8 Benefits of Princeton Smart Home Installation

Remember that old cartoon, The Jetsons? It was fun to watch it and fantasize about what life might be like in the 21st century. These days, we're getting a lot closer to a futuristic home with some of the smart home devices that are available on the market today. While they might not be quite as flashy as Rosie the robot maid, Princeton smart home installation is reimagining connectivity, security and convenience in ways we never considered back in the 1960s.

But how exactly can a household benefit from smart home installation in Princeton, NJ? That's a big question, because there are so many smart home products available that you could choose to add to your system. Depending on what your priorities are, professional installation of smart devices could make your house safer, more efficient or more convenient to use—or all of the above and more.

When you're ready to get your home caught up to the future with smart home installation, rely on your local Princeton handyman to make it happen. The team of skilled smart home installers at Mr. Handyman of Princeton and Robbinsville has plenty of hands-on experience with a wide variety of smart home installation services. We are proud to deliver the highest standards of workmanship on every job, and customer service that goes above and beyond.

What Is Princeton Smart Home Installation?

A smart home installation is a system that can connect to various appliances, fixtures and devices in your house in order to automate functions or give you access to them remotely. For example, it could be connected to security cameras or a doorbell camera, so you can see what's happening on your property while you're away from your house, or it could be connected to your thermostat so you can control your HVAC system remotely or with voice commands.

That sounds simple, but the applications are a lot more far-reaching than many people realize at first. A Princeton smart home installation could be connected to your lawn sprinklers and read the weather report for the day to determine by itself if the sprinklers are needed, then turn them on at the optimal time—no human input needed. It could also be connected to smart windows that respond to weather and detect who (if anyone) is in the room to determine how much visible light and UV rays should be let in. There are quite a few control hubs available for smart home installation, such as Amazon Echo, Google Home and Vivint Smart Home, and many more secondary devices that can be connected and controlled through the hubs, from exterior lights to your bathroom mirrors.

What Are the Benefits of Smart Home Installation in Princeton, NJ?

There are a lot of advantages of Princeton smart home installation for your family or household. It could help protect your house against everything from intruders to floods, make it easier for you to keep your property running smoothly and offer the ability to check in on family members who may need extra help or supervision while you're not at your house. It could also save you a good chunk of change on your monthly utility bills by reducing your energy usage. Here are some of the key benefits of smart home installation in Princeton, NJ:

1. Convenience

When we think of smart home technology, increased convenience is one of the first things that comes to mind—after all, what's the point of a connected home if it doesn't make your life easier? These systems help increase productivity in your house while at the same time decreasing the amount of effort required from you. They give you the ability to control your heating and cooling, your kitchen appliances, your plumbing fixtures, your security and much more from your workplace or anywhere else with an internet connection—including while you're lying on the couch. And in many cases, you don't need to control them at all. Instead, your system will "read the room" and detect a need for a task, then carry it out without you having to issue a command. Some types of smart home services are even capable of learning your routine, movements and preferences over time and then acting on them so you don't even need to program them.

2. Security

Feeling safe in your own house—and knowing your property and household are safe when you're not there—are priceless amenities. Security systems and security cameras are nothing new, but they used to be retroactive tools that were used after the fact to determine what happened when you arrived home to find a window smashed or a package missing from your doorstep. Now, indoor and outdoor systems like doorbell cameras that are connected to a Princeton smart home installation will send alerts to your mobile device in real time, allowing you to see exactly what's going on while it's happening and take action to prevent it. You also don't have to worry that you'll get annoying alerts every time a squirrel scampers into your doorbell camera's view—smart home systems use video analytics to recognize the difference between humans, animals, vehicles and other moving objects, so they reduce the probability of false motion detection notifications to provide enhanced all-around home security.

3. Energy Savings

Most Princeton homeowners are looking for ways to slash their energy costs so they don't need to spend so much on their monthly utility bill. It may surprise you to learn that the improved energy efficiency offered by Princeton smart home installation could make a huge difference for your energy savings. While there are dozens of potential devices that you can add on to your system to help make your house more energy efficient, in a general sense they reduce energy usage in three ways:

  1. They give you better control over your energy use by automating processes such as thermostat adjustments, lighting use, outdoor irrigation for your property and even opening or closing curtains.

