Whether it’s temperature control, cleaning or lighting, there are several ways to begin automating your home and linking the devices you use most often.
And, while the idea of a smart home is still relatively new, more big players like Apple, Google and Amazon are investing millions of dollars in smart devices. Today, it is easier to access these devices than decades ago.
So, if you want to make your home smart, here are eight ways to do so.
Get Connected
Having a strong, fast Wi-Fi in your home is the cornerstone of any functioning smart home. If your Wi-Fi is too weak to reach your garage or upstairs guest room, then your dream may never come true.
You may need to invest in a strong router or any system that evenly distributes the bandwidth throughout your home. This is especially important if you’re into heavy internet activities like livestreaming. You wouldn’t want to work hard and get Twitch views only to have a bad connection ruin your chances. For instance, you may consider a system that uses one router to connect an area of about 1,000 square feet. Keep in mind that the system you choose depends on the size of your home and the number of walls.
Smart Locks
Perhaps you have stood at your front door many times fumbling to find keys with one hand. Well, that experience can end with a smart lock. Today, there are many smart locks that unlock your door with the tap of a finger by communicating with your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
In fact, the latest smart locks use the Wi-Fi chip instead of the hardware commonly called a hub or a bridge. These devices depend on the internet connection to keep tabs on your locked doors and even grant access to the repairman, dog walker, and cleaning service.
Smart Doorbell
Some people associate smart doorbells with laziness, particularly when finding it difficult to answer the front door. But that’s not entirely true. What if you’re expecting a package and you’re not home?
With a smart doorbell, the video call allows you to answer your door from virtually anywhere with your phone. You can see and speak to that person on your front door.
And the video call is just one way. Since you can see them but they can’t see you, you can even talk to the delivery person if you’re getting in or out of the shower. Just ask them to leave the package on your porch.
Some doorbells are also modified to sense motion and record videos. They then send you a notification that you missed a doorbell and the option of watching later. You can even access a clear view of your front door from anywhere at any time.
Always-On Assistant
The smartest way to control any device in your home is by using your voice. And Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s virtual assistant offer the simplest way to do so.
The assistant can control almost everything in your home, such as the kind of music you listen, how you control your lights, fans, inflatable hot tubs, and other smart devices. What is more fascinating about the assistant is that it can learn your favorite music, temperature, and others. So you won’t have to keep resetting it thanks to data analytics.
Smart Switches
A smart switch gives you the ability to make some hard-to-reach bulbs smart. They come in the form of wires plus that is installed in a wall outlet. Usually, smart switches the devices come with a remote so that you can make the lights dim, or turn them on and off.
Smart Shades
Some homes have windows that are hard to reach. With a smart shade, you don’t have to struggle when you want to close the shades. One tap on the remote is all it takes to open or close a shade. You can even create a group of shades to be controlled at once.
Smart Thermostat
About 15% of the electricity used in homes is used for heating. A smart thermostat can, therefore, save energy when maintaining your home temperature. Furthermore, this device learns your habits and always adjusts to your preferred temperature.
In the latest models, smart thermostats work with Amazon Echo and Apple Homekit. This means you can control them using your voice, and even set schedules in concurrence with other devices.
Smart Leak
Water leakages can be costly and dangerous. Most people only see the problem after significant damage has occurred. By switching to a smart leak, you can detect leakages in the early stages and fix it.
And while you’re on vacation, you don’t have to worry. The smart device continues to monitor your plumbing and sends you an alert on your phone in case things head south.
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