The Log Home Experience is an educational series by eLoghomes, meant just for you. From the time you first dream of log home living, until you are relaxing and unwinding in your finished home, our goal is to help make your journey easy and rewarding.
Transforming a traditional log cabin into a modern smart home is possible today – even in rural areas that may not have the strongest internet networks. You can unplug from the hectic pace of modern life, while still having the ability to raise and lower your blinds, start your washing machine, control the temperature of your home, and more through your phone. And who doesn’t want to enjoy a blend of rustic charm with cutting-edge convenience?
There are many good reasons to explore the newest home technology for your log cabin. For instance, many log homeowners are often away from their home, because it is a vacation home, or they allow others to enjoy it through Airbnb or VRBO. In these situations, the ability to control appliances, home temperatures, and security from another location is imperative. For example, a smart home app can help you remotely sense water failures or freezing pipes and turn off the water, so the home doesn’t flood.
Even if you live in your log home full-time, it’s great to be able to control speaker volume, appliances, and your alarm system from any room simply by tapping into a convenient app. So, whether you dream of a sprawling luxury log cabin where internet is strong in every room, or you have a more modest home that you want to take the best care of, consider our three tech ideas below.
TECH IDEA #1
In order to have a smart home, you need strong internet. And for rural and out-of-the-way areas throughout the country, new internet sources are popping up, even where strong networks are not close by. Here are a few options:
Even if your log cabin is in a remote area, home security is important. While it is true that crime rates tend to be somewhat lower in less densely populated areas, you can still have security concerns. For instance, rural homes may have to wait longer times for assistance when crimes occur, so a good security system ensures that your log home remains a safe haven, no matter where you are.
A good security system comes with many practical benefits. Imagine not having to worry about locking doors, switching off lights, and arming your security system before leaving the house. Instead, you can automate these tasks at set times that are convenient for you. You can also tell Alexa or your Google Assistant to do all of these chores while you’re closing the front door. A few options for smart security systems are ADT, Vivint, SimpliSafe, Ring, and Cove. These products offer motion detectors, remote monitoring, and alerts.
TECH IDEA #3
Now that you’ve explored the latest ways to get strong internet in your home, you can add smart home apps that create an ecosystem of control for almost anything you can imagine. You can control the furnace, raise and lower your blinds, and manage the volume of speakers – all from one convenient app on your phone. And think about how nice it will be to program your garage door to open, turn the lights and fireplace on, and have your favorite music playing once you arrive home.
Even if you have already invested in individual apps that control one of these things or another, such as Lutron for controlling your lights, you can integrate all of your subsystems together with an app such as Home Assistant. This app works with more than 1,000 devices and services, so it can essentially manage just about anything in the smart home arena.
Other popular products to check out are Samsung Smart Things and Hubitat. Both offer easy-to-use dashboards that intuitively help you select whatever you want to control.
With more than 200 customizable models, you can start your log home buying journey today with eLoghomes!
