How Home Automation Makes Winter More Manageable

Making the winter bearable in Lake Forest, IL is all about being well prepared. Everyone knows to don a few more layers of clothes when they leave the house and makes sure their cars have the necessary snow tires. Now you can also use your home automation system to prepare your household for any weather. Through intuitive control of your technology, it’s easier to keep your family safe, comfortable and entertained this winter. A smart home helps you get through the dipping temperatures and darkening days with the following features:

SEE MORE: Host the Perfect Holiday Party With Smart Control

Stay Safe with Smart Lighting Solutions

Now that the days are getting darker, it's important to make sure your home is well-lit at all times. Schedule your lights to turn on as soon as the sun sets and turn off once the sun rises. You can also have lights linked to photo sensors to make sure landscape lighting is on as needed during inclement weather; photo sensors ensure artificial lights only go down when there's sufficient natural light available.

Snow, sleet, and ice can cause even the most experienced of Chicagoland residents to have nasty falls. Diminish the risks by having pathway lights on all the main walkways. Install motion sensors at the start of walkways so they light up as you walk past, making it easier for you to see if there are any wet patches up ahead.

SEE MORE: 4 Tips for a Successful Landscape Lighting System

Keep the Family Comfortably Warm

Make sure your home is toasty even in the coldest weather with intuitive control of your thermostat. Schedule your thermostat to go up when it’s time to wake so that it's easier to get out of your cozy blankets. Within that same ‘Wake Up’ scene, you can even schedule bathroom tiles to warm up before your morning shower. Your thermostat can also be programmed to respond to local weather patterns. If there's a large cold front coming in, proactively tell your thermostat to go up, so you don't find yourself waking up freezing in the middle of the night.

One of the biggest perks of a home automation system is that you can access your thermostat on the go. There’s no need to double up on your monthly energy usage heating an unoccupied home. If your family has a regular schedule, you can have the temperature automatically rise around the time you return from work. Otherwise, you can pull out your phone and turn up the heat before your drive home, so it's warm by the time you get there.

Enjoy Snow Days like Never Before

There will inevitably be a few winter storms that will force you and your family to stay in for days at a time. While everyone enjoys a few days off work and school, the time can drag without the right entertainment. Incorporate whole home audio into your system so you can have your favorite music playing throughout the house at the press of a button from your smartphone, tablet or touchpad.

With centralized control of all your technology, it's also easy to create the perfect environment for a Netflix marathon in your media room or private theater. From the same intuitive user interface, you can dim the lights, raise the temperature, turn on the TV, and adjust the volume.

Make sure you’re prepared for the winter with a custom home automation system. Call us at (847) 868-9200 or fill out our online contact form to see which solution would work best for you and your family.