light that you’re already getting, or to the kinds of window shades and draperies that are in that room.

Scare the robbers away. And everyone else who might be foolish enough to think of breaking into your automated home. While you’re away, give off the impression that someone is inside the house by having random lights turn on and off automatically.

Receive guests without having to go out and check out who they are. Some automated homes have cool surveillance features that deliver a visual of visitors approaching your door. The images, of course, appear on the TV set that you’re closest to. Which means you don’t have to walk all the way to your home security hub or to the front door.

Go to work worry-free. Life has enough stresses, right? Worrying non-stop about what’s happening back home when you go to work shouldn’t be one of them. You’ll be notified by your security system via phone or E-mail if and when there’s a security breach.

Have blinds and shades adjust automatically, depending on the season. Understandably, you want more of that summer sunshine coming through the windows, and none of the winter draft that marks the colder seasons. With home automation, you can put an end to the seasonal demands of your blinds, shades, windows, and HVAC system.

Fall asleep listening to music. Nothing is more relaxing than retiring to bed with your favorite sounds in the background. The music player dozes off right after you do.

Create the movie ambience with a click of a button. The projector turns itself on, the projector screen drops, the lights in the room fade, the sound system adjusts itself automatically, and the movie starts – all with one click of a button. If that’s not cool enough to make any homeowner want to have home automation, then we don’t know what else would be.