No matter if you’ve just started out getting smart home gadgets, or if your home is pretty smart already, it can be confusing to add a new device or system. Almost any of a home’s appliances and electrical systems can be made “smart”–from lights to security cameras, door locks to dishwashers, thermostats to fireplaces. With so many features, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are a few key ways to make sure it all works well though. To make sure your different smart appliances function seamlessly together and with the controls on your phone, set your home up for success with the right power and connectivity.
Great Wifi is Essential
All smart appliances rely on wifi connectivity. To ensure that all of your devices are effectively communicating, you need a strong network to support them. You can easily identify areas in your home where the wifi from your router is weak by keeping an eye on the strength of the signal your phone receives. In “dead zones”, add another router to boost the signal.
A Home for your Smart Home
A Smart Hub acts as a liaison between your smart devices and your phone. It stays connected with your home so that you don’t need to worry about losing control if you upgrade or misplace your cell phone. It also helps easily adjust your devices’ settings–instead of having to separately turn off lights, lock doors, and raise or lower temperatures when you leave, the smart hub can be programmed to do it all at once. Each hub offers different functionalities, so research them all and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Understand your Priorities
As we mentioned, each smart hub is a bit different, and smart devices provide different control options. It’s important to understand what your priorities and needs are before choosing and setting up your smart home.
Smart Security System: Camera doorbells are a great and effective way to keep your front door secure. You’ll be notified anytime someone approaches your door, and usually have access to both live feeds and recorded interactions. You can also get smart locks, which can be controlled by your phone via wifi. These systems are great for people with arthritis or mobility issues that make the act of unlocking the door with a key difficult. It’s also a nice option to let in visitors when you haven’t gotten home yet, or if you’ve misplaced your key (if you’ve chosen a model that still uses keys). Home security systems also offer options for in-home cameras to quickly verify an invasion or emergency.
Smart Lighting: Easily save energy in your home with smart lights. They can be set to turn off once everyone has left a room, or to turn on automatically even when you’re gone to trick intruders. Lights can even adjust to natural light to conserve power.
Smart Thermostat: No more worrying about whether you remembered to adjust your AC before leaving for a trip. With smart climate control systems, you can change the temperature of your whole house or even just individual rooms with a tap to your phone. Some systems even sense when someone has entered and automatically turn the HVAC on, allowing you to conserve energy while no one is there.
If you own a Sarasota home and are looking to make it “smart”, call Promise Electric. We can help you to install your smart devices, but also ensure that you have the proper wiring, panels and outlets to handle everything electic in your home.
