With the start of a new year, 2023 is expected to be a year of technological advancement and progress. In 2023, the smart home concept is the way to go, and being environmentally forward-thinking is the way to go. Smart home automation ideas abound on the Internet, and many individuals have chosen to live a smart lifestyle.
Nowadays, technology and smart products are very much intertwined in our lives. From the latest handheld devices to voice-activated systems like Alexa, most of us use these items every day for many tasks, but with one purpose in mind: to make our lives easier. Smart home technology is based on this. However, in a market saturated with clever devices it's hard to know where to start – especially when many of them come with hefty price tags.
Every home has at least a basic level of heating, lighting and security. Smart home central heating systems can help you keep a close eye on energy consumption, essential to the current boom in utility prices. Smart home technology, however, can give you maximum control over how the building operates – by increasing efficiency and saving you money over the long term. If you are thinking the same way, here are 20 smart home ideas to make your life easier as well as make your home smarter.
How To Build a Smart Home on A Budget?
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Your Network Matters
A solid home networking setup and a strong and reliable network are vital to a smooth-running smart home. We've written a blog on the best Wi-Fi routers for smart homes to steer you in the right direction. You'll also want to optimize your network: Here are five networking tips to implement immediately to improve smart home network performance. You can take, help from the Reasonable Interior Designers in Chennai so they can guide you through this process.
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Start Small, But Plan It Out First
While it's tempting to buy all the smart home tech you can right away, it's not always the best idea. Create a "map" of your smart home first. This will give you an idea of what you'll need and how much you'll need to budget. Start with just a few tools at first, then build up from there. The installation process isn't always smooth, although it has improved. Check out our Smart Home Beginner's Guide for recommendations on where to start.
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Consider A Smart Home Hub
While most smart home devices use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet, choosing devices that connect to dedicated smart hubs can save you money and bandwidth on your home network. The Smart Hub connects directly to the router, freeing up your Wi-Fi network for other devices. Generally, hub-dependent smart devices are significantly cheaper than their Wi-Fi-enabled counterparts. SmartThings and the Wynk Smart Hub are two of the most commonly used.
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Use A Smart Speaker (Or Smart Displays)
With so many companies making smart home gadgets, the number of apps you'll need will soon dwindle. Consider using a smart speaker or smart display to control your devices with voice commands. It's very fast. Our priority is Amazon Alexa. However, we have also published a comparison between Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri which you might want to read.
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However, Don’t Stick with One Platform
When purchasing smart home devices, make sure they're compatible with at least two of the three major smart speaker platforms: Alexa, Google, and Apple HomeKit. That way, if you decide to switch platforms, it's much less painful, and all your devices are guaranteed to work.
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Use Geofencing
While the term sounds super complicated, geofencing is very simple. When you enter and leave your home, your smart home turns on (or off) devices in and around your home based on your settings. This is especially useful in smart thermostats, so you're not heating or cooling an empty house.
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Get to Know Your Home’s Wiring
While most smart home devices won't require you to connect them to a power source, some will. In older homes, you may find missing wiring, such as the ground or neutral wire at switches and plugs or the "C" wire at your thermostat. If this is the case, your home wiring is inconsistent.
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Opt for Smart Light Switches Over Smart Lights
Replacing the switches that control your lights is a better idea in most cases than using smart bulbs. We had to tape up some of the switches initially because family members kept using the switches, completely disabling the lights! I guess old habits die hard. Check out our smart lighting guide for tips on smart lighting and smart switches.
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Expect Issues
I've used smart home technology for about a decade and a half now, and while I can tell you that things have definitely gotten a lot better in terms of reliability and performance, there are still hiccups. The great thing is that there is a helpful community, and chances are someone has had the same problem at some point! We cover some of the most common problems in our smart home troubleshooting guide.
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Hardwire Where Possible, Or Use Solar Power
Smart home devices are, by and large, battery-powered. While it's nice to be able to place these devices anywhere, in a large smart home, there are plenty of batteries to keep up with. Alternatives to hardwired smart devices: Many have backup battery power in case the power goes out.
