Smart homes are becoming increasingly popular. People want the ability to control their electronics, lighting and other appliances with a single app or voice command. Smart homes offer this convenience, but they also present many challenges when it comes to implementation. If you’re looking to unlock your smart home potential, keep reading for some helpful tips and tricks that can make your life easier. Read on to learn how you can get started with smarter home tech today.
Have a plan before diving in
Before you start ripping out and installing smart home technologies, get a basic understanding of what they can and can’t do. Take the time to learn the different smart home platforms, which can help you decide what will work best for your home. Furthermore, it’s important to know the differences between the various smart home devices, particularly as you begin to add more devices. This will help you decide which devices can best complement your home’s smart features. Understanding the basics of each technology will help you navigate the smart home waters a bit more smoothly. Once you have a better idea of what’s possible and what’s feasible, it will be easier to make smart home decisions that take your specific needs into consideration.
Set up your smart home base
Start with the basics, including a smart hub. A hub is a central device that connects different smart home technologies together. Hubs typically support multiple platforms, which can be helpful as you begin to add smart home devices to your home. You don’t necessarily need a hub if you don’t have a lot of devices. Some smart home devices are compatible with WiFi and Bluetooth, so you don’t necessarily need a hub. Hubs can be expensive, so if you only use a few smart home devices, you may be able to get by without one. It’s important to keep in mind that one hub may support many different smart home platforms. If you add smart home devices to your home, it may be helpful to get a new hub that supports the additional devices.
Control your smart home with voice commands and apps
Smart home devices can be controlled with a hub or app. However, it’s often more effective to use voice commands to control your smart home devices. Using voice commands lets you use your voice to control smart home gadgets, which can be helpful when you have more than one person in the home. Voice controls can also be helpful if you have cognitive or physical limitations. If you have a disability, you may prefer voice controls over typing commands. Voice commands can also be a good choice for those who are privacy conscious, as most voice assistants are designed to keep your voice command requests private. Smart home voice assistants are becoming more and more powerful, and they can often handle the majority of traditional home automation tasks, which can make them a great choice as a home controller.
Install motion sensors and use them sparingly
Motion sensors are one of the most commonly recommended smart home devices. They let you detect movement, which is useful if you want to turn on lights, open doors or activate other smart home gadgets when someone is home or outside your home. While motion sensors are helpful, they can also cause issues. If you use too many of them or set up too many sensors that require movement, you may find that some of your devices don’t work properly. Sensor sensitivity can also be an issue, particularly if you have a small home or high-traffic areas. Motion sensors are often adjustable, but it’s important to find the right level of sensitivity. Not only will you prevent issues with individual smart home devices, but you’ll also find that fewer sensors are needed.
Don’t just rely on smart lights, install smarter lighting too
One of the most common smart home recommendations is to install smart lights. There are a variety of smart home lighting options, including LED bulbs, smart lighting switches and lighting panels. It’s important to think about what types of lights you want in your home, particularly if you also plan to add other smart home gadgets. Hybrid bulbs that let you use traditional bulbs with smart features, like scheduling and lighting settings, can be helpful. Traditional light bulbs are cheap and energy efficient, so installing a few in key areas, like your bedroom, can add smart functionality to your home without breaking the bank. Another option is to use your voice to change your lights. Many smart lights let you control your devices with voice commands, like switching a room on or off and dimming the lights. You can also use voice controls to adjust your lights with scenes, giving your voice a voice-activated home automation feel.
Before you install anything else, ensure you have good security
Before you start installing new smart home gadgets, make sure that your home is secure. This includes ensuring that your smart hub is protected with a password, which will help keep your credentials safe if your hub is lost or stolen. It’s also a good idea to make sure that you have the latest smart hub updates. Some smart hub updates include important bug fixes, which can improve overall functionality, as well as security patches to protect against potential vulnerabilities. Updates are typically available through your hub’s settings. Ensure that your home is protected with a good home security system, whether it’s standalone or integrated with your hub. Whether you choose a standard home security system or an advanced smart hub home security system, it can provide additional protection for your home, like an additional layer of security for your hub.
Conclusion
Smart homes are an exciting new technology. With the capability to control everything from lighting to thermostats, they can make life easier. However, smart homes require setup, and they can also have privacy issues if they aren’t protected properly. With this in mind, it’s important to approach the smart home technology with a plan. Start with smart hubs and hubs that support multiple platforms. Once you have a basic understanding of what’s possible, it will be easier to make informed decisions that take your specific needs into consideration.
