How to Use Smart Technology in the Bathroom

When you think about advances in smart home technology, the bathroom is not the first thing that comes to mind.

Most people think about automating their home security, heating and cooling, and entertainment zone rather than having a smart toilet. But a smart bathroom can connect with your smart home devices – smartphone, tablet and smart hub – as easily as your alarm system.

When it comes to upgrading your household appliances, bathrooms are being automated just as effectively as any other part of the house.

Here we’ll examine some of the reasons to bring your bathroom into the 21st Century and the ways to do it with devices such as smart toilets, smart lights, smart mirrors and smart showers.

Why Upgrade to a Smart Bathroom?

There are a number of reasons to upgrade to smart bathroom technology. Here are just a few of them:

• Convenience – Imagine stepping into a shower that is always the exact temperature and pressure you desire.
• Hygiene – You can avoid touching bacteria-infected toilet surfaces and even having to clean the toilet.
• Lower power bills – Eco-friendly smart toilets and showers use less water, and smart lights are more energy efficient that other lighting.
• Sustainability – You can track your water and energy usage using an app and set timers for your showers to conserve water.
• Health – Better hygiene, heated floors and climate control mean health benefits for you. A smart scale doesn’t just reveal your weight but can track and store health data and send the information to your other smart devices.

Try a Smart Toilet

A smart toilet offers an improvement in both comfort and functionality compared to conventional toilets.

These toilets have a range of features that include heated seats, quiet flush capabilities, soft-closing seats, automatic deodorisers and a bidet wash with adjustable pressure settings.

You can avoid touching bacteria-infected toilet surfaces, making a toilet visit as hygienic as possible. It can even self-clean so you can avoid the chore of scrubbing the toilet. An eco-friendly smart toilet will only use the amount of water needed, making your bathroom more sustainable.

Smart toilets are better designed and therefore take up less space than traditional toilets, leaving you with more room to move.

Look Into a Smart Mirror

A smart mirror is a mirror fitted with LCD (liquid crystal display) and touchscreen capabilities. Using the LCD, you can not only enjoy seeing yourself first thing in the morning, you can display apps, notifications and other media.

In other words, your mirror can be transformed into a large phone screen. Want the latest on the weather? It’s right there while you’re combing your hair. Here are just a few of the features of a smart mirror:

• Listen to your favourite songs using integrated Bluetooth speakers
• Link the two-way speakers with your voice assistants and control the mirror hands-free
• Anti-fogging capability for the clearest view
• Adjustable LED backlights

Smart Way to Take a Shower

You’ll gain complete control of your showers with smart bathroom technology. With a digital thermostat, you can set the exact shower temperature and pressure you want along with the duration. That way you can save on water by always being in control of your shower time.

You can save your favourite shower options (heat, flow rate, duration) in a smart shower app and other family members can do the same, reducing stress and making it convenient for everyone.

And who doesn’t love singing in the shower? You can install waterproof Bluetooth speakers in the shower to hear and sing along with your favourite tunes in your smart bathroom.

Standing on a Smart Floor

Stepping onto a cold bathroom floor first thing in the morning is a shock no one enjoys. Using smart devices, you can heat the floor to your desired temperature before you reach the bathroom using a smart floor heating system.

This is done using electric in-floor heating controlled by a smart floor heating thermostat, which you can set to the level you desire. And you can program the heater to only operate when you or another family member is using the bathroom.

Radiant floor heating is more energy-efficient than conventional heating systems as it requires little electricity, so it can reduce your energy bills.

Let There Be Smart Light

Smart lights are popular throughout an automated home. These are LED lights that can be controlled using your voice or an app on your smart devices.

Some of the features of smart lighting include:

• Control the mood through intensity and colours
• Program them to turn on or off at specific times
• More energy-efficient than traditional lighting
• Range of styles including bulb, LED strip and recessed

Even Your Taps are Smart

Just like your shower, you can control the temperature and pressure of the water with smart taps.

You can reduce the amount of water usage on washing your hands, shaving, cleaning your teeth and other activities. There’s also a hands-free option in operating smart taps, which is more hygienic for the whole family.

It’s clear that you can take your smart bathroom to any level choose, just like the rest of your home. There are costs up front with smart home technology but you can make the transition a step at a time. In the long run it can lead to savings as well as extra comfort and convenience.