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New Smart Home Tech Features Part 2

In July we discussed some of the custom home smart technology features that are often a part of Glenn Layton homes. After all, since building the HGTV Smart Home in 2013, the company has delved deeper and deeper into smart home technology, making much of it standard in every home, while also offering a variety of other features as options. Here, we’ll discuss some of the things people need to know about the security of smart home technology and how Glenn Layton works to keep you informed.

Today, at least two-thirds of consumers say they want a connected home and within a few years, close to half of all home will have numerous devices connected, with connected homes being worth more than non-connected homes. Safety, security, and energy savings are among the primary elements that homeowners are looking for and adding to their homes. From simple camera doorbells and automatic thermostats, to security systems that can be controlled on mobile devices from anywhere, there is an explosion of interest, thanks in part to the devices continuing to shrink in size and in price.

However, there are certain issues and risks that homeowners should be aware of when it comes to smart home technology. Glenn Layton Homes takes the construction of each home seriously and in the same way that they work to provide the best materials and construction processes, they also want to make sure that the technology used in homes is of top quality. Still, there are innate risks that they want all homeowners to consider when adding smart home technology.

For example, unfortunately, there are no real consensus standards governing design, manufacture or performance of these devices, and where there are laws and regulations, they are being enacted by a variety of agencies, leaving a hodge-podge of rules with no consistent regulatory or legal direction.

Another risk is that there is no commitment by the developer to patch and update the software. Think of how often your phone and computer and various programs ask you to update, not only for improvements but for security upgrades to protect against known issues. In the case of smart devices, we often don’t know how long the company plans to support a product with software security upgrades or what a consumer must do to install the upgrades. Additionally,  some devices are being designed and made without considering the risks of the devices being exploited or, in common parlance, hacked.

As a builder who includes custom home smart technology features in the majority of their homes, Glenn Layton Homes wants home buyers to understand the potential cybersecurity aspects of this. Can your system be hacked? How secure is your internet connection? Are your passwords safe? Ultimately, all the data from all of these devices may be collected and stored somewhere else with unknown quality and security controls. At the very least, homeowners should know that data is being collected from these devices and that the homeowner doesn’t own or control this data. As a builder, our goal is to alleviate the concerns of homeowners and offer guidance and not give out incorrect information. We work hard to answer all of your questions to the best of our ability with all of the current information we have so you fully understand every aspect of your new home.

Categorised in: HGTV Smart Home

This post was written by Glenn Layton Homes