For example, you’ve just arrived at work. Suddenly, you begin to feel that old, familiar, anxious pull. Something’s amiss. Did you leave the stove on? Is the door unlocked? Is the dog roaming free in the house rather than locked up safe in her kennel?! If your home isn’t automated, you may feel that you have no other options but to pack up and go home to turn off the oven/lock the door/lock up Muffin. But, an automated house has your back. From the convenience of your smartphone or tablet, you have the ability to investigate and rectify all of the above scenarios. Check the status of common kitchen appliances, lock and unlock the doors, even peer in on the pets (or your children!) via surveillance camera to make sure thing everything is copacetic at home.

In addition to making it easier in the event that you have a memory slip, home automation can simply make your home run better. Take, for example, automated thermostats. There are several popular and well-respected products on the market today that allow you to control the temperature of your home remotely. If no one is going to be home, you set the temperature low. Coming home at 6:00? An automated thermostat will allow you to tell the heat to switch on at 5:00 so that by the time everyone arrives, the house is toasty warm. In fact, today, there are some automated thermostats that are so smart, they can even begin to learn your habits and predict what you’ll want in the absence of specific directives from you!

From kitchen gadgets, to security lighting and cameras, to blinds and window shades, there is truly something for everyone out there. The trick is to look before you leap, however – while there are better products on the market than ever before, not everybody needs everything that can be automated. Before taking the plunge and automating a specific aspect of your home, make sure you understand the cost and benefits of automating that particular device.