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Smart home technology can also bring control and convenience to your backyard. Check out four simple ways to make your garden smarter.
Smart home systems are getting more and more sophisticated. There are technologies to help us with lighting, security, living independently and keeping an eye on what’s happening at home.
Did you know there are technologies to help make your backyard safer, smarter and more efficient, as well? Here are four D.I.Y. solutions to make your outdoor area even more relaxing.
Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
Take the guesswork (and the legwork) out of watering your garden. Installing an automated tap timer or irrigation system will ensure your plants thrive while saving you time and money and reducing water wastage.
Tap timers control the flow of water from the tap to your garden or lawn. They ensure your outdoor area is watered, even if you’re not at home. Tap timers connect your tap to your hose, which will then feed into a sprinkler, soaker hose or weeper. They can be set to irrigate for defined periods (five minutes, one hour, etc.) at set intervals (every second day or every 12 hours, for example).
There are a wide range of smart tap timers to choose from, based on your needs. You can control them using your phone and monitor things like flow rates and how long you’re running your watering systems for. Some smart tap timers will even allow you to dynamically adjust watering schedules based on the weather forecast or moisture sensor readings.
An irrigation system is another great time-saving addition to your garden, automatically delivering water to multiple zones in your garden or lawn. You can control it with your phone, and it’s also a D.I.Y. project that you can install yourself.
Tip: Check with your local water authority to ensure your watering system is compliant with any water restrictions for your area.
Smart garden lighting adds ambiance and security after the sun sets, all easily controlled with your phone. Path lights provide a warm glow while outlining walkways or defining garden beds and lawn edging. Spotlights are a great way to illuminate deck spaces, trees, garden beds and outdoor design features. Choose from white or coloured lighting, or combine both to create a mood. Spotlights also add a security function. They can be switched on to flood an area with light when motion is detected, or operated remotely via an app to turn on before you get home.
Choose from a variety of smart garden lighting and look for different features that might appeal to you. Some, for example, can be activated via a voice assistant, while others feature built-in speakers to bathe the space in sound as well as light.
Secure gates and entrances around your property with wireless security systems that can monitor your house and yard from your phone. Even the old padlock on the back gate (with the emergency key stashed under a pot plant) has had an upgrade, with smart padlocks ditching keys in favour of fingerprint technology or Bluetooth and electronic combinations that allow you to open the padlock through an app on your phone. You can also provide the electronic key to a friend or family member when access is required.
Tip: Don't forget your garage door – use smart technology to monitor and control it from anywhere using your phone.
Backyard barbecues are a great way to entertain family and friends. By employing smart technology as your sous-chef, you can spend more time enjoying your event and less time sweating over the grill.
Look for accessories like smart meat thermometers. Simply insert the pronged device into your meat and receive notifications via an app on your phone, alerting you when the meat is cooked to your liking. If you’re upgrading your barbecue, some have smart meat thermometers built-in, which will also regulate the temperature of the barbecue itself. This allows you to keep an eye on the grill as you mingle with your guests.
Technology is improving in leaps and bounds, and we’re likely to see more advancements you can use in the garden. There will be products that sense when your lawn needs water (and how much), or alert you to an outbreak of pests or diseases.
In the meantime, we can pair good, old-fashioned how-to knowledge with smart systems that help us do things a little more efficiently, quickly and intuitively.
Shop our garden range online or in-store today.
Photo credit: GAP Photos/Elke Borkowski, TI Media, Brigid Arnott.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
