June 4, 2024

Smart Home Technology to give you Peace of Mind on Your Summer Vacation

Are you looking forward to a summer vacation this year? Between planning your itinerary and remembering to buy sunscreen, you may find yourself wondering how to keep everything running smoothly back at home. What’s the best setting to leave the thermostat at? What if something goes wrong with the plumbing and you come back from your trip to water damage? If you did need to call a service tech for an emergency visit, how would they get in? These are all great questions to ask ahead of time, and luckily, there’s smart home technology out there to help with all of it!

As your local home comfort systems provider in Charlottesville, we offer smart home technology upgrades in addition to our HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. Whether you want your porch lights to automatically cut on at dusk and off at dawn, your windows and doors to detect break-ins, or your cooling system to auto-adjust to save you the most money, we’ve got you covered. Check out our summary of smart home systems below!

Home Security

Imagine controlling your home’s thermostat, lights, door locks, cameras, door and window sensors, and smoke alarms through an app. We’re proud to offer the Carrier Côr system, which puts the controls of your home comfort systems back in your hands. The best thing about the Côr system is that it’s entirely customizable for your preferences. You can customize your plan by choosing the individual components your home needs most.

You can direct the system to lock all the doors if you’ve left the house and your cellphone is a mile away or to start recording video footage of motion detected at the back door. You can even unlock the door remotely for a technician if you need to call in an emergency service call when you’re not home. Your cameras can record the tech entering and exiting and send you a text update when they’re gone. It’s like having a security team on duty at your house, 24/7!

Leak Detection

Another benefit of installing a smart home system is the peace of mind it can give you about your home comfort systems, especially while you’re on vacation and away from home for a week or more. Many homeowners worry that a leak will go unnoticed or a faucet was left on. We’ve all heard stories of friends or family incurring water damage while no one was around to catch it.

Installing smart home technology will ensure you can monitor your home’s temperature and check if the system keeps up with your programming. We also offer a leak detection system that works to detect moisture in areas that might be susceptible to leaks. If the system detects moisture, it will alert you and shut off the water completely, avoiding further damage. Many home insurance policies don’t cover water damage resulting from improper plumbing maintenance. Installing smart home leak detection is a great way to cover your bases and ensure your home is safe and sound when you return from your trip!

Energy Savings

Smart home systems aren’t just about security and keeping your systems in check; they can also help you save on energy bills! More and more homeowners are switching to programmable thermostats (like Google Nest) because of their flexibility, control, and convenience. Whether you’re away on vacation or just gone for the day, programmable thermostats allow you to set your cooling settings on a cycle, maintaining a higher temperature while you’re away and lowering it back down to a comfortable level shortly before you return. Remote monitoring notifies you if something goes wrong, such as the HVAC system breaking down. No one likes to arrive home from vacation to a 95-degree house!

If you’re interested in smart home technology but aren’t sure whether to prioritize a programmable thermostat, leak detection system, or a whole-home monitoring system with Côr, connect with us. Our team can perform a maintenance check of your home, inspect any high-risk areas, and explain our smart home technology in more detail to help give you a better idea of what might suit your space.

As with many of our services, financing is available for our smart home systems, so your family’s comfort doesn’t have to wait!

Give us a call at 434-298-2151 to learn more about our smart home system offerings or schedule service online.

Keep Reading

View All

Replacing Your HVAC System? Here’s What to Expect

We understand that replacing your home’s heating and air conditioning system can feel like a daunting task. There are many questions and unknowns that can make the process seem overwhelming and confusing. As your local heating and cooling experts, we want to put your mind at ease and guide you through every step. While everyone’s

3 Myths About Home Cooling

Here in Central Virginia, spring is in full swing! You’ve probably either switched from heating to cooling or cut off your system entirely, so it’s a great time to evaluate the health of your home comfort systems as they wind down from winter and prepare for warm days ahead. Here are three AC myths to

Planning a Home Renovation? Here’s Your Comprehensive HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical To-Do List

If you’re embarking on a home renovation project, it’s crucial to make sure you have a comprehensive plan for your HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. This part of the renovation process may not be as glamorous as choosing new flooring or fresh paint colors, but these systems will keep you safe and comfortable for years

How to Fix a Running Toilet…And Why You Should Address It Immediately!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably either standing in front of a noisy, constantly running toilet, or you’re curious how to avoid this homeowner headache. A running toilet is an expensive maintenance task to leave on the back burner. You can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day, depending on the age and

Winter Heating Tips: How to Stay Warm Without Breaking the Bank

There are a few months of winter ahead of us here in Charlottesville, so keeping our homes warm and comfortable is a top priority. Here are some tips on how you can keep it cozy without just cranking up the heat and paying for it when the energy bill arrives. We’ve said it before, and

