Smart homes create an interconnected living environment by integrating various devices and systems, ensuring seamless functioning and enhancing automation and convenience.
Do You Already Have a Smart Home System?
That depends on whether you believe you do, or what you mean by system. Look around and you may see smart home devices in some very unexpected places. The price of computer chips is so low now that you might have a smart toothbrush in the bathroom, a smart doorbell camera on the front porch, smart light bulbs and switches in any room and a smart TV in the living room. Almost every electronic device these days comes with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity and an app from Google Play or the App Store. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Nest devices can serve as central hubs for smart home ecosystems. They use old-fashioned sound waves to listen to you give orders and play music back, plus they control lots of other devices. I even already had a smart bird feeder with a camera and many other sensors and connectivity, yet another smart device:
There are more: Ember coffee mugs, Oral-B toothbrushes and Tile trackers, just to name a few. You get used to using their smartphone apps to get the most out of them. A smart home system can help you link them all together. That way, you can create timers, routines and automations. You can make all your connected gadgets do what you want, when you want. Everything can be connected to one app, you can use your phone, or a desktop or a laptop as well and you will be able to control things with voice commands using a voice assistant.
Benefits of a Smart Home System
-
Smart thermostats, window blinds and lights can save energy and reduce utility bills.
-
Smart cameras, alarms and motions sensors can improve home security and safety.
-
Smart speakers can enhance daily life with voice control and automation and your music in every room.
-
A smart home system can be integrated with the devices and smart home platforms you might already be using.
Choosing the Right Smart Devices
You may already have the main components of a smart home system. They have existed in various forms for half a century – you might remember the X-10 line of plugs and switches that used an early form of communicating over powerlines. What’s available now has come a long way, just as you would expect. In the twenty-first century, there’s Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Ikea’s Dirigera and many others.
Any of those with give you an ability to control smart devices, especially the ones from the same company’s ecosystem. In some ways, that’s good. You will have made the decision about your brand of choice and will only have to make it once. That’s one way to do it, but maybe you are not there yet or maybe you are not completely happy with a particular brand or maybe you just are wondering what else is out there. Maybe you are overwhelmed with information about Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter and other things just coming out. The best smart home devices, such as smart thermostats, smart plugs and smart lights, will integrate seamlessly with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, enhancing home automation and connectivity.
Ten years ago, I decided to go with a hub that supported Z-Wave and got a lot of smart plugs and a smart thermostat (all of which I still have and still use). It worked perfectly and was useful for programming the smart lights to make it look like we were home when we were on vacation and have the lights go on at convenient times when we weren’t. LED lights don’t use a lot of power, but the smart thermostat controlled the furnace, which does. It could be programmed to turn itself down at night and back up in the morning and way down when we were not at home. Another plus was that it worked with Amazon Alexa, so we could use voice control. However, that model hub was discontinued and no longer got updates. Its connection to the thermostat got less reliable and more and newer gadgets came along that it couldn’t control. In particular, a Withings smart scale and sleep tracker became important sources of data. They connected to Wi-Fi and to each other but they didn’t fit in with Z-Wave. They worked with IFTT, so following up on that led me to Home Assistant.
A Home Assistant Green box was the least expensive and easiest way to go, although since it’s open source, it’s possible to run it on many platforms. The software was preinstalled, so plug it into power and connect it to your network with an ethernet cable and it will start to find things. The old Z-Wave hub linked it to the old smart plugs and the thermostat, saving me the $35 a USB Z-Wave dongle would cost, and it integrated with Alexa and Google Home. A Bluetooth dongle connected it to the toothbrush and assorted other devices and things like the TV and soundbar joined up on their own. The connectivity was astonishing and all of a sudden almost everything in the house could be controlled from one app. Although a cloud subscription enables some convenient features like backups and remote access, one of its main positive features is that the whole smart home system is local. You’re not at the mercy of Amazon, Google or IFTT and don’t need to worry about their service outages or privacy issues.
There is something of a learning curve and there is a tremendous amount of things you can do in terms of automations and deciding what you want to have available on your “dashboard,” the opening page of the app. However, there is a large and active online community, some of whom specialize in various areas, so a little searching will help you find the answer to any questions you have.
Smart Home Hubs and Platforms
A smart home hub is the central device that connects and controls all your smart devices.
Popular smart home platforms include Home Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Homey Pro.
Smart home hubs can be controlled using voice assistants or smartphone apps. A smart display like the Home Assistant dashboard or the Google Home or Alexa app can serve as central control panels for managing connected devices, offering customizable interfaces, live feeds from security cameras and intuitive controls that enhance the smart home experience.
Smart home platforms can integrate with multiple devices and brands.
Smart Home Security and Automation
Smart security cameras can detect motion and send alerts to your phone or email. An outdoor security camera with features like motion detection and high resolution can significantly enhance your home security by monitoring and deterring potential threats. You can start with a smart doorbell like a Ring or a Reolink that can allow you to see and hear who’s on the other side of your front door. Smart locks can grant access to specific people or times. Smart home automation can be set up to control lights, appliances and more.
Setting Up and Using Your Smart Home System
Setting up a smart home system is generally simple and easy.
Nearly all smart devices can be controlled using voice assistants or smartphone apps. Smart gadgets play a crucial role in enhancing automation and convenience when integrated with a smart home platform.
Smart home systems can be integrated with multiple devices and brands.
Smart home systems can be controlled remotely using a smartphone app.
Troubleshooting and Maintenance
-
Common issues with smart home devices include connectivity problems and compatibility issues.
-
Troubleshooting tips include restarting devices and checking for software updates.
-
Regular maintenance can help prevent issues and ensure smooth operation.
-
Smart home devices can be updated and maintained remotely using a smartphone app.
Future of Smart Home Technology
-
Smart home technology is expected to continue growing and evolving.
-
New features and devices are being developed, such as smart home hubs with built-in Matter smart home hubs.
-
Smart home technology is expected to become more integrated and seamless.
-
Smart home devices are expected to become more affordable and accessible.