Smart Summer Living: How to Prep Your Smart Home for the Warmer Months

Trent Hutten

Smart Home Technician

Summer brings long days, outdoor fun, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy your home in new ways. It’s also the perfect time to optimize your smart home for the season. From keeping your home cool to enhancing backyard entertainment, your smart devices can help you beat the heat and make the most of summer.

Here’s a guide to prepping your smart home for the warmer months, ensuring comfort, energy efficiency, and fun all season long.

Optimize Your Smart Thermostat

Hot days can send cooling costs soaring, but a smart thermostat makes it easier to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without wasting energy.

What to Do:

Set up a summer schedule in your thermostat’s app to ensure cooling only when needed.
Use geofencing to automatically adjust temperatures when you leave or return home.
Take advantage of energy-saving modes to minimize electricity usage during peak hours.

Automate Your Shades and Blinds

Direct sunlight can heat your home quickly, but motorized shades and blinds offer a stylish and practical solution.

How They Help:

Schedule shades to close during the hottest parts of the day to reduce heat gain.
Pair them with a smart thermostat for seamless temperature control.
Use voice commands or apps to adjust them without lifting a finger.

Enhance Outdoor Lighting

Summer is perfect for evening barbecues and backyard hangouts, and smart outdoor lighting makes these gatherings even better.

Pro Tips:

Install smart string lights or pathway lighting to create ambiance.
Set up motion-sensor lights for added safety and convenience.
Use scheduling features to turn lights on at dusk and off at bedtime automatically.

Upgrade Your Outdoor Audio

Outdoor speakers or sound systems turn your backyard into the ultimate summer hangout spot.

What to Look For:

Weather-resistant smart speakers for durability.
Systems compatible with streaming services for easy playlist control.
Multi-room audio setups to enjoy music seamlessly indoors and outdoors.

Monitor Energy Usage

Summer often means higher energy consumption. Smart plugs and energy monitors help you track and reduce unnecessary power use.

How They Work:

Connect appliances like fans or portable AC units to smart plugs to control them remotely.
Monitor energy usage trends in your smart home app and adjust habits accordingly.
Turn off devices accidentally left on with a single tap in your app.

Fine-Tune Your Irrigation System

A lush lawn and thriving garden are summer essentials, but overwatering can waste resources. Smart irrigation systems ensure your plants get the care they need without waste.

Why You’ll Love It:

Automate watering schedules based on weather forecasts.
Adjust settings remotely from your smartphone if summer plans take you out of town.
Save water and money while maintaining a vibrant outdoor space.

Secure Your Home While Traveling

Summer often means vacations, and smart surveillance systems help keep your home safe while you’re away.

Must-Have Features:

Doorbell cameras to monitor deliveries and visitors.
Motion-detection cameras to send instant alerts if unusual activity occurs.
Integration with smart lighting to make it appear like someone’s home.

Prepare for Extreme Weather

Summer storms can be unpredictable, and smart devices can help you stay prepared.

How to Prepare:

Use smart surge protectors to safeguard devices from power surges.
Connect smart generators or battery backups to keep essential systems running during outages.
Set up weather alerts through your smart assistant for real-time updates.

Enjoy Summer with a Smarter Home

A well-prepped smart home can make your summer more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable. By making a few adjustments and upgrades, you’ll create a space that works for you, indoors and out.

For help setting up or optimizing your smart home for summer, reach out to MY GUYS KNOW HOW in Naperville. Call (815) 714-9489 today to get started on creating the perfect summer-ready smart home!