May is national electrical safety month. Why is this important? Because electrical failure or malfunction is a leading cause of fires each year and knowing simple tips to keep your electrical system up to code can go a long way. But let’s be honest, just because we should do something doesn’t mean we always do. And the easier it is, the more likely we are to follow through. Smart home devices are there to help make things simple so we can stay safe.
Smoke Detectors
Smart smoke detectors are one of the best smart devices for electrical safety. Why? Homes with missing or malfunctioning smoke detectors, account for 2/3 of fire deaths and a much higher percentage of property damage. But this statistic alone probably isn’t enough to make you test your alarms monthly, change the batteries yearly and replace the units every 10 years like you’re supposed to do. Smart smoke alarms test themselves and let you know when the batteries need to be changed along with a lot of other awesome features. This ensures that one of your best defenses against fire are always ready whenever you need them.
Smart Panels
Yes, you can get a smart electrical panel. This allows you to know via your phone when a breaker trips and to monitor the energy consumption of everything in your home. This also means that if there is a problem in your panel chances are you will know about it before something bad happens. And you can also turn breakers on or off via your phone. So, in case of an emergency, you can shut power down from anywhere.
Lighting System
Having a whole-home lighting system isn’t just for convenience and security, it is also for safety. A smart lighting system allows you to monitor your lights from anywhere. You can make sure all of your lights are off by hitting one simple button, you can turn on green mode to conserve energy and you can enable security mode, which will turn every light on in your home in case of a break in. These are only a few of its features but a smart lighting system is one of the most underestimated smart systems in terms of the features and security it can offer.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs allow you to have control of lamps or any other appliance you wish. This provides optimum control over your lighting and appliances. A few examples include making sure you never leave your lamps on while away and, if your Christmas lights are plugged into a smart plug, you can make sure your Christmas tree or other potential fire hazards are off while you are away. You can also use these for appliances, computers, televisions or other devices that require a plug-in.
Cameras
Security cameras are usually thought about for outside your home but they also have valuable uses inside. Not only can you keep an eye on your home from potential burglars or make sure your pet doesn’t chew up your couch while you are away, but it’s another way to monitor your home for a fire. In case of a fire, you could see where it originated and have the ability to call the fire department and alert them asap.
If you have any questions or comments, contact Sasha at sasha@inthelitellc.com. As always, we hope we’ve made your day brighter!