8 tech gadgets you should always have at home to prep for severe weather
Be prepared for anything with these smart devices.
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No matter where you live in the country, there’s a chance you could be hit with severe weather, whether it’s just heavy thunder and lightning or more intense formations like blizzards or tropical storms.
As technology advances, there are more devices designed to help you prepare for and ride out severe weather. Here are eight smart gadgets that can help protect your home and family when the next big storm rolls through your area.
1. A sensor that lets you know when there’s unwanted water
Get smartphone alerts if there's water in your basement.
Whenever there’s a heavy storm, my basement tends to get a little damp, and honestly, sometimes I forget to check for water and set up the dehumidifier down there. If you’re in the same boat, you could definitely benefit from the Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak & Freeze Detector. Set this smart gadget up in your basement or wherever you get unwanted water, and it will send you a smartphone notification at the first sign of a leak or freeze.
Get the Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak & Freeze Detector on Amazon for $69.99
2. A smart hub to send you severe weather warnings
Use your SmartThings hub to monitor for severe weather warnings.
Get weather alerts sent right to your phone with the Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub. When you set up the AccuWeather SmartApp through the hub, you’ll receive push notifications about severe weather warnings in your area. Plus, both the hub and the AccuWeather app have lots of other great functionality.
Get the Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub on Amazon for $56.99
3. A smart car charger to keep you connected
Charge your phone quickly in the car when the power goes out.
Doesn’t it always happen that your phone is dying when the power goes out? Luckily, you can get back to full battery with the help of the nonda ZUS Smart Car Charger. This cool device will charge your phone faster than a normal charger, and it can also monitor your car’s battery health.
Get a nonda ZUS Connected Car App Suite & Smart Car Charger on Amazon for $24.90
4. A smart outlet specifically for sump pumps
Turn your sump pump into a smart gadget.
If your basement ends up under water during storms, chances are you have a sump pump down there. With the PumpSpy Wi-Fi Sump Pump Smart Outlet, you can make your pump “smart” simply by plugging it in. The PumpSpy lets you automatically check in on your pump from your phone, and it sends alerts if the device isn’t working correctly or if the water gets too high.
Get a PumpSpy PSO1000 Wi-Fi Sump Pump Smart Outlet on Amazon for $129.50
5. A smart air monitor for your home
Monitor air quality inside your house with this smart gadget.
It might not qualify as “severe weather,” but high pollen alerts can certainly put a damper on your day if you have allergies. With an Awair Air Quality Monitor, you can see exactly what’s floating around in the air in your house, and it even provides actionable recommendations to help you improve air quality. With this gadget on your side, you and your family will be able to breathe easy.
Get an Awair Air Quality Monitor on Amazon for $166.36
6. A sensor to tell you if your windows are closed
Remotely check to see if you shut the windows.
We’ve all been there: You’re at work when a heavy rainstorm rolls through, and you have that moment of panic, thinking, “Are the windows open at home?” Save yourself a trip back to the house, and install Iris Contact Sensors, which can be paired with any ZigBee hub, on your windows. With a touch of the app, you’ll be able to see if your windows are open and decide if you need to go close them.
Get an Iris Contact Sensor on Amazon for $24.99
7. A weather alert radio with a built-in phone charger
This little radio is a must-have for weather emergencies.
This product may not be “smart,” but it’s a must-have in an emergency. If natural disaster strikes your area, be prepared with an American Red Cross Weather Alert Radio. This device can be powered by crank, solar power, or batteries, so you’ll always be able to get the latest weather updates. Plus, it includes a built-in charger to keep the whole family's phones juiced up.
8. An Amazon Alexa to cover almost everything else
Want to keep an eye on the weather? Entertain yourself? Control your house? Call for a pizza or (hopefully not) for help? The Amazon Alexa does all of that and more. It connects to your phone, your TV, your lights, your heating system and much more to give you full control of your home to both prepare for and stay safe throughout a storm.