How quickly the world has changed. With a few swipes or a single voice command, you can lock your doors, switch on your lights, play your favourite music, make coffee from your bed, and so much more!
Well, today, these examples are no longer a thing we see in movies, and with a few smart devices, you can upgrade your home to a smart home and experience the beauty of home automation. However, that means that you’ve got to set up everything; which does sound intimidating, but it isn’t. We’re here to walk you through it:
What Is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a place that anticipates what you need and gives you the control you need to customise your surroundings. It features a home automation system that links to your appliances and devices to automate particular chores and can often be operated from a distance. Some programmable devices include security cameras, smart lighting, sprinklers, air conditioners, fridges, and others.
Setting up a smart home can be a tricky job for a layman which is why it is recommended to enlist the services of a professional installation company. The plethora of ecosystems and standards that must be negotiated, not to mention the wide range of gadgets can all be too much. However, this smart-home guide gives you an overview of whats required should you attempt to do this yourself.
Benefits of a Smart Home
- Convenience at Your Fingertips
Is there a simpler way to change the lights, music, or temperature in a room than just using voice controls or a button? Home automation tools make routine jobs easier, allowing you to unwind both inside and outside of the house. You can turn off your thermostat or other home appliances remotely using a smartphone or tablet as long as you have an internet connection.
- Utility Savings
This is one of the best features of smart homes! It includes energy-management tools like lighting controls, a smart thermostat that allows you to choose the ideal temperature at all times of the day, smart plugs, and smart power strips.
All these can help you reduce your environmental impact and monthly utility costs. To cut down on water waste and rapidly warn you of potential water leaks, you can even connect smart sprinkler systems and sensors!
- Exemplary Safety and Security
Nothing beats surveillance when it comes to home security. Not even the most ruthless of dogs! Thanks to multiple security cameras, motion sensors, door and window sensors, video doorbell cameras, and a variety of other smart security devices, you have a real-time view of what’s happening in your home all the time.
Regardless of where you are, as long as you’re connected to the internet and your home has a wi-fi network, you can see everything, and in case of any irregularities, take action to keep your home secure. Your home security system will always be in your back pocket!
- Improved Accessibility
If you’re living with a person with a disability or any mobility issue, a smart home system can be an answered prayer to their mobility challenges. At the tip of their fingertips, aging seniors and people with disability can open doors, turn on the lights, and HVAC system, make a cup of coffee and so much more!
- Increased Home Value and Insurance Incentives
Did you know that smart home systems are now considered when valuing properties for sale? Home security systems, smart thermostats, and smart smoke detectors have all been shown to raise the value of a house as a whole!
Additionally, because a smart system can reduce damage and the number of claims a policyholder would file, many insurance companies reward savvy homeowners by lowering their premiums.
Smart Home Devices You Can Buy
If you’ve got the means, you can buy lots of smart home accessories such as security cameras, smart speakers, front door sensors, and many others. But if you’re just starting, we recommend a few simple, reasonably priced gadgets that can provide the majority of the advantages a high-end smart home offers, and on a much more modest budget. Here are some of these:
- Smart Thermostats
A smart thermostat does much more than just establish your optimum heating and cooling schedule when you’re at home. Few appliances can beat the cost and energy savings that a smart thermostat gives. None come close to its comfort. It also detects inactivity so that your HVAC system will only run when it is necessary.
- Smart Displays and Speakers
What beats a voice command to dim the lights for your movie night or turn on your favourite song full blast when the mood hits you? Nothing! If you’d like to enjoy such convenience, there are numerous smart home products that are worth considering.
- Smart Lighting
Lighting is the typical starting point for most people who are interested in living in a smart home. Most smart lighting systems can function well without a central smart home hub. Some smart lights communicate over Wi-Fi while others connect via Bluetooth. Even without a connection to a central hub, therefore, they can communicate with other smart home components.
- Home Security Cameras & Video Doorbells
A high-quality security system helps you keep a watchful eye on your home around the clock. Some of these systems even come with lights that can help you find your way around in the dark. Others have special features such as doorbells with inbuilt cameras and lights to allow you to engage with guests without having to go to the door or even be present.
- Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Traditional smoke detectors are quite ineffective safety tools. How so? Even if their sirens are loud, what use are they if no one is home to hear them? A smart smoke detector is loud and on top of that, it will also send a notification to your smartphone and to anybody else you have added as a contact.
How to Set Up Your Smart Home: Step-By-Step
1.) Get the Best Internet Service Available
For your smart home gadgets to work and communicate efficiently, you’ll need fast and dependable internet services. Look at the top service providers around your area if you’re unsure about your current wi-fi network. For a small family with the usual smart home devices, 50 Mbps will do but for heavy smart home usage, 250–1,000 Mbps is advised.
2.) Pick a Smart Hub
Smart hubs can be confusing and complicated. To simplify how they operate, they are conduits that connect all your smart home devices under one hub. Some of the advanced hubs even feature voice commands for an extra level of convenience.
3.) Smart Plugs
If anything, these should come first. They give you control of the flow of electricity by plugging into your existing wall sockets. They can be used with anything, including fans, curling irons, heaters, cookers, and many others.
To connect the app to your wi-fi network, all you have to do is follow the manual that comes with them. You may also link the plug to your smart speaker if you have one that enables voice control.
4.) Smart Lighting
Any smart house would be incomplete without lights, and installing them is typically the next easiest task. You should be good to go after you screw them in, connect them to the Wi-Fi, and sync them to the hub.
5.) Safety and Security
When it comes to security, the list of devices is endless. Therefore, you need to choose what you need the most. Smart locks? CCTV cameras? Morion sensors? You can install a few and build them up with time.
Just like other devices, you need a strong internet connection. To set up your account and link the security base to the internet, all you have to do is follow the instruction that comes with your purchased system.
6.) Smarten Up
Now is the time to go wild. After installing your smart home system, there are essentially no restrictions on what you can do. You could install smart toothbrushes, voice-activated curtains, get a robot vacuum cleaner, a video doorbell to see whos at the door without going downstairs and so much more! Invest in the smart home devices that appeal to you because it’s your home to enjoy!
Final Thoughts
Smart homes are alluring. It doesn’t matter whether you rent or own a home, no one is above it. Imagine being able to use your phone to open your front door, enter your house, have the lights come on automatically, and request a cup of coffee from your virtual assistant.
And guess what? When you’re away, a robot vacuum can clean your home while the smart thermostat turns down the air conditioning to save money. Even better, your security cameras will allow you to keep an eye on everything from your phone. Sounds appealing? You bet!
Enhance Your Life with Advanced Living Solutions
Ready to start? At Advanced Living Solutions, we have all the smart home products you need, all under one umbrella. Our premium products suit a variety of lifestyles, budgets, and uses. Security systems, music systems, lighting systems, audio-visual systems, and more. Name it—we’ve got it!
Please call us today on (03) 9212 7999 or leave an enquiry to learn more!
