Home automation refers to the automatic electronic control of household features, such as door locks, surveillance cameras, and appliances. Allowing a professional electrician to install this advanced technology may provide a number of perks, especially for those who have children. Below, you'll learn more about how an automated home can benefit families. 

4 Advantages of Automated Homes for Parents

1. Save Time and Money

While taking your kids to school or daycare, you might suddenly realize you left the garage door open or an entry door unlocked. Rather than turning around and driving all the way back home, automation can allow you to conveniently close or lock them via an app on your smartphone, which saves time and prevents schedule delays. 

Home automation also permits you to dim lights, shut off appliances, and adjust the temperature on your HVAC system so that your home consumes less power. This leads to monthly savings on utility bills, giving you more money to spend on your family. 

2. Promote Wake and Sleep Schedules

Smart lighting is programmable. You can establish a schedule that prompts lights to gradually become brighter in the morning, which may promote feelings of wakefulness in children. Automated homes might also include sound systems that play your young one's favorite upbeat tunes, providing extra motivation to wake up in the mornings. 

In the evenings, you can program lights to dim. Darkness stimulates the production of melatonin, the hormone that produces feelings of sleepiness, which can help kids settle down for bed. Additionally, your automated systems might permit you to deactivate TVs and video game consoles at night, preventing your young ones from staying up too late. 

3. Increase Safety 

Automated homes can communicate with carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause serious illness or loss of consciousness when inhaled in unsafe volumes. If levels in your home ever become unsafe, you'll immediately get an alert on your smartphone or tablet, giving you plenty of time to move your children to safety. Automation also works with smoke detectors, alerting you of the first signs of a fire and allowing you and your kids to evacuate. 

4. Improve Security 

Automated homes allow parents to control door locks via the use of a smartphone app. In addition to ensuring your children have access to the property, you can also lock doors behind them if they forget. This can provide you with peace of mind while your young ones spend time alone. 

Once an electrician installs surveillance cameras, you may monitor the footage from your smartphone or tablet. This can make it easy to keep an eye on your kids until you get home. Additionally, doorbell cameras may permit children to see who's at the door before opening it, preventing them from interacting with anyone unwelcome.

When you're ready to automate your home, contact Afton Electric LLC. They provide electrical installations, wiring, and repairs to clients throughout northeast San Antonio. Call (210) 260-2291 to book an appointment with these electricians, and visit the website to learn more about how their electrical services can bring your property up to date.