Owning a home is an expensive and difficult job, and that’s why so many homeowners are constantly looking for ways to save money, improve convenience, and have their home do more for them in the process. If you have one of these homeowners on your holiday shopping list and you’re struggling to find an idea for the perfect gift, this blog is for you! Here are a few gift ideas that will help them improve their quality of life, save money, and get their home to do more for them (and do it all without breaking the bank).
Smart Thermostat
Dollar for dollar, there may be no better upgrade you can make to your home’s HVAC system than a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats open up a world of possibilities for homeowners that they may have never even known they had. A smart thermostat gives you the ability to do things like adjust your indoor temperature from your smartphone or tablet, view real-time operating data like energy consumption and run hours, and even to collect real-time temperature and air quality data from around your home with auxiliary air sensors.
Smart thermostats are even capable of connecting to your smart home platform, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, and can be controlled with the sound of your voice through a smart assistant speaker. Turning the temperature up or down has never been easier. And some even have the ability to learn your temperature preferences and can make adjustments all on their own to save you money on your energy bills without sacrificing on comfort.
Cost: $100 to $500, depending on features.
Smart Switches
A light switch might seem like one of the simplest and most basic components of your home’s electrical system, but a smart switch allows you to do so much more with it. Smart switches have the ability to be controlled by your smart home platform, giving you the ability to turn them on or off from your phone or even from the sound of your voice. They can be individually adjusted for brightness, color, and so many other properties as well. And you can even set them to timers so they turn on and off automatically either at the same time each day or even in accordance with sunup and sundown!
Installation of a smart switch is generally extremely easy, but those who aren’t confident with electrical equipment should have theirs professionally installed to make sure it works properly.
Cost: Around $20 to $30, depending on features and brand.
Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector
Security is crucial to a homeowner’s peace of mind, and there may be no greater security worry than that of a fire. Every home is required to have smoke detectors positioned in a number of different places, but smart smoke detectors take things a step further by providing surveillance that directly communicates with you.
Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are available in both wired and wireless configurations, meaning they can directly replace any smoke detector found anywhere in your home. When they detect an issue, they can quickly send an alert to your phone anywhere in the world, giving you the ability to respond or take action quickly. When mere moments matter, a smart smoke detector could make all the difference when it comes to helping you avoid a disaster.
Cost: Around $100
Set of Basic Hand Tools
When you own a home, you will need to fix something, hang something, or install something at some point. Even if you aren’t necessarily the best when it comes to handywork, tools are an invaluable and crucial thing you absolutely need to have. If you know a homeowner who doesn’t have at least a basic set of hand tools, then this is a perfect gift idea for them.
In our opinion, everyone should have at least the following:
- A set of wrenches (in both metric and imperial units)
- A basic set of sockets and a socket driver
- A set of pliers in various sizes and shapes
- A good hammer
- A measuring tape
- A bubble or laser level
- A drill with drill bits
With these tools alone, you’ll be able to handle almost any basic maintenance or repair a home might need. During the holidays, you can probably find some pretty great deals on many of these different types of tools. With so many different options available on the market, you’re sure to find a pretty good bargain online or even in a big-box store or home improvement warehouse. While you obviously will pay more for quality, inexpensive sets are generally good enough for the light-duty work that most homeowners will ever have to do themselves.
Cost: Varies
Happy holidays from our family at A-TEMP Heating, Cooling & Electrical to yours! Dial (503) 694-3396 today if you need assistance with an HVAC or electrical service this season.