(NAPSI)—Summer is coming to an end, which means American families are gearing up for the school year. With the change in seasons comes a change in your daily routine. Earlier mornings, hectic schedules and to-do lists create added stress and anxiety for parents. Could technology step in and become the solution for streamlining and simplifying your life?

An increasing amount of U.S. families think so, as more Americans are turning their houses into smart homes. In fact, the number of households with smart solutions is expected to hit 24.4 million by 2020, according to Statista. Improved security, convenience, comfort, control, accessibility and cost savings are just a few of the reasons why this technology is gaining in popularity.

So how can a smart home improve your everyday life? For starters, they are surprisingly easy to use, make life more efficient and add a comforting layer of security to your family’s home.

Here are five ways a smart home can make life easier this school year.

• Brings you peace of mind. One of the top reasons people purchase smart home systems is because of the security and protection they provide. While you’re at work and the kids are at school, cameras and motion detectors can give you a glimpse inside your home. At night, outdoor cameras, contact sensors and lighting can ward off intruders and prevent burglaries, keeping your family safe and secure. For an affordable and simple security solution, check out Iris available at Lowe’s.

• Makes your mornings less stressful. If every morning is a battle against the clock as you struggle to get your family out of the house on time, there are several smart home solutions that can help. Schedule lights and alarms to turn on at a certain time every morning so you don’t have to be the wake-up police. Or set appliances, such as your coffeemaker or flat iron, to trigger at a certain time so they will be ready to use when you are. Smart home solutions automate mundane tasks and keep you running on schedule.

• Saves you money. By installing a smart thermostat, you can not only keep your family comfortable, you can also save money. With a smart thermostat you can program your home’s climate to align with your daily schedule, raising the temperature when you’re away and bringing it back down when you get home. People who switch from a regular thermostat to a smart one reduce their energy bills by around $200 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

• Keeps you informed. Remember when people used home intercom systems? Intercoms are making a return as part of the smart home, but now they are Wi-Fi and video-enabled. With a reimagined home intercom system like Nucleus, you can make a video call to the kids upstairs to ensure they’re doing their homework and not watching TV. Dinner’s ready? Instead of yelling, give them a call. Family communication is improved (and less annoying) with a Wi-Fi connected home intercom.

• Gets you ready for tomorrow. With smart home devices, you can also discover what is going on outside of your home before you step out for the day. Need to check the weather forecast before packing up the backpacks and laying out clothes for tomorrow? Call out to a voice-controlled speaker, such as Amazon Echo, and have information like the weather, news or traffic instantly read aloud so you can be prepared and ready to tackle tomorrow. You can even control smart home systems with your voice through an Amazon Echo.

For more information about smart home solutions, visit www.irisbylowes.com.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)