Technology can be found everywhere, even in your own home. With the increasing popularity of home automation, it’s easier to purchase and install gadgets that allow you to automate your home’s essential systems. With automation, nearly everything in your home, like air conditioners, lights, doors, and thermostats, can be controlled remotely as long as you have internet access. Residential properties that incorporate these gadgets and systems are called ‘smart homes.’
What Are Smart Homes?
There is no standard definition for a smart home. There are varying explanations for the concept, depending on who you ask. Generally speaking, a smart home is a residential property containing various devices which automate tasks generally performed by people. Some of the devices are pre-installed when the house was being built, while some are just added later when people start to live in the place. People operate these gadgets and systems using applications downloaded in their smartphones, robots, or voice commands.
What Are The Benefits of Having A Smart Home?
Buying gadgets to create a smart home is costly; however, many people think that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When used wisely, these gadgets turn out to be good investments.
Here are some of the advantages of building a smart home:
Power savings
If you have a high electric bill, automating the heating and air conditioning systems and your home’s lighting system provides a significant amount of energy savings. Many systems only turn on these appliances when there is a person inside the room, and automatically turn them off when you leave the area. This reduces your consumption, especially when you have kids in your home who always forget to turn off the appliances when no one’s using them.
Convenience
Comfort and convenience are the hallmarks of living inside a smart home. You can even control appliances even when you are not at home. For example, there are smart washer/dryer appliances where all you need to do is place the clothes inside and control it via your smartphone. Imagine the convenience of doing your laundry even when you’re not at home or working on other tasks.
Safety and Security
A smart home is also equipped with alarm systems to protect you and your home. These systems are connected to your lights, cameras, and doorbells for your safety.
How To Build A Smart Home
Building your smart home is an exciting task as it feels you get to customize your home, depending on your preferences and needs. If you already own a home and don’t have the budget yet to install a completely automated home system, there are a few things you can do to build and convert it into a smart home:
Convert Your Lightbulbs
Smart bulbs let you control each lighting fixture in your home. You can also control the lights in groups, such as all the lights in the living room or a space in the bedroom. Some systems let you control the lights via a mobile app, and some lets you control using voice commands. You can also use light bulb systems that use different triggers like when someone walks into a room.
Control Your Heating Systems
Automated home systems let you control HVAC units using a mobile app so your bedroom is already cold or heated when you arrive at home. Some systems use smart technology, which adjusts the room temperature based on the time of the day. These systems have multiple sensors you can place around the house so you can control the temperature in other parts of the house.
Be Safe With Smart Locks
If you keep forgetting to lock your home when you rush out for work, installing a smart lock system is a good choice. A smart lock system lets you lock your doors using an app on your mobile device. You can also provide temporary access if you have family members or friends visiting your home, and you’re still out.
Smart Doorbells and Cameras
Smart doorbells are installed with cameras that allow you to see guests or intruders at the door or your gate. These smart doorbells can also recognize movement outside through its motion sensors. The camera helps you see if there are people lurking outside your door or property even when you’re at work or running errands. You can even save recordings for future use.
Summary
As you grow your smart home, you’ll want to look into how you can control your smart devices. Using a hub can help integrate all devices so you can access and control them in one place. It’s quite easy to build your smart home. You don’t need to buy everything all at once, and you can install these items yourself. There are many trending smart home devices every year, and you incorporate these in your existing system.
