We are living in the technological age. It doesn’t matter where you look, people around the world are using an abundance of gadgets in their daily lives. This has manifested into the concept of a house we can control completely and remotely – otherwise known as a smart home.

Smart homes are taking the world by storm. In the UK alone, there are already 2.22 million smart homes leading the way for a technological future. Throughout Europe and North America, there are a staggering 105 million smart homes, and the global market is expected to increase by 13.86 per cent annually.

Here, with the help of Northern Powergrid, we will explore five ways you can smarten up your home, this year and beyond.

1. The core of any smart home: choose a smart system

To start your smart home renovation, you can begin by choosing a smart system. These gadgets are the core of any smart home. Some smart devices can be controlled without a hub these days, but smart systems are convenient because they serve as a central hub for every device throughout your home.

Smart systems make your life simple. With this, you can control everything from your lightbulbs to your thermostat with ease. You can set timers and establish a routine, whether this is running a bath after work or locking your doors at night, and you can control it all from an app on your phone.

Amazon Echo, for example, is a common household product. In recent months, the senior vice president of devices and services at Amazon, Dave Limp, has claimed that Alexa can now predict and perform 25 % of upcoming duties Tech really does have a mind of its own these days!

2. Install home security technology

Once you’ve decided how you’d like to centralise your smart home, you can start choosing your smart devices. Smart security systems, for example, are a great way to fortify your home with technology. This can be something as small as a doorbell camera or as complex as an alarm system.

There are multiple benefits to having a smart security system within your home. In fact, installing a smart system can reduce home insurance costs by 13 per cent. And according to a survey by Co-Op, 89 per cent of burglars in the UK admitted that they would be deterred by a smart home.

3. Utilise smart boilers and meters

As well as feeling safe and secure, being toasty and warm is another way to guarantee you will have the best night’s sleep. A smart meter will let you control the temperature throughout your home at the click of a button, they’re also very simple to use and can be controlled through a mobile app.

Smart meters are the most commonly used smart gadgets in the UK. They let you see how much energy you’re consuming, so we can see why 18 per cent of UK households already have one installed. In fact, 86 per cent of users claimed smart meters helped them reduce their average spending.

The way we use smart meters is evolving. In 2025, smart meters will be able to accurately reflect energy use from the last 30 minutes. In order to do this, users will submit a daily meter reading, but it will be worth it. This will give people the flexibility to use their home appliances with confidence.

4. Experiment with other smart devices

The global smart gadget market, according to Statista, is projected to be worth $75.44 billion by 2025. There are many more smart devices that assist homeowners with their day-to-day lives, including a smart fridge. These can keep your veggies chilled while tracking their expiry dates.

And why stop there? Smart vacuums operate independently, cleaning the surfaces throughout your home with ease; smart lights can be turned on remotely and even set on a timer; smart plugs replace the need for any fault switches. Don’t even get us started on smart rings or smart egg trays.

4. Install electric vehicle charging in your smart home

Electric cars are the future. They replace the need for crude oil, from petrol to diesel, and lower the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere. In fact, in recent years, the average amount of CO2 emitted by new cars has reduced by 112 % for every 119.7kg driven.

To encourage more people to drive electric cars, a further 145,000 electric vehicle charging points have been installed across the nation. Also, all newly built homes will be required to have an electric vehicle charging port as of this year, so EV charger installation will become more common than we now know.

Even electric vehicle chargers can be smart these days. A smart charger does everything we would expect it to and more. Not only can it schedule charging times and allow you to charge two vehicles at once, but a smart charger can also send you notifications and reminders.

These are some of the ways you can smarten up your home. Which gadgets are you excited to try?

Information sourced from Northern Power Grid