A Smart Home Needs Smart Planning

You're taking the leap. You're going to become a smart home owner (pun intended) and add some smart technology to your home. Even better, you're going to automate your home so all your new technology works in harmony together for a wonderful, hi-tech lifestyle. But where do you start?

Where to Automate

First, consider what areas of your home you want to add smart technology and ultimately automate. The obvious, and maybe more glamorous one, is your entertainment center. Systems can be put in place so that you create a seamless visual and audio experience in your entertainment center. But also consider other areas of your home like lighting, comfort (controlling the temperature and opening/shutting the blinds), and security. Each area of your home will require a different project and system to create a more comfortable lifestyle.

Mix and Match vs. A Comprehensive System

Once you've decided what you would like to automate, decisions on how extensive each system should be are next. Technology is always evolving and the newest device is always right around the corner. The latest gadget might have all the bells and whistles, but may not be compatible with all the other systems in your house. And this is fine, if you are an early adopter with technology and don’t mind that your home automation may not be seamless, or if you are only automating one or two areas of your home. However, a home that automates multiple areas would benefit from a much more in depth system that is compatible with various technologies. This would allow systems to work together smoothly to create that simplified lifestyle.

The Command Center

Finally, your smart hub to control all your new technology can be programmed in a couple of different configurations. It can react to events: like when it senses you are home, the lights turn on and the thermostat changes. Or it can have pre-programmed scenarios: each morning during the week, it can get the coffee started, open the blinds and turn on the news. Also, consider how you want to interact with your hub. All hubs can be communicated with and controlled through one app on a mobile device. However, some smart hubs can also respond to voice commands. Just be mindful of where your hub is located. Depending on the layout of your home, will your hub be able to hear you or pick up the commands from the TV (don't laugh, it's happened before!)?

Making the decision to improve the functionality of your home may be a simple one, but considering all factors can make it more complicated. It’s a fun and exciting project to begin, but can be a daunting one once you’re in the thick of things. Thinking through all the details of adding smart functionality to your home will better prepare you for the upcoming task and allow you to enjoy your smart home once you have a plan. Terracom Systems can take your vision, work with you, and implement it into your home.