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The times when every single home device had to be operated manually are long gone. Nowadays, almost all of them can be operated virtually, for example, through an application you download on your smartphone – starting from your fridge and ending on the light bulbs. Some are even so advanced that you can operate them through gestures or voice commands.
No matter what appliance you need for your house, there is bound to be at least one smart model. While there’s no denying that it’s a good thing, it might also overwhelm you at first – especially if you are just starting the ‘smart home’ journey and have minimal knowledge in the field. That’s exactly why we are here.
Additionally, in a world where everything is connected to the Internet, your home should be too. Most people might be hesitant about how a connected home can impact their privacy. Still, you don’t have to worry about safety or security breaches with the right tools and ample knowledge. Here are the benefits of having a smart home:
- Protects your investment: It keeps your home safe from all types of damage. You may need fewer repairs because you’re in control of appliances or equipment that can be managed over the cloud.
- Create a secure home: A smart security system helps protect you and your family from burglaries and home invasions. The smart home system will automatically lock your doors when you leave your house, notify you if someone tries to break in, or alert the police.
- Lowers your monthly expenses: A smart home tends to be more convenient and more economical. For example, voice assistants allow you to configure your central heating or air conditioning, so you don’t hike up your utility bills. You can also turn on the light or lock the door from wherever you are.
In a nutshell, a connected home will make your life a lot more convenient, safer, and a lot less expensive.
We understand that it takes time before you become a smart home technology expert, which is why we decided to share with you three steps that you can take to become more tech-savvy and upgrade your home. Want to find out more about it? All you have to do is keep reading.
Smart Weather Station
The best way to start making your home smart is by adding small gadgets – such as a weather station. Traditional weather stations usually measure things like outside temperature, humidity, and air pressure. Sometimes, they will inform you when it’s going to start raining, and more advanced models might be able to measure rainfall amounts. Smart home weather stations do a lot more than that.
Apart from telling you what weather will be like on that specific day, they also collect data about local rainfall, air pressure, wind, or even UV levels, which they use to create custom forecasts for your specific location. Another thing is that many smart weather stations nowadays integrate with other smart devices, which means that they are able to trigger lights or thermostat settings based on the current weather conditions.
Before deciding on any, remember to check top home weather station reviews so that you can make the best choice for you and your house.
Smart Lights and Bulbs
The next step you can take to make your house smarter is to change the light bulbs. While they cost slightly more than regular ones, their cost is justified, as they have many benefits. Some of them include vacation-mode lighting, which makes it seems like you are home while you are far away from it (it helps in preventing burglaries), turning the lights off with voice command so that you don’t have to go out of bed once you get comfortable, or the ability to change the colours of your lights.
Some smart lights use built-in Wi-Fi radios and connect straight to your router (this allows you to control them whenever you have an internet connection), while some of them use a Bluetooth radio (this enables you to control them when you are within 50 feet or so from them). If you want to control the second ones from a further distance, you will need a Wi-Fi hub that will relax their signals to your router, and then to you through the cloud.
Security System
While most smart home devices are optional, there’s one thing that cannot be missing from your house – a security system. Not only will it make your home smarter, but it will also bring peace of mind to you and your family, as you will be able to control what is going on.
If you look at the market, you will notice that there are several security gadgets available – locks, hubs, cameras, motion detectors, home intercom, and so much more. You name it, and there’s probably at least one place that has it.
However, installing a security system by yourself is not an easy job – that’s why it is recommended to hire a professional. If you don’t really fancy spending money on someone’s services, you can start building your security system with DIY kits, which usually contain very detailed guidelines.
The Bottom Line
Smart home technology has revolutionised people’s life and made it a lot easier – now, even if you forget to turn off the lights, or the air conditioning, you don’t have to go back home to turn it off. You can just do it from your phone. What’s more, during winter, you can program the heating in a way that will turn it off once you leave the house, and turn it on an hour or so before you come back, so that you don’t have to wait for it to warm up.
However, since there are so many smart devices available on the market, choosing the right ones can be quite hard – especially if you are just beginning your transformation into a tech-savvy person. That’s why we hope that what we shared with you today was at least a little bit helpful. Good luck!
