Building your Charleston smart home
Decided to call the heart of the Lowcountry home? Smart choice. Charleston’s a vibrant hub of art and history in a stunning natural environment. Before you dive into an arduous home shopping journey, let’s make sure you’re prepared to build a home that’s just as smart as you!
What’s a smart home?
Let’s start with the basics. You’ve surely heard the term “smart home,” but what does it really mean? At its most basic, it’s a home with equipped with technology that allows you to control everything from climate and lighting to entertainment and security systems – all with the click of a button, no matter where you are. Forgot to turn off the bathroom light? No problem. There’s an app for that. Want to pre-heat the oven for dinner? Yep – you can do that from your phone, too. It’s one way you can make every day life a little more convenient, and in most cases, also more fun!
For a report on all the latest in smart home tech, we reached out to Caoimhe Zett, Customer Marketing Supervisor at Home Telecom, a local company that’s been serving the Lowcountry the latest and greatest technologies for 115 years. She explained all the benefits of smart home living, and let us in on a few new innovations coming our way!
Smart home tech for a more convenient life
Home automation systems are constantly evolving to make every day living a bit simpler. And there is truly a device for every room of the house. “There are plenty of smart home features to incorporate into a home from refrigerators and ovens to doorbells and garage door openers,” Caoimhe she told us.
Virtual home assistants like Alexa and Google Home are becoming more and more ubiquitous, picking up new skills each and every day. The voice-controlled devices are like a modern-day butler that do everything from play your favorite tunes to order a pizza straight to your door. They’re useful throughout the home for fun and practical purposes; turn off the lights throughout an entire floor of your home, adjust the thermostat, or video call with your grandma in another state.
In the kitchen, technology allows you to take a peek into your refrigerator while grocery shopping, run a robotic mop while you’re away at work, and cook delicious meals quicker, easier, and smarter. Like a microwave that responds to voice commands, a blender that connects to an app that tracks nutrition, and a pressure cooker that allows you to monitor dinner from anywhere you happen to be.
In the bathroom, smart home technology can also make life more efficient, with devices that measure water usage in real time, scales that track a host of health data, and even smart mirrors that deliver traffic updates while you prepare for your day.
When it comes to home automation, the possibilities are endless. “The path to home automation is certainly exciting. Sometimes it’s those basic features that make living just that much easier,” said Caoimhe.
Smart tech keeps you safe
From doorbells to security systems, smart home technology is having a major impact on the way we protect our homes and families.
“One of the more interesting security features happens to be door locks. Smart door locks are great when paired with video doorbells,” Caoimhe shared. “You really get to see what’s happening around your home, and you get the option of controlling the locks with just a few buttons.”
These features are great for security, but they’re also a great way for you to interact with guests and delivery persons, or allow you to let friends or family enter in the event you need some unplanned help with pets or your home while out of town. Speak to them directly using your phone, unlock the door for guests using the app, or simply record your outside surroundings at all times.
Building a new home – with smart tech in mind
Sure, old homes can be retrofitted for smart-tech, but building a new Saussy Burbank home allows you to seamlessly incorporate it from the get-go. In places like Nexton, you benefit from fully redundant fiber directly to the home as well as GigaFi, among the fastest internet in the state. Both are provided by Home Telecom, so you know the integration will be smooth and quick and the customer service top-notch.
According to Caoimhe, one of the biggest benefits of a new build with Saussy Burbank in places like Nexton is the ability to pre-plan your Wi-Fi network to accommodate all the smart home technology you want and need. For example, she suggests having a separate Wi-Fi network for just your smart home devices. That means you won’t be competing with bandwidth with your refrigerator when streaming high-definition movies!
Deciding to build new with Saussy Burbank means not only having a beautiful, expertly built home, but also one that’s future-proof. That is, your new home is equipped to handle all your technology needs now and in the future, especially with a partner like Home Telecom. “We work hard to ensure our customers receive the best technological advances. At the end of the day, it’s all about making daily life a little bit easier,” Caoimhe said.
Thanks, Caoimhe! Ready to explore building a new smart home in Charleston? Learn more about our Lowcountry communities, then come see us. We can’t wait to get started.
