With the cold winter months upon us, now is the perfect time to build a smart home The best smart home devices can help reduce energy use and improve property safety in cold weather Plus, you can control them while you're away to check on your home and reduce heating costs by lowering the temperature on warmer days

From frozen pipes to a broken HVAC system, cold weather presents serious problems for homeowners to worry about Read below to see five ways to solve these problems and effectively winterize your home using a variety of smart home devices

The cornerstone of an energy-efficient smart home is climate control, and the best smart thermostats, like the Ecobee 3 Lite ($145, Amazon), can efficiently regulate heating You can set a schedule and adjust the temperature remotely, or set a geofence to turn the heat on when you get home Remember to keep the heat at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent pipes from freezing

Frozen pipes can cause bursts, and smart leak sensors like the Govee Wi-Fi Water Sensor ($25, Amazon) can save big expenses and headaches with a small investment This internet-connected detector can be placed next to plumbing (bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc) to check pipes for drips and warn of freezing water The detector can be integrated into a smart home platform, which can send notifications to cell phones, make announcements on smart speakers, and even flash lights to alert people of water droplets This is especially helpful while out and about and allows for quick action

The latest Echo Dot ($60, Amazon) and HomePod ($299, Best Buy) smart speakers have built-in temperature sensors These can be used to monitor the heating and automatically lower the temperature or set alerts if a room in your home is too cold or in danger of freezing They are ideal for basements, garages, and other areas prone to extreme temperature fluctuations

Smart plugs can be used to connect and remotely control older "dumb" appliances like fans and space heaters However, these appliances should not be left plugged in while you are out and you should always use a high wattage (15A or higher) smart plug with energy monitoring You can maximize comfort by scheduling space heaters to heat specific areas, such as the bedroom before going to bed at night or the office before work If the plug supports energy monitoring, usage patterns can be adjusted to maximize efficiency

Banish the winter blues with lighting that automatically turns on You can schedule lighting times for specific rooms or use motion sensors to automatically turn on lights when you enter a room; with a multicolor RGB bulb like this one from Kasa ($17, Amazon), you can even set up mood lighting Simulating the natural day-night cycle during this dark period can help keep circadian rhythms normal and allow for better sleep When going out for extended periods of time, an absence mode routine can be set up to turn lights on and off in different rooms to make it appear as if someone is home and to increase security