Home automation is picking up speed, and very soon there will be no slowing it down. Homeowners and tech lovers everywhere are trying their best to get their hands on a piece of the smart home, and take it for a spin to see what all the fuss is about. Now, more than ever, homeowners are gravitating towards finding a spot for tech in their homes. Can you blame them? Connected homes and home automation devices go hand in hand to turn the house into a beacon of comfort, efficiency, and sometimes laziness.
With the continued rise in popularity of home automation, it is getting harder and harder for homeowners to sift through the dense amount of smart devices that are now on the market. How do you know which smart device will work best in your home? How can you tell which devices will work well together? The hardest part about choosing the right smart home devices is that there are so many unknown variables that homeowners do not take into account. It is important for homeowners to realize that there is a lot more goes into getting a smart device than just how cool it looks or the amazing things it can apparently do. Here are some handy tips that will help you guys choose the right smart devices for your homes.
1. Find out If You Have to Retrofit Your Home
In some cases, homeowners will have to retrofit major parts of their homes for a smart device to work. Some smart home devices can be added without any hassle. The Bluetooth smart switch is a perfect example of this. The device simply has to be plugged into an existing outlet for easy control using the free Avi-on app.It is important for homeowners to find out how many changes they will have to make to use their smart home device. Regardless of what device you decide to go with, homeowners have to pay attention to what your smart home device will require from your home. The answer to this will help you determine which smart home device to go with.
2. Make Sure Your Smart Home Device Is Compatible With Other Devices
Integration of smart home devices is one of the reasons why they are extremely popular among homeowners. Look at it this way, if you have one device that allows you to unlock your door from your phone, imagine what you could do if you could have your door also talk to the smart lights? Your home would light up whenever you unlock your front door, imagine that type of welcome home. The integration of smart devices extends their reach and makes them much more useful. It is important for homeowners to find out about the integration capabilities that their smart devices have before they get them.
There are various communication protocols used in smart home devices, so not all devices can relay data with each other. It is important to figure out what communication protocol your device uses.This should be a guiding factor when homeowners are choosing multiple smart home devices. It is best to choose devices that work with the same protocols since it will be easier for them to integrate with each other.
3. Check the Level of Security of the Device You Want
Security is an important aspect of every home, including the smart home. As such, homeowners have to pay attention to the security features of their smart devices when choosing them. Smart homes and smart home devices may provide homeowners with unparalleled comfort and efficiency, but they are also vulnerable to hacking. This is the reason why homeowners need to pay attention to the security specifications of their smart home devices and make sure that they have proper verification and authentication methods, as well as regular updates. If the smart home device that you want to choose does not have any of these security specifications, you should look into getting something else that will afford your home with much more security.
4. Determine the Setup Process
Now, this tip is helpful in two ways. First, it will help you identify which smart home devices are easier to install. Secondly, it will help you figure out if you need professional help to install your device or not. This might sound similar to retrofitting, but it is much different. Homeowners should look at the smart home devices they intend to buy to see the degree of difficulty that is involved in setting it up.
Some smart devices are plug and play, which means that there is nothing more to it’s set up than plugging it in. However, when it comes to devices like thermostats, they have to be connected to the wiring of your home and to the heating and cooling systems. These tasks are usually not undertaken by homeowners. It is important to determine the amount of work that goes into setting up your smart home device so that you know you are choosing a device that best suits your budget and your lifestyle. For instance, if you have a smart lock that is hard to install you might want to call a local locksmith.
5. Choose a Smart Home Device With Features You Need
This last tip is extremely important. Homeowners need to choose a smart home device that fits in with their lifestyle. Therefore, you have to pay attention to features that your smart home device is equipped with. For instance, if you have to travel a lot for business, it might be best to choose a device with remote capabilities (like a surveillance system that can be accessed remotely). Smart home devices come equipped with many different features so you want to make sure that you pay attention to what they are. This will make it much easier to choose the right device for your home.
Conclusion
Homeowners should make sure that they put an adequate amount of time into choosing the proper smart devices for their homes. Smart home devices are quite the investment, so it is best to make sure that when you choose one, you choose the right one. There are several other factors that come into play when homeowners decide to begin choosing smart home devices, but the 5 tips listed above should help steer you in the right direction.
Author Bio
Ralph Goodman is a professional writer and the resident expert on locks and security over at the Lock Blog. The Lock Blog is a great resource to learn about keys, locks and safety. They offer tips, advice and how-to’s for consumers, locksmiths, and security professionals.
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