The fast pace of advancement in technology is taking over all areas of our lives, especially our lifestyle. Embedding technology into everyday tasks has added a lot to the convenience of humans.
Amongst these enhancements and rapidly growing technology come smart home automation which has proven itself to be one of the trendiest developments of all time.
In this blog, Graana.com gives you a closer look and insight so you can learn all about smart home automation systems.
What is Smart Home Automation System?
The technology used to automate your home is known as smart home automation technology. The process of smart home automation gives you the permission to control all aspects of your home through IoT (internet of things)
With passing time smart home automation technology has grown and its potential has not stopped as of yet. It can be used in multiple aspects, for example, you can use it to control appliances, to manage your home security, you can even use it as your personal assistant and the list goes on.
Smart home automation has become the fastest growing technology in the world which is rooted in the invention of thermostats and gradually took over to connect with the entire house.
How does a Smart Home Automation System Operate?
Technology is different all over the world and the operations of smart home automation systems vary. Every country and company make a smart home automation system according to their needs and hence it works accordingly.
X10 was the first industry standard for smart home automation systems.
To connect devices to one another with wiring and radio frequency, x10 was used. Now, Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Insteon are the leading protocols for smart home automation.
Two Ways to Operate a Smart Home Automation System
- Central System
- App-based
Central System:
The central system takes responsibility as the primary source that allows everything to be under your control. With this system, you can control the temperature, lights, phone, dryer, washer, etc. For private residences and businesses, this is has been a game-changer and a very popularly used technology almost everywhere in the world.
Coming to security systems, the central system is the most commonly used smart home automation system. Access to this system is through computers, smartphones, or tablets making it extremely convenient to use.
Pros & Cons of Central System
The central system although proves to be extremely beneficial might have just a few drawbacks that you need to keep in mind. Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of a central system.
Pros of the system are something that no one can deny, it helps you to access all different aspects of the house just from this one single device. Whether it’s your home security system or controlling your thermostat, you can easily control everything from the central system.
With all these advantages, comes the factor of cost which comes out as one of the cons of the system. The central systems are expensive and require additional cost for installation by a professional.
It also requires professional maintenance from time to time, which can also factor in as to why it comes out relatively expensive overall.
Besides this, another factor that can lead to you reconsidering before buying this system is that there are a very limited number of devices that can be linked with the central system.
This means that central systems are not very inclusive. For instance, if you want to buy a new dryer, you will have to look for one that can connect with the central system easily, because not all dryers will be compatible with it.
App-based System:
App-based smart devices are used by connecting your devices to WIFI. Your smart home devices are connected to the internet and you can communicate with the home automation devices and direct your task to them from anywhere.
App-based smart home automation systems are popular because they are super easy to use.
Basics of a Smart Home Automation System
Some basic appliances and functions that are connected to the system for smart home automation are listed as follows. These are super easy to install and very affordable as well.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats help control the heating or air conditioning of your house from any place.
The best thing about smart thermostats is that it helps you schedule turning on and off of the system so that there is no wastage of energy.
With advanced technology, some thermostats have a sensor and they sense it themselves whenever there is a need for a temperature change.
Smart Speakers
Smart speakers can do a lot more than just play music. They can search songs for you on the internet, tell you about the weather updates, give you a brief on the news, in fact, they act as a personal assistant for you.
Smart speakers are therefore a central control hub for your entire smart home system. Through smart speakers, you can ask Alexa or Siri to open the door or to turn on or off the lights.
If you are planning to get smart speakers, just make sure to check if the devices and speakers are compatible with each other or not.
Video Doorbells
Video doorbells are perfect when it comes to home security. They are popular for not only sensing and alerting when there is someone at the door but also for providing a video of who it is at the door.
If you want to communicate and ask, intercom technology helps you do just that, assisting in giving you that extra layer of security.
Light Automation
Don’t feel like getting up and turning off the lights? Or is the lamp just too bright? Smart home automation covers all that.
Light automation is an excellent feature that comes in extremely handy for days, whether you are having a dinner party, studying, or just want to relax.
Smart light switches can be controlled by an app and also provide you with a variety of lighting options such as dimming or sharpening the light. It’s a great option to switch from regular bulbs to smart bulbs.
Robot Vacuums
source: 10bestones.com
To make life easy, robot vacuums play a great role. They can be easily controlled by your smart devices. Most of these vacuums come with an in-built artificial intelligence feature through which they can stream video and pictures to your smart device, besides their role of cleaning up any mess on the floor.
Benefits of a Smart Kitchen
Smart Refrigerators
Smart refrigerators have a variety and all of them vary in capabilities. If you cannot keep track of when you are running out of groceries, smart refrigerators have got your back.
They will alert you what products you need to buy or if you have left the door open unintentionally. Many of the smart refrigerators have a monitor that can stream video as well.
Additionally, some smart refrigerators offer you a notification through two options. Some display all the information on the unit, and some send it to an app on your device.