Two Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality this Winter

As the weather gets colder and days get shorter, your family is likely spending a little more time indoors. It’s important to ensure the air circulating in your home is as healthy and dust-free as possible! Even when it’s too cold to open a window, there are some ways to proactively protect your indoor air

3 Signs Your Heating System Needs to be Checked

Are you receiving high electric bills or noticing strange noises or smells from your heating system? When our customers call us and mention warning signs like this, we recommend a service check immediately! Bad Smells Strong, foul odors are a common warning sign of a heating system that needs attention. The bad smells could be

5 Signs You Need to Call A Plumber

Most people only call a plumber in crisis mode or when installing new fixtures. However, there are some common signs of wear and tear that shouldn’t be overlooked! #1: Slow Drains and Persistent Clogs Do you have a stubborn drain that always holds water? This is likely due to hair, grease, debris, or other debris

Cozy and Cost-Effective: A Checklist to Help Prepare Your Home for Fall Heating Savings

Here in Central Virginia, fall is quickly approaching! While the fall season brings many fun activities and autumn treats to look forward to, it also means dropping temperatures and rising heating bills. We’ve gathered our best tips for preparing your home for the fall and winter seasons to help you be as energy-efficient as possible!

Electrical Safety 101: Essential Tips for Homeowners

As a homeowner, you want to feel safe and equipped to fix common, simple issues. However, when it comes to electrical, many of us don’t know much except where the breaker box is located. If you don’t know where your panel is…this is your sign to go find it! Breaker boxes are often located in

10 Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Summer

Maintaining a healthy and comfortable indoor environment is essential year-round. However, we’ve found that managing indoor air quality can be trickier in the summer when you’re less likely to bring in fresh air through open windows. Here are 10 tips that will help you optimize your HVAC system’s performance, control humidity levels, and minimize indoor

How to Program Your Thermostat for Optimal Comfort AND Efficiency

Each year, more homeowners make the switch to programmable thermostats. Why? Because these devices can make it easier to stay comfortable and use your HVAC system as efficiently as possible. Here’s how we advise our customers to strike a balance of comfort and energy efficiency: Make a Small Temperature Change The Google Nest team recommends

What’s Really Better? Central Air Conditioning or a Ductless System?

Are you building a home or adding an HVAC system to your existing home? You’ll need to choose either central air conditioning or a ductless system. While there are pros and cons to both systems, the choice depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Cost Considerations Since ductless systems are less expensive and less complicated

Ways to Reduce Allergens and Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Does your family struggle seasonally or year-round with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory difficulties? It may be time to think about ways to improve your indoor air quality. Deep Clean to Get Rid of Potential Allergens To help alleviate allergy symptoms, it’s best to eliminate dust mites and pet dander from your home by cleaning

5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Neglect

When life gets busy, it’s easy to forget or ignore routine home maintenance tasks. However, identifying minor problems can keep issues from turning into major, expensive repairs. Here are five home maintenance tasks you should never overlook: Fix leaky faucets: Fixing leaks is about more than just saving water and avoiding flooring or wall damage.

Introducing the 2023 W.E. Give Back Program

W.E. Brown has thrived in the Charlottesville area since 1922 and every year, we try to find ways to give back to this amazing community where our customers live. This year, we’re partnering with our friends at NBC29 to host the W.E. Give Back Program. The goal of this program is to recognize and give

3 Reasons to Consider Buying a Generator this Winter

During the cold winter months, owning a generator can bring peace of mind. Being without power in frigid weather can be inconvenient and even dangerous. Here at W.E. Brown, we believe that investing in a generator is a step you can take to ensure that your family stays safe and that you don’t have to

Troubleshoot a Tripped Circuit Breaker.

When a breaker trips in your home, it’s due to overcapacity or a short: The breaker trips, stopping the flow of electricity as a safety measure. A tripped main breaker will cut the power off to your entire house. SOME COMMON CAUSES CAN INCLUDE: too many appliances; appliances that require too much electricity; damaged breakers;

Troubleshoot uneven heating.

Routine maintenance makes sure your heat pump is working at peak performance. But if one room is typically colder than the rest of your home, here are a few DIY tips you can do to help. Test your thermostat. Affix a thermometer on your wall next to your thermostat. Place a towel behind the thermometer

Troubleshoot a clogged toilet.

To ensure that your toilet doesn’t overflow, remove the lid from the toilet tank and close the rubber flapper—unless you have a pressure-assisted tank. You may also reach behind the toilet and turn off the water supply. (Make sure you turn the supply back on when you’re ready to flush again.) PLUNGER Grab a heavy-duty