Photo via SocialMonsters
Your home is a place of reprieve, where you can relax in a safe and comfortable environment. Enhance the calm and comfort of your abode by adding new systems and amenities to prevent potential problems. Revamp your home with these specialty features to help you keep an eye on your property, prevent intrusion, and create a soothing environment.
See What’s Going On with a Security Camera System
Keep an eye on your property and your home with video monitoring. Position the cameras around the perimeter of your home, near the entrances, as well as near any windows, which are the most high-risk points for forced entry. Make sure the cameras you purchase are weather resistant and have high-resolution capabilities, as low-resolution cameras don’t provide a reliable image. A complete camera system, like ones offered by Lorex Technology, are very user-friendly, and allow you to check on your home anytime, from anywhere.
Shut Out the World with Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains are a useful tool that will help you block out light, noise and provide energy-efficient insulation. Most brands of blackout curtains will block up to 99 percent of light. This is a beneficial feature, especially if you often wake up from light glares or other visual distractions when you sleep. The curtains can also block 40 percent of noise, which will keep unwanted noise pollution from disrupting the calm within your home. Blackout curtains will serve as insulation keeping the heat in, during the winter, and blocking out solar heat gain in the summer. These curtains are especially useful for your home theater room, your meditation space, or any work space within your home where you’d like to maintain a sense of calm.
Keep Your Home the Perfect Temperature with a Smart Thermostat
Keep your home at the optimal temperature for your ultimate comfort. Install a Wi-Fi connected thermostat that will keep your home at the temperature you desire and also help you save on energy bills. The Nest thermostat learns your schedule and automatically adjusts temperatures based around your daily habits. It can also be controlled remotely by your smartphone or tablet, in case you’d like to warm or cool your home to a specific temperature before you return to it. The device lets you program your personal preferences, but also informs you of how you can save energy and lower your heating and cooling costs.
Secure the Premises with High-Tech Locks
Install smart locks in your home, so you can monitor who is entering and leaving your abode when you’re not home. If you can replace your entire lock system, install the Kwikset Kevo, which uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone or a keyfob (a touch-to-open device). You can share the lock password with your family and close friends, which they can use within the Kevo app.
If you can’t replace your entire lock, you can install the August smart lock which can unlock the door when you are approaching, as it detects a signal from your smartphone. The lock will also automatically lock when you leave, or close the door, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not you forgot lock up your home.
Kyla Stelling is enrolled in the Master in Teaching program at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Previous career roles have entailed everything from design and event planning to public relations and child care. In her spare time, Kyla hikes the Cascade Mountains, designs elaborate cakes, and writes alongside her cuddly cat, Wellington.
