Home Renovation Blog

Home Technology Trends

Whole-house integration into the internet and advanced technology is growing at an incredible rate as the convenience and safety benefits are becoming widely recognized. Companies developing these systems are building tight security into them, in order to make them accessible only to the homeowners. 

Your home’s technology can be controlled by you from anywhere in the world via your smartphone, tablet, or computer. For the tech-unsavvy, manufacturers are making these devices easy to use and operate. Here, we share with you some of the innovations we think are pretty special. 

Integration and automation

• High-speed internet integrated into the entire home makes all the latest high-tech home innovations possible and allows different devices to interact or be connected for joint activation. It also eliminates dead zones and slow connections.
• The ability to remotely set your home’s temperature, lighting, and audio/video allows you to make sure your home is just the way you want it when you get home. It is also a great way to make the house look lived in if you’re away, turning on lights and music or a television in the evening.

Security

• Smart home security systems allow you to check the house remotely and access home technology when you’re not home.
• Outdoor security cameras show who is coming to your door. Some have AI that can identify friends and family. These systems can also catch people trying to steal your deliveries, which is becoming so common that they have their own name – “porch pirates.”
• The “smart door” is a front door that can integrate a doorbell camera, smart lock, motion-activated lighting, and more.
• Doorbells with a temperature-taking function can determine if someone coming to call has a fever. Or you could have a touchless doorbell in order to limit the spread of germs.

Health and wellness

• For those with high-risk health conditions, smart lighting utilizes a Bluetooth-enabled bulb that uses radar technology to monitor your sleep quality, heart rate, and biometrics. The light can also detect a fall or vital signs that are outside of a preset healthy range.
• For the bathroom, a voice-activated system can fill the tub to a preset temperature and drain it afterward.
• Medical tech for the bathroom also includes toilets that… well… monitor and analyze waste to alert for possible health issues before symptoms arise.

Air, lighting, and water quality technology

• Smart thermostats can be controlled remotely for different rooms or zones in the home, and some come with humidity sensors integrated. You can also get stand-alone humidity sensors.
• Smart air purifiers and air conditioners can monitor and adjust air quality as needed.
• Remote and integrated lighting gives you many options: setting light preferences for different rooms, automatically sensing sun-up and sun-down for turning lights on or off, mood lighting, and different light options such as sunlight, white light, and more.
• Sound-canceling windows keep out the noise of the street or the annoyance of a neighbor’s barking dog.

Smart Kitchen

• New refrigerator technology allows you to “knock twice to view” in order to see what’s in the fridge without opening the door. Cameras inside the refrigerator allow you to see the contents when you’re away from home and check if you need eggs. In fact, some can even let you know when you’re getting low on something to help you with your shopping list.
• Cook tops and ovens can monitor the temperature and doneness of food in order to prevent over- or under-cooking, then shut off and keep the meal warm until you get home from work.
• Self-closing doors prevent slamming; motorized cabinets can lower for easy access for wheelchair accessibility.
• There is a seemingly endless list of kitchen appliances and accessories that can be voice-activated, remote-controlled, and synced to each other.

These are just some of the great new innovations that are being developed to make your home more comfortable. Some don’t need any changes to your current house to install, while others may be best integrated into a remodeling job or a new house. 

Do you see anything intriguing on the list? Give us a call at M&K Renovations, (610) 353-2895, to see how we can help you build technology into your home. Family-owned and operated, we service the Philadelphia area from our location on the Main Line and are fully insured and licensed by the state of Pennsylvania.

Jeff Schiller

Jeff’s experience in Operations Management and Organizational Leadership in the mortgage, manufacturing, and finance industries allows him to bring 15+ years of corporate expertise to the M&K team. His motto is: “Quality is paramount – Process should be simple.