  2. They provide reports on your energy use that give you insight into ways you can cut back and operate your house in a way that is more environmentally friendly.

  3. They identify areas of your house or functions that are using more energy than necessary, so you can adjust or repair them and improve their efficiency instead of needlessly wasting energy.

So how do those things actually affect your energy bill? Naturally it depends on the specific modification that we're talking about, but quite a bit of it relates back to your HVAC system. Your heating and cooling are likely the biggest expenses on your energy bill by a substantial margin, because your HVAC system needs to use a lot of fuel (whether it's natural gas or electricity) to keep your house at the temperature you have set on your thermostat. The longer your furnace or air conditioner have to operate to achieve the correct temperature, the higher your energy charges will be—and those costs could be noticeably increased by keeping the thermostat turned up when you're not home or don't really need the temperature at that level, along with other factors such as heat transfer through windows.

Your Princeton smart home installation can have a positive effect by turning the temperature down when you're not there and turning it back up just before you're due to arrive home, so there's no difference in your indoor comfort levels. It can also be set up to handle tasks like closing window drapes to block out sunlight when you're not in the room, and opening them again when you enter the room so you can enjoy the benefit of natural light. There are numerous ways that a system could improve energy efficiency, so if you'd like to increase your energy savings, speak with your Princeton handyman about focusing on efficient modifications and improvements.

4. Remote Monitoring

Do you have an older kid who is alone after school for a couple of hours, or an elderly or disabled family member who may need some support or a check-in during the day while you're away from the house? Your Princeton smart home installation will allow you to check up on them quickly and easily via camera to make sure your kid isn't getting into any trouble and your elderly loved one is safe and comfortable. You can also speak to them through an intercom system, or give them the means to easily alert you if they need to. It's not just for your human family members, either—pet owners can check up on dogs and other animals that are alone and even ease separation anxiety by speaking to them, giving commands or turning on the TV to keep them company.

5. Safety Features

You want your family and your property to be safe, of course—and you also want the reassurance of knowing they are secure, whether you happen to be home at the moment or not. Your Princeton smart home installation will help with that, and not just by alerting you to intruders and other external threats. Sometimes the danger comes from within—disasters such as house fires, carbon monoxide leaks and floods can be catastrophes that pose a serious hazard to your property and the members of your household. A smart installation can be connected to safety devices such as flood sensors, instantly sending notifications to your cellphone when they are triggered by rising moisture levels.

6. Entertainment

Tired of looking between the couch cushions for the TV remote? Want to skip to the next song without having to press a button? Your Princeton smart home installation can connect to your modern entertainment consoles and devices so you can control them with voice commands or remotely through your mobile phone. You can also use parental controls to make sure children are only accessing approved websites online, or that they're not playing video games when they're supposed to be doing homework.

7. Customization

A Princeton smart home installation has the potential to connect with so many different devices, appliances and fixtures that perfectly suit your unique needs. Because it is so configurable, you can choose the components that make the most sense for your lifestyle—and it doesn't have to be a big upfront investment in dozens of gadgets. You can add devices and functionality as you see fit, for a little or a lot of control over how your house operates. Your installation could also read and react to local conditions in Princeton, NJ or on your property specifically. For example, you could have your lawn sprinklers turn on when the weather report has indicated it was hot and dry all day, or even sensors that read the conditions and sunlight in zones of your yard and turn on sprinklers as needed based on that real time information.

8. Peace of Mind

Overall, the greatest benefit of Princeton smart home installation services is having peace of mind that your house is safe, secure and efficient. The comfort you get from having the evidence that all is well right in front of your eyes—even when you're not there—is well worth getting your appliances, devices and fixtures interconnected so you can control and monitor them from wherever you are. Our installation experts can get everything you need installed and give you tips on how to make the most of your new home features.

The Future Is Now With Princeton Smart Home Installation Services From Your Local Handyman

Whether you're in Princeton, NJ or a nearby community such as West Windsor or Montgomery, you can count on the team of professionals at Mr. Handyman of Princeton and Robbinsville for expert smart home installation and dozens of other reliable handyman services. We’re here to help with everything from installing smart technology to flooring installation, siding repair, and much more.

Get in touch with us today by picking up the phone and calling 609-372-5867 to schedule an appointment at a convenient time or speak with our friendly customer service staff and find out more about our trusted Princeton smart home installation services.