The Ultimate Guide To An Automated Smart Home

Picture the scene: you walk into the house, press a button and, hey presto, your home comes to life. Nope, it’s not a scene from a sci-fi movie but the basic workings of a smart home.

As a mother, living with a child can be demanding. There’s getting out of the car holding the baby and the shopping. Or, there’s trying to get the kids into the car with minimal fuss! Moms need to use as much effort as possible, which is where a smart home comes in handy.

You can’t just click your fingers and watch the magic happen. Only automated property owners have that pleasure.

To exploit the benefits, you first have to transform your home into a smart haven.

Here are the basics every mom slash homeowner must know.

Wifi Is Paramount

The entire house will be held together by an internet connection, so the router is essential.

Having one installed isn’t enough because it has to be of high quality. Sadly, even modern Wifi packages can drop-out or lose connection in a relatively small space. If this ever happens, the whole property will lose power, or go down as the geeks like to say.

Aside from choosing a reputable supplier, make sure the entire property has a router nearby. Adding a box in the kitchen or on the landing upstairs are two ways to guarantee a connection regardless of your location. The great thing is Wifi providers tend to offer a multi-room package for a tiny fee, so it won’t break the bank.

Work It Out

Pamela down the street might have a smart home with all the trimmings, but it means nothing. You are the one who has to live in your automated house, which means you have to decide on the extent of the automation.

In fact, this is without a doubt the essential part of transforming a run of the mill property into a smart home. Consider the elements that are crucial, the ones that you would like, and the others that are unnecessary.

For example, lots of houses have automated lighting because it helps to cut costs on energy. The same goes for gas and electric.

Security is another area which might be incredibly important (or in our case totally unnecessary as we live in a Security Estate).

Once you have all of the moving parts, write them down and create a plan. A detailed ‘map’ will help when you deal with the installer.

Don’t Be Dismissive

When you think of pointless automation, there will be a few which springs to mind. And, you will be correct for the most part. But, don’t dismiss your list out of hand before evaluating the pros and cons.

Garage doors seem innocuous, yet they can play a major role in the life of a juggling mom. Having to get out of the car, leave the kids and open it by hand is energy-sapping and risky. Who knows what the little ones will get up to in that time?

Simply being able to press a button from the comfort of the car is safe and easy. Then, all you have to do is park up and walk from the garage to main house.

Sometimes, smart appliances – clapper – are indulgent and a waste of time and money. Other equipment can save a tiny amount of energy, and it can be a godsend to a parent.

Consider Brand Loyalty

Samsung wants its customers to believe that they need to buy their products and theirs alone, yet it’s not true. You can, dependent on the operating systems, mix different manufacturers. However, there are advantages of brand loyalty regarding a smart home.

For instance, Apple products sync and connect with one another to maintain performance. And, because they are from the Steve Jobs School of technology, there should be zero issues. When you have an iOS and an Android system working in harmony, there are bound to be issues, big or small.

Plus, don’t forget about the aesthetics. Merging suppliers can seem gaudy and tacky, which isn’t very appealing. One or two brands look less cluttered and make the house appear modern and fresh.

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Download The Apps

Another reason to stick with one brand is applications. The point of a smart home is that you can control it from a cell phone or a mobile device.

But, you don’t want dozens of apps clogging up the iPad. For one thing, it’s bad for the speed of the device, and you need it to be on point for the sake of automation. Secondly, it’s complicated. Having one app which you can open and view is straightforward and simple to control.

Anyone that doesn’t want to be loyal to one company should sync appliances. That way, the apps will merge and the data should be visible at the touch of a button.

Otherwise, create a folder on your device that is home to every app to save time and energy. Some people will say ‘no, you should use the login option online’ but don’t listen to them.

Browsing the Web is less efficient than opening an application and turning down the heating or checking the security cameras. Always download the apps.

Stay In Touch

‘Okay, you are ready to go’ says the installer and you never hear from him or her again. Sounds like a perfect job but it’s never fine to fall out of contact.

The installer is your first point of call should there be a problem in the future. If he or she isn’t available, the entire house could go down for days or weeks. A simple phone call and they will be around as soon as possible, which is why you need to keep them on speed dial.

Plus, updates aren’t always accessible to the homeowner. Sometimes, the manufacturer or the supplier has to okay an update and you will need permission. Speaking to the installer can bypass the red tape and green-light the upgrade in a matter of minutes.

Are you looking to automate your home? What areas do you think will be the most challenging?

Make Your Home Smart Home