A smart home is a home set-up where the electronic devices can be controlled with the help of a suitable network connection such as Wi-Fi. These devices can be controlled remotely using your smart-phones so giving you the power to operate them from anywhere around the world.
IOT (Internet of things)is a new technology that has made lives much easier and secure. It can save your time as well as energy. The scope of smart home industry has grown rapidly over past 10 yrs. The devices are connected to your smartphone through various apps and that’s from where you can find access to your devices.
Given below are the benefits of a Smart Home followed by several ways for its smart use.
Benefits Of A Smart Home
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1. A Smart Home can make your life peaceful and stable
You feel relaxed even if you forget to switch off your coffee machine after its use and realize it midway to your office, or if you want a cool room before you reach home you can just press a button and the temperature would automatically set in according to your preference.
2. It also adds up to your home security
You can monitor your home any time you want even if you are away from it. You can check who has come at your door and if someone is trying to break in, you will automatically get an alert on your smartphone that is connected to your device. You can easily monitor the activities taking place inside your home through smart cameras and instruct the home automation system to make changes if needed. There are a few smart home systems that can sense if there is any unusual activity taking place in your home and send you an alert.
3. It can make your home safe for elderly members, pets or small children-
With the help of smart cameras, you can monitor their activities 24*7 and make sure that they are safe at home.
4. It can accommodate itself as per your preference
For example- The heater/AC as soon will switch on automatically when you are about to arrive home. Home automation devices are smart enough to determine your wants and needs and work according to that.
5. It is energy-saving
You can switch off the electrical appliances like fan, light, heater, etc. when you are not at home and it can also keep a check on the amount of energy that you are consuming.
6. Smart Home also provides you entertainment
For example- it can record your favorite list of songs and play it during parties or your leisure time. It can also tell you stories and latest football updates whenever you feel like.
Therefore, by performing all these functions a Smart Home makes your life easier and safer.
Smart Home Equipment You Can Buy
Different home automation systems are available today that can make your home a “smart home”. You can have the best IFTTT devices under your budget at your home. Some of the examples are-
1. Nest Thermostat
It is a technology built by the Alphabet’s subsidiary. It can give you the power to control the heating of your house as per your preference. Connects easily to Google Home and Alexa. And you can also connect it to your smartphones and control the temperature setting of your home.
2. Google Home
A Google Home is a part of the Google ecosystem which is a digital assistant that works through artificial intelligence. It connects to your speakers and can follow your voice commands. It’s very efficient and controls almost all the functions of your house automatically. It can connect to your smartphones and laptops too. It has made lives much easier and faster. Another type of digital assistant in the market today is Amazon Echo which uses the company’s Alexa as the Digital Assistant.
3. Smart Camera
There are smart cameras available now that can be installed both inside and outside your home and can record any activity and send you the footage from time to time as well. It can record the footage which can work as evidence in case of emergencies. These cameras can make you feel relaxed when you leave your kids or your old parents at home while you go to the office by just seeing the footage of your home anywhere and anytime you want. They are available by Google Home, Amazon and Circle 2 cameras.
4. Video Doorbell
This is a smart doorbell that can let the owners see through their smartphones/tablets anyone who comes to their doors. It also has a speaker through which you can chat with the person and get your work done even when you are away.
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
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Arlo Audio Doorbell, White (AAD1001-100NAS) | Check Price |
5. Motion Sensor Floodlights And Smart Lightbulbs
These lights will automatically switch on as soon as someone comes close to your home. It can sense the motion and light up accordingly. It is very good for the safety of your home as the burglars are scared of light and they will most likely run away as soon as the lights get switched on. And the smart bulbs can switch on and off according to the time of the day.
6. Smart Locks
Using smart locks you can lock/unlock your homes automatically. In case you forget to lock your home you can just do it by pressing a button. It can lock your doors automatically as soon as you get out of your home and can open and close your garage on time too. Also, make sure you have the best smart lock installed in your Airbnb to maximize the safety of your guests.
Things To Keep In Mind If You Want To Have A Smart Home
Anyone can have a Smart Home today but there are a few things that you must keep in mind before you think of making your home a ‘Smart Home’.
a. You must be careful enough that you do not give its access to the kids-
Sometimes if smart devices are not used properly, it can lead to hazardous results. It is too complex for a kid to understand and he may end up harming himself or the device. So, it is very important to keep the access of your smart devices in your own hands and not in the hands of your kids.
b.You must be aware of its functions properly-
Before bringing any home automation system, you should research properly about that product and make sure that it is safe to use and understand its functions otherwise it can cause harm to your home.
c.Do not show the brands of the safety cameras outside on the warning board-
If you have CCTV cameras installed outside your home for your security make sure that you do not show its brand on the warning board as the burglar can easily find ways to hack your cameras.
d. Do not depend on the Smart Home Completely-
Complete dependence on artificial intelligence will take away your ability to manage things on your own. It needs your proper assistance and attention to work efficiently so you have to be careful about it. Do not sit back and relax letting your smart devices control your home completely. Stay attentive and make sure that they are working correctly.
e. Do not brag about it much-
It will be better if you keep your Smart Home to yourself and do not brag about it to others as it can give an impression to them that you have a lot of money to afford it.
FAQ’s
1. Is Smart Home Safe?
Yes, it is safe as far as you use it correctly. However, if you consistently get careless about it then it can be harmful. You might affect its efficiency. So to have an efficient Smart Home, you should be attentive and have a good knowledge of the smart devices that you have installed in your home.
2. Is Having A Smart Home Expensive Or Anyone Can Afford It?
It depends upon what systems you are buying and what type of Smart Home you like. You can buy a few home automation systems as per your budget, connect the equipment and make your home a complete Smart Home Hub. It depends on what you can afford and feel right for your home.
3. Is It Important For Everyone To Have A Smart Home Today?
It depends on you completely. We have already listed the benefits of having it and how it can make our lives efficient. It also conserves a lot of energy. So, it would be great more people go for a Smart Home.
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