New technologies are used more boldly, and your ordinary apartment can become a smart home due to several technological improvements you choose. How to start your adventure with automation installed. What do you need to know when developing and implementing such a system? Too many questions appear in our heads before planning such types of home enhancement projects.
No matter, what exactly you want to change or add, a motorized lift for your large TV screen, automated shades or, probably you would like to automate the whole house and devices inside. In any case, you will need to allocate a certain budget, find a reliable automated technology manufacturer and decide on many diverse related details concerning installation and control units.
In This Article
All about smart home and possible innovative tech solutions
A smart home is a home automation framework. Thanks to this, many tasks can be performed automatically, and you can control many devices and systems remotely. This is best explained with several examples below:
- In a smart home, the light can turn on automatically when you come home from work.
- The heating can turn on and off when you leave.
- The power of the radiators will be adapted to the current temperature in the house and your desired comfortable temperature in the apartment.
- When you leave the house, you can also make sure that the iron is unplugged, and even turn off the power supply from the phone app.
And these are the main functions.
How does a smart home system work?
To begin with, the smart home system is divided into two categories, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Before you start your smart home adventure, it’s good to decide on one of these:
A wired system requires careful wiring and cabling of Ethernet and power throughout the home. Therefore, this option can be chosen, rather, during the construction of new buildings or during major repairs. This is a more expensive and complex solution, but in return, you get more options and more control over your smart home.
Fortunately, there is an alternative solution.
A wireless system that you can implement at any time and freely change or expand.
And you can take it with you when you move. It is based on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connection, which may be a more convenient solution for you. This system is also cheaper.
Which smart home system to choose?
By betting on the type, you can choose one of the specific solutions. You will find several different systems on the market, and each of them has something to offer. There are manufacturers who create their own ecosystems, which are based on proprietary devices but may also include products from other brands.
Such a complete system is the best solution when you expect reliability and don’t want to worry about compatibility issues. It is convenient and offers more options in terms of functionality.
However, you can also create your own system. In this case, check if the individual accessories can work in the same solution.
One device can be compatible with one or more smart home systems. You can check this on the official website of the product, on its card in the online store, on the box, or in the user manual.
Start your smart home with a router
When to start? Before you move on to buying specific smart home accessories, don’t forget to get the right router – it’s the backbone of the whole system.
To cope well with the challenges posed by a smart home, it must feature fast data transfer, powerful antennas, and a mechanism to keep many devices running smoothly at the same time.
Smart home control
The smart home system can be controlled using built-in panels and switches. But there are also several ways to remotely control your smart home and individual accessories included in the system.
Which smart home devices to buy to get started?
Lighting and smart bulbs are the best examples of smart home accessories. Since they are relatively inexpensive, they are easy to install and the results are immediately visible.
Such smart lamps, sconces, or LED strips can adjust the light’s brightness, color temperature, or color. They can also turn the lights on and off at specific times. Whether it’s for convenience or security, to mimic the presence of family members. You will use your smartphone to manage them.
A smart socket is installed in a classic socket. Thanks to this solution, you can control your energy consumption. This way, for example, you can find out which devices are used most often and it is recommended to unplug them when not in use.
You can also turn off the electricity remotely, that is, remotely turn off connected devices, lamps, gaming equipment, or even an iron. It’s a way to increase comfort, improve safety and lower energy bills.
A surveillance camera is a device that allows you to take care of the safety of your family, pets, and things left in the apartment. There are external (for monitoring the yard) and internal cameras. They record videos around the clock, allowing you to watch live footage as well as revisit past recordings. They can also alert you to the presence of a potential intruder.
Various types of smart sensors can also be a useful part of a smart home system. For example, a gas, smoke, or flood detector allows you to ensure safety and avoid costs. The door and window sensor, in turn, determines if windows or doors are left open. Or sends information further – then, for example, the air purifier stops working when the window is opened. Finally, the motion sensor can automatically turn on the lights or send notifications about guests.
Thermostat, intelligent heating can not only improve your comfort in daily life but also help reduce your electricity and gas bills.
The most obvious benefit here is provided by the function of automatically maintaining the appropriate temperature in the rooms or its remote control. Secondly, the heating is turned off automatically as well when no one is home or when the windows are opened.
Do not hesitate to try newish technological home solutions to experience all the perks and possibilities and let some freedom into your life.
Author:
Hayley Mann is a technology enthusiast specializing in automation methods of ergonomics devices. Her engineering background helps her to create interesting articles on technical topics, making them understandable for all readers.