Smart Ovens
If you have a smart oven installed in your home, you can control it from anywhere. You can easily set the time and temperature for whatever item you want to be cooked.
Smart ovens can also be controlled through Alexa. You don’t need to worry if you don’t have time to cook, you just have to place the food in the oven, set the timer and temperature manually and your food will be ready!
Smart Dishwasher
Smart dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators work on similar apps because mostly all these products are built by the same companies.
Smart dishwashers are helpful because they keep a check on the status of wash, they notify you once the dishes have been done. This definitely makes life easy and hassle-free.
Smart Laundry
Smart dryers and washers are similar to smart dishwashers. You can check on the status, start or stop the laundry and even receive a notification when laundry is done.
Smart Trash Cans
The best thing about smart trash cans is that they are odour-controlling and touch-free. These trash cans also come with a barcode feature. If you are throwing away anything, you just have to scan the code and it will be automatically added to your grocery list.
Smart Fans
Just like thermostats, smart fans can be controlled from your phone, you can set the temperature, turn it on or off easily from anywhere, and also smart fans themselves can sense when to increase or decrease the temperature.
Smart Floors
By smart floors, it means, floors that are temperature-controlled and you have the access to it from your phone. Heated floors give a luxurious vibe, not a lot of products have been launched for this yet but there are a few thermostats that help you control the floor heating system.
Smart/Automated Sprinklers
Having a beautiful lawn is what everyone looks for, but maintaining it is, of concern. Automated sprinklers have made life easy in this regard. They are app-controlled and you can easily set a schedule from your phone when to turn on and off the sprinkler.
Smart Home Security Features
Whether it’s your business or your home, installing a smart security system is a great idea to add that extra shield of security that you need to keep your space safe.
Following are some smart security features that can make a difference when keeping the security of your home or business office in mind.
Video Surveillance
With this technology, you can keep a check at your house 24/7. If you think there has been a fake alarm, video surveillance will help you have a look if it’s a genuine alarm or not by footage on your smart device.
Automated Locks
If you are not sure that you have locked the door and windows or not, automated locks have got your back, you don’t need to worry now. You can easily control the locks from your smart device from anywhere.
Sensors
Smart sensors are mostly used on entry points of your space such as doors or windows. They notify you if someone has used your entry point and if you have video surveillance installed at that point, you can easily see who it is.
Things to Keep In Mind Before Installing Smart Home System
After getting to know about Smart Home System amenities, we need to have a look at the things that need to be kept in mind before installing a smart home automation system at your home.
Pick an Ecosystem
This basically means that when you plan to shop for your smart system make sure that you figure out which ecosystem suits and works the best for you. The systems present in the market include Amazon Alexa, Google Nest, and Apple Home kit. To figure out which one to install is super easy.
If you have devices such as iPhone, iPad, or MacBook then you should definitely go for the Apple home kit and if you have Android devices then you should choose Google Nest.
Everything will work smoothly if you choose one ecosystem rather than going for multiple.
Amazon Alexa
Amazon Alexa is compatible with a large number of devices unlike any other. If you want to use Alexa from your smartphone you will have to install the application and before giving any command you will have to open the app.
Alexa can easily run your commands, whether that may be asking it to turn off the lights or turning on the television, etc.
Google Nest
The voice assistant, known as google assistant is smart enough to talk to you in a conversational style and follow up on your commands. Google assistant works with android devices and responds swiftly to your queries.
Apple Home Kit
source: Macrumors
Apple home kit is a great option for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook users. Apple has a strict policy over third-party control therefore only owners of Apple products can have access to the apple home kit.
Therefore you will not be able to find a lot of home kit-supported devices. This platform is the safest and easy to use. Unlike others, it collects less data by default.
Wi-Fi
A reliable WIFI connection is a prime requirement for installing a smart home system. The two most used frequencies are 2.4GHz and 5GHz because both of these offer fast speed. Other than this the gadgets that you buy, need to support WIFI 6 or WIFI 6E.
Profusion or congestion of WIFI signals can be a problem, this happens when multiple devices are connected to a single WIFI network. This problem can be solved by checking how busy your WIFI is through an app.
Look for a Good Spot
For smart home devices, you must look for a suitable spot at your house, office, or wherever you want to install the system. Two main things that shall be kept in mind include a strong WIFI signal spot and a power outlet.
Tips to Work the Smart Automation System Smoothly
You must choose the right name for your system and be consistent in it. Your voice commands should be clear and precise, only then the system will be able to understand them.
If you have multiple things in the room you can always number them to make it easy for the smart device to understand. For example, if you have three lights in one room, you can name them light 1, light 2, and light 3.
By this, you can easily direct your smart device without causing any confusion about which light has to be turned off.
Conclusion:
This all-inclusive blog by Graana.com is a great insight into smart home automation systems. You need to look for the best devices and products that suit your requirements and install a smart home automation system to make life easy and convenient.
If you have installed a smart home automation system, let us know how it has been beneficial for you?
