It seems like everything is “smart” these days, doesn’t it? If it’s not your refrigerator sending you a text when you’re out of broccoli, it’s your car changing the GPS on its own in response to traffic on the route ahead. Many of these smart devices are designed for homes, and that means HVAC and plumbing are front and center of this trend.

How big is the trend? According to Statista, it’s about the hottest trend out there, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Revenue from smart home products is projected to reach $43 billion in 2025 (that’s just in the U.S.) and the amount of U.S. households tricked out with smart technology will be 89.5% this year. By 2029, it is expected to hit 99%. So, pretty much every household will be getting smart within the next few years.

Why are people so interested in this stuff? It’s about using the latest and greatest technology to make our lives easier, more efficient, more comfortable and secure. That’s what tech is supposed to do for us, right?

For HVAC and plumbing, it means if you’re not up on the latest technology, that train is leaving the station, and you had best climb aboard. Your customers are going to request it, and you need to know how to install and, if necessary, service it.

Here’s a quick look at some of the hottest smart trends for HVAC and plumbing.

Smart HVAC

Smart thermostats. These have been around awhile, but now they’re getting smarter, integrating with voice assistants like Alexa… who can tell you if it’s too hot or cold in your house.

Smart vents. These bad boys can control airflow to individual rooms in the house. Not using your guest bedroom? It doesn’t need to be heated or cooled like the rest of the house.

Zoning systems. Going hand and hand with smart thermostats and vents, zoning systems can take it one step further and divide the house into zones for optimal heating and cooling.

Air quality monitors. As indoor air quality becomes more of a concern because of allergens and pollutants, these monitors can adjust a home’s ventilation based on air quality.

Maintenance monitoring. Sensors within the HVAC system monitor the unit’s performance and can alert you when there’s an issue or, ideally, the potential for an issue. In this way, you can be on top of problems before they start. It allows you to perform predictive maintenance rather than fixing emergency outages.

Smart Plumbing

Smart water heaters.  One step up from on-demand heaters, these can actually monitor your energy usage and can adjust the settings automatically to save energy (and money on your energy bill.)

Smart leak detectors. A homeowner’s (and plumber’s) best friend. These sensors can detect leaks anywhere in a home’s plumbing system, preventing a deluge of costly water damage.

Smart faucets. For both kitchens and baths, these are the next generation of sensor-controlled faucets. They control water flow and can optimize it to save money. You can control some with a smartphone.

Smart shower heads. We’re all familiar with low-flow shower heads, but these take it to the next level with preset water temperatures and flow rates for everyone in the family. You can even preset music if you like to sing in the shower.

Smart toilets. Low-flow toilets are so 2020. These new models take it up a notch with built-in bidet seats, preset heating temperatures, and even models with sinks built on top of the tank so when you wash your hands, that water is recycled and used to flush next time.

Pipe inspector bots. For plumbers that inspect and clean (and sometimes repair) a home’s main drain, these little bots can do the inspection for you, moving through the pipe on their own and reporting back what they find.

These are just the tip of this high-tech smart home iceberg. Learning about these technologies today can help you help your customers tomorrow!