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IFTTT is Your Best Friend
IFTTT stands for "If This Then That" and is a service that allows you to connect all kinds of smart home devices. Most smart devices are not natively compatible with those from other manufacturers, and IFTTT is one way of doing this. Plus, in our opinion, it makes owning a smart home that much more valuable.
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Understand How Your Smart Home Data Is Used
When purchasing a smart home device, make sure you understand how your data is used by that device. For example, a smart thermostat purchased from an electric company may come with a stipulation that it may change its setting during times of high energy use. While there is much exaggeration about what these companies collect, there are a few things you should know. There's more in our blog on smart home privacy.
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Do Not Reuse Passwords, Or Better Yet, Opt for Passwordless Options
Protect your smart home by choosing complex and unique passwords for your online accounts for your devices. If the company offers a passwordless option, use it.
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Give Your Devices Unique Names
No, don't give them a name like Bob, or Matt, or Kelly (unless you want to). Give each one a name in their app based on where they are or something recognizable. This makes it very easy to understand what is happening when you receive a notification, especially from a motion or door sensor. Your smart speaker will often use these same names to allow you to control them by voice, so make them easy to speak as well.
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Don’t Forget About the Outside
There are many great outdoor smart devices out there, from smart sprinklers to robotic lawn mowers and smart lighting. While you must build your indoor smart home setup first, we've found that our mower and outdoor lights have made our yard safer and tidier. It's a luxury, yes, but it was worth it!
Recommended Read: 15 Outdoor Landscape Lighting Ideas for Your Yard
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Cheap Isn’t Always Bad
Smart home technology can be expensive, so it's natural for people to look for ways to save money. But unlike a lot of gadgets, many cheap smart devices are pretty darn good. One of our favorites in this price range is the Wyze. The company's smart gadgets — which include smart bulbs, a smart lock, a smart video doorbell, a smart plug, and more — perform well in our experience, and customer support is excellent.
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A Smart Lighting System is the Easiest to Install
If you want to dip your toes into smart home technology then opt for smart lighting. They're the easiest smart home device to set up and use, and the ability to change colors is fun. It's also a great place to start since other smart devices can control these lights.
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Set Up Routines
If you use your smart home devices in a certain way on a day-to-day basis, set up a routine to handle them all at once. With Alexa and the Google Assistant, they're called routines; Siri calls them "automations". This way, a single phrase like "good morning" can control all of these devices at once.
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Be Wary of Big Promises
While this isn't a huge problem among smart device makers, from time to time these companies make big promises about how "revolutionary" the device is when it really isn't. However, many people on the internet (us included) actually review these devices to verify the claims they make. It is important to buy from reputed companies and vendors.
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Keep Your Smart Home Devices Up to Date
Most smart home device manufacturers regularly update the firmware of the devices they sell. In our experience, most devices do this automatically. However, it is worth checking back from time to time to ensure that these updates are being downloaded and applied.
Our smart home automation tips aren’t finished… keep reading below!
Building the Best Home Automation System
When you're building the perfect smart home, there are a few things you need to consider. For example, lighting is one of the most important areas for this technique, so you'll want to make sure your lights fit well. You can even add in other devices and equipment! The great thing about home automation technology is that it's constantly evolving – which means there will always be new things available for you to take advantage of.
One of the best ideas for where to start building your smart home is to start with your lighting. You can choose different lights that will be ideal for you in different rooms of your home (you will need both bulbs and light fixtures). Afterwards, see what other appliances might work well for automation—such as a refrigerator or oven.
Budget
I know we harp on budget concerns throughout this guide, but we can't hide that building a smart home can get pretty expensive quickly (that's why we've rounded up this site to highlight the best smart home deals). Have started to!). However, there are some excellent low-cost options out there that work just as well as the larger ones.
If you have a limited budget to start with, the best smart home gadget for you will be the one that has the most immediate utility. That's why we recommend either a smart light or a video doorbell, as both of these devices serve as the base of your smart home.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there are a wide variety of smart home design ideas that can enhance the convenience, comfort, and efficiency of your home. From smart lighting and thermostats to home security systems and entertainment systems, the possibilities are nearly endless.
When designing your smart home, it's important to consider your lifestyle, preferences, and budget. You should also think about the various devices and technologies that will be integrated into your system, as well as the level of automation and control you want to have.
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