In the last couple of years, there have been massive developments in home automation. The invention of Alexa and various other smart speakers only happened this decade, and are now a key feature of almost every home.
However, if you are thinking about making your home fully automated (or a ‘smart home’ as it is more commonly known), you may be worried about whether or not it is worth the cost. Here’s everything you need to know about home automation, benefits of smart technology and some of the best smart products for your home.
What is Home Automation?
Put simply, home automation is the automatic control of electronic devices in your home. These devices can be controlled by your phone, and are all connected by the internet.
Home automation means that you can control a huge number of your devices from your phone, or even your voice. You can turn lights on, turn your heating on, and control many other appliances with the touch of a button.
Benefits of Smart Technology
If you are thinking about making your house a ‘smart home’, chances are you are worried whether or not it will be financially worthwhile, as some smart devices can be quite expensive. Here are some reasons why home automation is a good investment:
- Convenient: perhaps the greatest reason to make your house a smart home is that it is super convenient. With a home automation system, you can control your lighting, heating and electronic devices with a remote, your phone or even your voice. As long as you have internet access, you can access your smart devices from anywhere in the world.
- Allows you to save energy and money: although the initial cost of a smart home may be quite expensive, it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Sometimes we forget to turn lights and appliances off when we leave a room. With home automation, you will waste no electricity, as lights will turn off automatically when you leave the room. You can also control your heating from your phone, meaning that you can turn your heating off when you are not in the house and don’t have to waste energy. If you are looking for other ways to save money on your utility bill, check out comparison websites, and see if you could save money by switching to a better energy provider (like Dominion Energy).
- Keeps your home safe: If you are worried about the safety of your house every time you leave it for a longer period of time, home automation can help. If you invest in security cameras and alarms, you will be able to check up on your house while you are away from it. Many smart cameras can be connected to your phone, meaning that
What Are the Best Smart Products for Your Home
If you are thinking about home automation, here are some of the best smart products you can buy:
- Smart thermostat: if you really want to lower your energy bills, a smart thermostat is one of the best ways to do this. Instead of leaving your heating on all the time, or having to wait for ages for your home to heat up when you get home from work, a smart thermostat will allow you to have proper control over your heating system.
- Smart light bulbs: these can be fairly expensive, but can save you a lot of money on energy in the long run. These bulbs can be controlled with an app or your voice, which means that you will never forget to turn them off, even if you are not in the room.
- Smart speaker: a smart speaker will allow you to control all aspects of your home with your voice. It will also allow you to play music all around your house effortlessly.