Homes have really come a long way, especially since the millenium. Before 1900, and as late as the 1930s most homes were small, ha no indoor plumbing per se, that is, there was no inside bathroom, you had to go outside to an outhouse. Heat was usually generated from a fireplace, or from the kitchen wood stove. Since electricity was sparse, most people read or did work by candle light at night or could only do things during the day. More than 20% of people lived together, so it wasnt uncommon to find two, three, even four generations of families all living together under one roof.
As time worn on, more and more people started to realize that having a bathroom and indoor plumbing wasnt just a luxury, but a necessity. Electricity started to become more and more common in homes, which brought with it new appliances. Refrigerators started to replace ice boxes, electric stoves and ovens took over for wood stoves. If you lived in towns and cities, you may even have the luxury of gas lights and appliances. People also started to spread out more. Younger generations moved away from their relatives, opting to only have one generation living under one roof. As modern technology helped homes heat better, houses in general became bigger.
As the 1950s came around, so did the wonder appliances. These included the first microwave ovens, electric washers, televisions, and if you could afford it, dishwashers. Although these appliances were supposed to make life easier, and they did, the problem was that they werent very energy efficient. It wasnt until the 80s and 90s that people starting really wanting appliances that were more energy efficient.
Since we dont have a lot of time, lets skip forward to the present. If you want a more complete timeline, great website to visit. Todays modern technology has come a long way. Today we have energy efficient appliances, televisions, and other electronics. They use a third of the electricity as their predecessors.
More and more people are interested in monitoring their homes, checking to make sure their lights and appliances are turned off. Making sure they are able to video monitor their homes, see what their kids are doing while parents are at work. Detection devices are much more sophisticated, Smoke detectors and now carbon monoxide detectors are the norm, and these can be integrated into your whole home systems. Modern homes are more likely smart homes. regulating cold and heat, able to check and turn off lights, and many other conveniences. This home automation is the latest trend, and people want to be able to check their homes from just about anywhere, using their cell phones, iPad, and other mobile devices.
You dont even have to spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours trying to set up a complete home monitoring system yourself anymore. Home security companies are not just setting up alarms systems, they offer complete packages when it comes to home monitoring. They come in, set up alarms, home surveillance cameras, and can connect with your smoke alarm, your electrical appliances, and can even set up electronic locks, just to name a few. These systems are monitored by the company, but you also have the convenience of monitoring yourself, no matter where you are. They set you up with an app on your phone or tablet, and you can transfer this to your other mobile devices, even your laptop or work computer.
When looking for a security company, make sure theyve been in business a long time, and have state of the art equipment and people who are knowledgable. You want a company that will start you off small, to fit your budget, but offers upgrades with minimal additional cost. You also want a company who has excellent customer service, with people monitoring your home 24/7 all year long.
