Home automation is part of the "The Internet of Things” (IoT). With home automation, you can build out an environment that works for you and your family, keeping everyone connected and making everyone’s life easier and safer.

When your devices and appliances are networked together, you obtain a seamless control over all aspects of your home and more. You can have speakers that talk to you and play your favorite music, lights that anticipate your arrival, and doorbells that display videos of your visitors. All this with just a few swipes or a single voice command. The dream of making your home smart is now a reality.

Home Automation is a smart spend, but you have to get it right.

Yes, you can enhance what you love most about your home and personalized the way you live but setting up a seamless automation experience can be complicated.

In 2020 many of us have even added more technology at home. Whole home office setups with wireless routers and connected printers, and projector systems for home movie nights, as we can’t go to theaters. This simply means there are more users trying to get online at once.

Plus, every room in the house has now gone digital. Lights connect to phones, waterproof Bluetooth speakers give you something to sing about in the shower, refrigerators track what should be on your shopping list with barcode scanning.

But smart technology does not come cheap. When investing in a smart home, make sure you set it up correctly. When new devices aren't connected, you miss opportunities to add convenience at home.

Setting up your smart home.

Accumulating digital technology for the home is one thing, but using it effectively is another. First, you need to be sure you are connecting your new tech correctly. Home automation is more difficult than the marketers would have you to believe.

In one study of the Internet of Things and its reach, only 43% of owners used their smart devices daily. So, people were paying the premium for a smart thermostat or IoT door lock but were not relying on that product, often because they didn’t know how to leverage its full capabilities.

Yes, you can often set up a single device with a push of a button, connecting it to your home network, but connecting your devices harmoniously requires more work.

Many smart home devices rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology to connect. You’ll have access to an app that you can install on your smart phone or laptop computer. The device will need a power source and to be within range of the internet router.

Connecting to the internet can be a first stumbling block. A device may be out of range of a router, for instance, and thick walls or competing signals can challenge device connectivity. This makes physical placement of the device and the router important considerations.

You also have to set up the software. Each device has settings to maximize that speaker, smart TV, or thermostat for your home needs. It's a traditional headache!

Plus, every device added could degrade connection quality or speed for the others. It gets a little like playing Jenga, although in this case it’s adding that next piece that could cause the home network to fall down.

A safer place to live and work.

Imagine getting a notification to your phone every time a water leak is detected. Or an alert when smoke is identified in a certain room of your home. With Smart sensors you can detect motion in your home and keep a close eye to mantain it secure at all times. Receive alerts when your front door has been unlocked. There are countless smart devices ready to secure and protect your place.

Efficiency and convenience, the greatest advantages.

Setting it up right, home automation works efficiently for you, saving money on utility bills, performing tasks simultaneously, preventing water damages, and working only when you want it to work. You can also save energy with smart light bulbs and thermostats.

The possibilities are there for you to choose:

• Dim your lights with smart lighting. Make the light bulbs last longer and save money on your electric bill.

• Program your thermostat with temperature preferences throughout the day to ensure it’s using as little energy as possible. You can turn down the heat while you are gone and to turn it back on when you get home.

• Schedule lights to turn on and off at certain times of the day and night.

• Program electrical outlets and specific devices in your home to automatically power down to save energy. With motion detection systems you can shut electronics off once everyone has left the room.

• Turn off appliances remotely. For example, if you forget to turn off a curling iron, you can access it remotely and turn it off immediately.

• Program your sprinkler system so you don’t waste water.

• Obtain insurance discounts having a home security system installed.

Home automation provides convenience in your everyday life and allows you to personalize the way you live. Turn your lights on and off with the touch of a button, ask Siri to start your iRobot Roomba vacuum when your children went to bed, unlock your front door from anywhere in the world with smart locks from Savant Entry Systems, and listen to your favorite music with Sonos 3D Sound System. Make your life easier.

Help with your smart home set up.

You may know that computer businesses help with computer technology, but did you know we can also help you configure a smart home? We know how to install the software and integrate devices to get the best out of your technology. We can configure your router to prioritize certain devices, or we can set up parental controls where needed, plus, we’ll make sure that all devices are secure.

Lights and locks, doorbells and cameras, speakers, shades and sprinkler systems: you can find pretty much anything for the home sold as a smart device. Don’t try to be a genius to get them set up at home. Simply call us for help, 305 400 0992.