A smart home is your house but smarter and more automated. Today’s home is full of things like televisions, washing machines, pressure washers, lawnmowers and fridges. Why use these things manually when you can just ask the machine to do the job for you? Or would it be better if your security camera could tell you if there was somebody suspicious outside your house? What if your boiler could just operate the heating for you so the house was at your peak level of comfort? Your house can do just that! This blog will help any intrepid DIYer to make their house better.
How do I make my home Smart?
At the centre of a smart home is a smart hub. This is like a computer that tells all of your household devices what to do and when and how. Smart hubs are now made by all of the big tech companies and you’ve probably even heard of one. Alexa from Amazon, Google home and NEST by Google, and AppleKit from Apple are probably the main ones.
So what kind of things can be controlled via the Smart hub?
Heating – One of the most popular things. Your boiler can be told what to do while you are away from the house. You can control it indoors by the swipe of your mobile phone. No need to get up to a freezing cold house in the morning! Nest from Google is one of the many examples.
Security cameras – Remotely see who’s near your house or keep an eye on who’s in the house. Workmen for example, or the kids!
Door bells/Cameras – See who’s at the door from the bedroom or the toilet. Waiting for a parcel delivery? You could see if there’s someone you are waiting for at the door or someone you’d rather avoid!
Lighting – Save money with intelligent dimming. Have the lights come on as you enter the house. Maybe set lights to slowly turn on when it gets dark. This is available in a lot of offices so not a new thing by any means.
Audio – Stream your favourite music, radio and podcasts throughout the house or play in certain zones.
Visual – Control TVs, home cinema, security feeds, YouTube all from one place. Have them connected intelligently rather than from one bottle-necked WiFi point.
Make your life easier and more efficient with smart controlled appliances controlled via your smart phone or tablet.