By monitoring various facets of the home environment, smart Z-Wave sensors put your home’s lights, window shades, ceiling fans, plumbing and more on autopilot.
They may be simple in form and function, but Z-Wave-certified sensors are the cornerstone of an automated home. They start by discreetly monitoring environmental conditions—temperature, light levels, moisture—and detect certain movements—occupancy within rooms, opening and closing of doors. Using this information, they then signal other Z-Wave devices to react appropriately. For example, when a sensor notices that someone has entered a room, it can trigger the operation of certain lights, the music system and motorized shades. Similarly, when a sensor detects that a window is open, it can alert a thermostat to adjust. There are a host of other scenarios that can unfold; here are five of the best reasons to automate your home with Z-Wave smart sensors:
Home and Personal Safety via Light Sensors & Motion Sensors. A dark home can be a dangerous place. Toys in the hallway, corners of coffee tables and steps along walkways can inflict injury in unlit areas. Meanwhile, driveways, porches and windows void of light can roll out the welcome mat for intruders. Plug-in nightlights cast only minuscule amounts of light, making standalone sensors a better option. Communicating with Z-Wave-certified switches and bulbs, they can signal fixtures and lamps to turn on and off based on available ambient light, motion, and time of day.
Damage Control via Water Sensors. Small water sensors placed by sinks, washing machines, refrigerators, sump pumps and other spots, can send a text message to your smartphone the second they detect water. You’ll be able to react immediately and appropriately to mitigate the damage rather than dealing with a flooded home. With a Z-Wave water valve attached to your main water line, you can even turn off the water remotely from your smartphone until the plumbing is fixed. There are also smart sensors that detect and notify you of power outages, extreme temperatures, and carbon monoxide leaks. You’ll know exactly what’s happening at home, even when you’re not there.
Energy Efficiency via Motion Sensors & Light Sensors. Flipping on a light switch when entering a room is second nature to most people. But do you really need that lamp on? Perhaps a bigger question—did you remember to turn it off when you exited? By putting Z-Wave motion and light sensors in charge, you can mitigate energy waste. A motion sensor can control light switches, ceiling fans, thermostats and other energy-guzzlers based on the presence of people and motorized Z-Wave window shades to raise so that the space can be illuminated with sunshine instead of artificial light.
Comfort and Energy Savings via Temperature Sensors. Nothing drives up the temperature in a room faster than sunshine streaming through large banks of windows. This can be a good or bad thing depending on the season. In the summer, passive solar heating could put the AC in overdrive, but in the winter take some of the heating load off the furnace. Either way, a standalone Z-Wave temperature sensor can block or harvest the warmth of the sun by motorized Z-Wave window shades to raise or lower and ceiling fans to turn on or off based on the current conditions.
Security and Energy Savings via Door and Window Contact Sensors. How many times have you forgotten to close the garage door or left windows open? Probably more often than you’d like to admit. By attaching contact sensors to windows and doors, you can be notified via text when it slips your mind; the same sensors can signal a Z-Wave thermostat to turn off the AC or heat, preventing warm or cool air from escaping or entering. Whether you want to live more comfortably, efficiently, or safely in your home, smart sensors can help by keeping a constant vigil of the home environment. They know when it’s best to close the shades or turn off the lights, when and where to illuminate a pathway, when to alert your smartphone, and how to tell other Z-Wave devices to perform in certain situations. It’s an easy, effortless, automated way to manage your home that’s just as simple to implement, thanks to the availability of a wide variety of Z-Wave-certified products.
