This is the time of year I refer to as “sprinter.” The weather fluctuates so much, that one day can feel like spring, and next it’s winter (anyone who lives in the Midwest can relate). Adding to the confusion are the sun and the birds. A bright morning and chirping birds can really fool you into believing that it’s warmer than it really is.
Sadly, the finicky outdoor conditions have made me a slave to the little outdoor thermostat that sits on my kitchen counter. I won’t put on a jacket unless it shows me a colder-than-42 degree reading. Nor will I turn off the heat. In fact, I might even jack up the temp a few degrees for a couple of hours to help the house shake off the chill. The window blinds will stay shut to hold in the heat. However, if the outdoor temp is inching close to 60, I’ll pull up the shades, crank open the windows and turn off the heat—heck, I might even set up the patio umbrella for an alfresco lunch later on.
If my house were automated, I probably wouldn’t feel so tied to what the weather was doing. The thermostats, shades, windows, and even the patio umbrella (check Dayva.com) would all adjust automatically based on the conditions outside. I wouldn’t need my old countertop temperature gauge, either.
Systems from companies including AMX, Crestron, Control4 and Vantage can be programmed by a professional home systems installer to react to changes in the weather. For example, you could have the system disengage the sprinkler system if rain is expected to fall, or heat up the hot tub whenever the air temperature dips below a certain level. The system can be set up to control adjust whatever you want, however you want. And if you’re planning a trip, the systems can also display the forecasts for other cities.
Some weather-enabled touchscreens also can display other information, too, like sports scores, stock tickers and headline news.