What is Geofencing and How Can It Help You?
Simply put, geofencing is the process of using the location of a device to trigger an action or sequence of events. Let’s explore!
The device used in geofencing can be your smart phone or another mobile device. If you’ve ever had the experience of a retailer sending you a coupon while you’re actually shopping in their store, you’ve experienced geofencing.
The earliest uses of geofencing were quite simple: tracking livestock on a range; tracking physical items in a logistics system; or tracking people as they moved about industrial buildings. Fast forward a decade, and many shopping, map, and family organization apps employ geofencing to deliver some of the most frequently used features. And the explosion of uses for geofencing shows no signs of slowing down. It’s estimated that the trend will continue with growth of more than 27% through 2022.
There are many great ways to incorporate geofencing into your smart home automation plans. We’re sharing just a few to get you started thinking about ways to use this technology to make your life easier, more convenient, safer, and to potentially save you money.
- Control smart lighting
One of the best uses of geofencing is to control your lighting. Easily turn your lights off when you leave the house, and turn them on when you return. Need to leave a light on for a pet? No problem; you can control all or only some of your lighting using geofencing.
- Control smart thermostats
Most people know they can control the thermostat on a timed schedule. But what about when the schedule changes on the weekend or when unexpectedly working late? With geofencing, that’s never an inconvenience. Smart thermostats can be set to turn on or off, up or down, based on whether or not you or loved ones are home. Need flexibility? You can use geofencing in conjunction with other kinds of controls, too.
- Know where your loved ones are
Do you often worry about your children or pets being outside alone? With smart tracking devices, you can set a geofence around your backyard so you know instantly if Rover goes roving. You can also receive notifications when your kids arrive home from school. There are even stand-alone apps you can use to draw virtual boundaries around your children’s school so you know if the teens are where they are supposed to be...and not at the skateboard park.
- Security
You can use geofencing to control the security of your home. Turn on your security cameras when you leave the house. Automatically shut the garage door and secure the smart locks. You can use geofencing to unlock smart locks based on additional devices, too. Need to let your cleaning staff in? Allow their smart phone to unlock your front door. Don’t worry, you can set the hours to allow entry.
- Automate your appliances
Does the sound of your robot vacuum interfere with your Saturday afternoon nap? Set up geofencing to run the vacuum when you leave home to do the grocery shopping. Set your dishwasher or washing machine to run a load when you leave for the day. Turn off your coffeemaker and every TV in the house, without running back upstairs. It’s all possible using geofencing.
Need more geofencing ideas or assistance implementing them? We can help! Contact us today to get started making your life easier, more convenient, and secure with smart home automation. (800) 878-9705