IS HOME AUTOMATION RIGHT FOR YOU?

Are you considering investing in some new technologies for your home? Are you wondering whether smart home automation is right for you? Well, you’ve come to the right place. By the time you’ve finished reading this article you’ll have an understanding of what smart home automation really entails and have a better idea of whether it’s for you or not.

WHAT IS HOME AUTOMATION?

Smart home automation involves a central system that gives you control over any compatible devices that are connected to it. The benefit of one central network means that you can program different devices to work together automatically and from one single source. When we talk about devices, we’re referring to technologies such as smart lighting, heating, security devices, entertainment devices and more. In a standard home, these would all have to be used manually, one at a time.

SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY FOR A SIMPLER LIFE

More sophisticated technologies make for a simpler life at home and that is the aim of home automation. It saves you time and effort, enhancing your lifestyle and allowing you to focus on more important things.

With a home-wide control system, you can program the heating or air conditioning to switch on when the temperature hits a certain threshold. Alternatively, you can adjust a smart thermostat from across the room with your phone.

You can have your home’s security cameras programmed to recognise your family and grant you access to the home, whilst also alerting you to strangers. You can even use these cameras from the safety of your home to communicate with any visitors.

If you’re a fan of music, TV or film, then a smart home can play your preferred form of entertainment throughout the home. With greater connectivity, you can even conceal your equipment to make for a cleaner interior design.

The point is that smart homes make it easier for you to do more with your home. So what have you got to think about? When considering whether a smart home is right for you, you’ve got to weigh up the benefits along with any potential obstacles.

SMART HOME BENEFITS

As we’ve touched upon, a smart home can offer a number of advantages related to making life easier. Here are some benefits in more detail.

ENERGY EFFICIENT

Firstly, with greater control over all of your devices, your home becomes efficient. Not only because you’ll know exactly what is switched on and using energy, but also because of the automation elements of the home. You can automate your heating to switch off after the room reaches a certain temperature, for example. You can link your lighting to sensors within the home, so that they only activate when the room is in use. As everything is connected via the internet, you can even switch things off to save energy when you’re away from the home.

PEACE OF MIND

A smart home system will undoubtedly enhance your security capabilities. As a result, you’ll be able to rest assured that your home is safe, even when you’re not there.

SIMPLIFYING THE MUNDANE

There are mundane tasks to do in every home and some of them need to take place every day. With a smart home, some of these tasks can be automated, such as turning on the light or closing the blinds. No more walking around the house at night, closing curtains in every room. Now it can be done at the flick of a switch.

EASIER TO MANAGE

Smart home automation is all about control. Everything being under one single system means that you can operate everything from one app. This makes everything so much easier to manage than if you had these devices set up separately.

MAKES YOUR HOME EXCITING

Technology is not only useful, it is exciting and fun to use. Changing the mood of a room with the flick of a light switch, listening to music in every room of the house or watching your TV emerge from behind the wall are all deeply satisfying and fun aspects of smart home technology.

FUTURE PROOF

Unlike cheaper smart home technology that is less robust, fully automated smart home technology is built into the very framework of the house and cannot be replaced every few years. As a result, they are designed to be future proof so that they will last much longer, even if the house is sold on afterwards.

INCREASES HOUSE PRICES

Whilst only a small percentage of homes enjoy a fully automated smart home system, they are becoming more and more popular. Until they become a part of everyone’s home experience, prices for homes with these benefits are likely to be higher.

POTENTIAL OBSTACLES

There are a couple of things about fully automated homes that might pose an obstacle when you’re considering if this is for you.

SMART HOMES TAKE TIME

If you’re looking for a quick fix like a smart bulb or even a doorbell, a full smart home conversion project might not be for you right now. Whether the home is a new build or undergoing renovation, installing a smart home system takes time. Depending on the scale of the project and the budget, this could take any number of months to complete.

COST OF A SMART HOME

When it comes to a fully automated smart home, you need to be serious about the investment involved. Typical costs for smart home automation projects start at a minimum of £10,000 but are likely to be higher. The higher the budget, the more that can be done on the project.

SLOW INTERNET

Some areas struggle with low speed internet. Since smart home automation takes full advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT), the system will need to be connected to your home’s internet service. For a smooth running system, your internet provider will need to offer reasonable speeds, especially if you want to use the internet for regular use on top.

STILL UNDECIDED?

If you’re still weighing things up regarding a smart home automation system for yourself, that’s fine. It’s a big decision to make and big decisions take time. However, before you make a decision either way, we invite you to experience one of our smart home showrooms for yourself.

You’ll get the opportunity to see the full capabilities of a smart home and also have the chance to ask questions about your own ideas, recommended equipment, recommended budgets, timescales etc. As the saying goes, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!