With all the technological advances available to us, it’s truly an exciting time to be a homeowner. Living in a smart home has provided added convenience to our daily routines. But the explosion of breakthroughs may bombard you with too many options and a faint idea of where to begin. With this guide and our home automation experts who can help out, you can get started right away.Here’s how to make the most of smart home automation by investing in the right equipment.
Plan according to your needs and wants
Your smart home plan should efficiently solve your needs and wants. If you have an elderly person or someone with a disability living in your household, choose equipment that will make their everyday tasks easier like preparing food, bathing, and so on. If you are a busy pet owner, you might be interested in pet-friendly motion detectors.
Decide on a budget
Just like any other home improvement project, achieving a smarter home requires a certain amount of resources. Think of the equipment and the systems needed to operate them plus installation costs and you could be spending big money here. If you want to test the waters first, get a starter kit. Then you can build your way up from there. If you decide to have extensive work done to make your home a smart one, don’t forget the following factors that will increase cost:
- Wiring;
- Programming;
- Renovations to accommodate these changes.
This neat graphic indicates some of the gadgets you can purchase to create a smart home. Think wisely when coming up with a wish list and budget!
Consider compatibility
With the multiplicity of technologies, models and manufacturers involved, homeowners who want a seamless smart home operation* should see to it that the products that they choose work well with each other. With compatibility as a big issue in this area, major players like Apple, Google, and Samsung strive to dominate the market. While companies also aim to create a universal code, it will take some time. Do your research and to shop around before you select a lineup of products.
Go for a smart home security system with home automation
A smart home security system offers homeowners many benefits, including:
- Security;
- Convenience;
- Sustainability.
Aside from the signals when the system detects intrusion and other emergencies, you can have control of your home as you please. Adjust your thermostat to energy-efficient levels. Avoid keeping your lights unnecessarily on. Lower or raise your shades to block or let the sunlight in. Set up all of these features and more according to your schedule. With smart home automation, you get to find easy ways to attain sustainability at home. Another plus? You’ll never have to worry about leaving your home to go on vacation because you’ll be able to see everything on a tablet or cell phone, and make it look like your home by adjusting lighting from time to time!
You’ll never have to worry about this happening to your home with the right tools!
Think of the installation
Before you luxuriate in the convenience of a smarter home, you need to go through the installation process. While there are plenty of DIY and plug-and-play solutions out on the market today, take into account if your level of technical know-how matches the level of difficulty that a certain product entails. If the job is not that complicated and you are confident in your skills, then go the DIY route. However, when it comes to complex cases, it is advisable to go for professional installation to avoid causing harm, damage, and ultimately, frustration. For professional help, hire only certified technicians from a reputable company. When they show up at your door, make sure to check for their identification before they set foot inside your home.
We can put you in touch with experienced experts in the home automation industry. Take a look at our directory and read through customer reviews to help inform your decision.
Know how to operate & maintain your gadgets
You can only make the best use of your smart home if you know how things work and what you can do to keep them in excellent working condition. Read the user manuals to learn about the features and settings that you can maximize. Here are some other things to think about:
- Clean the equipment;
- Troubleshoot or hire a technician if you notice something is wrong with the equipment.
Don’t wait too long, otherwise you may find yourself paying more money to replace an item!
Home automation doesn’t have to be complicated. Read over user manuals to get started right away.
Design with possible future needs in mind
While you cannot exactly predict what’s in store for you in the future, it doesn’t hurt to anticipate the unexpected. Doing so will help you easily incorporate add-ons as the need for them arises. For instance, if you are having a child, you might want to have the nursery room connected to your home network for a more efficient monitoring of the baby. Moreover, making your system future-proof will help you prevent your smart home from quickly becoming outdated. Go for an expandable system that can accommodate upcoming trends in the smart home technology so you won’t have to replace the entire system.
While not every room in your home will need to be wired to the home automation system, it’s a feature you may want to have down the line.
Make room for ‘crazy’ gadgets
With the ways to build a smarter home increasing by the minute, expect quirky smart home gadgets that could be of help to you. Take your oral hygiene up a notch with a Bluetooth-connected smart toothbrush that can guide you in your scrubbing. Grow a plant with the help of a pot that will not only water your plant, but will also keep track of the temperature, light levels, soil moisture, and soil fertilization. Ensure your eggs’ freshness by placing them in a Wi-Fi-connected smart egg tray. These are just some of the things that you may want to consider should you have the room and money to spare.
With lots of amazing advances when it comes to building a smart home, homeowners need to step back and think of what will work best with their lifestyle. At the end of the day, a smart home is helmed by a smart homeowner who knows what they are doing. Keep these tips to craft a smart home in mind so you can navigate the smart home world with ease.
When you’re ready to start, hire a home automation specialist. They’ll recommend a good system and help you implement it in your home.
*Source: National Geographic
**Source: Trusted Reviews
