Is The Hype Behind A Smart Home Worth It?
Smart homes are for the future, and the future is now. Home automation is exactly what it sounds like: automatic lights, motion sensor technology, voice-controlled appliances. However there is the question of how great all of this technology is – is it as perfect as it seems?
There are so many ways to automate a home, it doesn’t always have to be everything all at once. You can install a smart door lock or a smart light that still constitutes home automation. There are many more smart home devices and appliances like smart thermostats, smart cameras, smart plugs and switches, smoke detectors, smart sprinklers, and garage doors. Each of these has its own benefits other than adding that fancy touch of automation to ordinary household devices.
Benefits of a Smart Home
A combination of smart home devices can turn any normal home into a smart home. Every smart device and appliance obviously brings with it its own advantages but they all have some common ones as well, the very first being convenience.
- Convenience
The majority of smart devices offer the convenience of being controlled through smartphone and tablet apps that make remote access easier. In a world where everything has become so fast-paced, you would find anything to make even the simplest of tasks convenient to do. For instance, smart lights can be controlled remotely which means you won’t have to get out of bed to turn the lights off, or even be present at home to turn on the porch lights.
Some smart devices are even compatible with other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including voice assistants – all that voice control technology is quite easier to access than you thought it was.
- Energy-Efficiency & Money-Saving
Another huge benefit to not just yourselves but the environment too is that smart homes allow for energy-saving and cutting back on utility bills simultaneously. Considering these devices have remote control, people can easily switch their devices on or off to save energy and unnecessary billing on utilities like electricity and heating.
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Smart sprinklers are ideal for monitoring water consumption – they use the forecast as well as other factors to control how and when the yard should be watered, and by how much.
Are Smart Homes Really Worth It
Investing in a smart home definitely has its perks but oftentimes people may underestimate what actually goes into taking such a route. There are certain factors that must be taken into consideration before changing the way your house works.
- Cost
Purchasing certain categories of smart home products, and even installation costs can be quite significant and sometimes heavy on homeowners. There is a reason they’re considered as investments because though they may be expensive, smart home devices do offer a return in their own ways to the consumer.
- Internet Connectivity
For smart devices to really work to their full potential, it is crucial to have a reliable, consistent internet connection. These devices work while being connected to Wi-Fi – a disruption in the internet connectivity could cause a hiccup in their functioning. That means having routers and modems that cover greater square footage to provide full signals in every corner, and even changing the internet package to increase the speed.
- Electrical Surges
Power surges occur quite frequently for several reasons, but they are quite damaging to electronics in a household. From laptop and phone chargers to hardware appliances, anything could be at risk of damage. Smart homes of course require smart devices to be installed in homes – and the ones that get plugged into a power outlet are definitely at risk of getting damaged by electrical surges.
This could be resolved to a certain extent by Electrical Surge Coverage programs. You can easily find affordable ones at First Engery Home’s website.
- Security
By now it is established knowledge that smart home devices are Wi-Fi enabled and can be controlled through mobile applications that can be downloaded onto smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc. However, this does pose a security risk in terms of information and security codes leaking. People must be extremely careful as to who they give out such sensitive information to because it essentially means providing access to their home and private property.