Guest Post - Turn Your House into a Smart Home in 7 Easy Steps

Turning your house into a smart home is a great idea that many are considering investing in. However, with all the technology available on the market, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the choices you have to make before coming to a decision.

Over the past few years, the world has seen a rise in the popularity of smart technology. We're seeing more new home builders utilize smart technologies to optimize indoor planning and home life. This is to help them make the most out of their property and add more value to it with the help of technology.

Turn Your House into a Smart Home in 7 Easy Steps

If you want to make the switch, this article will explain how you can develop a modern home with these simple steps. 

• Outfit your home with smart lights

The average American household spends almost $2,000 a year on utility bills. In most homes, the energy is used to power lighting. Smart lighting is a great way to reduce that cost without sacrificing lighting quality or ambiance. 

Whether in the kitchen, the garage, or your home office, smart lights can perform many functions, including dimming, color temperature adjustments, and even scheduling certain lights to turn on and off depending on your need, helping you save money.

• Ditch your keys for a smart lock

Buying a smart lock is one of the easiest ways to make your home more efficient and secure. You get to control your door from anywhere and monitor who comes and goes. 

Smart locks are also great if you have kids or the elderly living in your home. They can be programmed to automatically lock when someone unidentified approaches, so there's no need to worry about others trying to gain access while you're away.

• Install a smart air purifier

Today, when everyone should consider indoor air quality at home, having a smart air purifier can improve the efficiency of your home's Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, including air quality. The system uses filters to remove airborne toxins from the air and take them to an outside filter for disposal.

While a smart air purifier can help you save money, it also has other benefits. It knows when to turn itself on and off based on humidity levels in the room, which means that if you're running your A/C during a humid day, it will turn off when it reaches the desired humidity level.

• Have a smart thermostat

Aside from controlling your home's temperature from your phone, a smart thermostat also provides other benefits such as monitoring your activity patterns, learning what temperature you like, adjusting accordingly, and helping prevent overheating or overcooling events.

• Install security cameras

Since the invention of electricity, home security systems have been around, but they have only recently become more accessible and affordable for consumers. You can install a security camera to see what's happening inside and outside your home, whether you're at work or out of town. The camera sends footage directly to your phone or computer to let you see what's happening.

• Replace old outlets with smart ones

Smart outlets allow you to control any electrical device in your home from an app on your phone or computer. While a smart outlet is a bit pricier than regular ones, the benefits are worth it. For example, if you leave for work before sunrise and want lights off when the sun rises, a smart outlet allows this without setting up timers or walking through the house and turning everything off manually.

• Connect all of your devices in your home through one hub

You can connect a smart hub to any device that uses Wi-Fi. This kit can boost your home's convenience by providing easy access to all your most-used devices and linking them to a single network you can control with your phone or voice. Some smart hubs have voice controls that let you talk to them, like the Apple HomeKit.

How Smart Home Technology Amplifies Your Home Experience 

1. Savings

Smart homes can save you money by helping you conserve energy and water. You can schedule lights to turn off automatically when no one is around or set up appliances to run only when necessary. This reduces waste and helps keep utility bills low. 

2. Safety

A smart home can help keep you and your family safe. With the right system in place, you can receive alerts when someone enters or leaves a room or when something is burning in the oven. The same goes for people who may have special needs—they get an alert if they fall asleep while driving or are experiencing a medical emergency. 

3. Convenience

Smart homes are convenient because they allow you to remotely control your appliances using an app on a smartphone or just by talking to them. This means you don't have to get up from the couch or walk across the room just to change the channel on your TV or lower the volume on your music system—do it all from wherever you are! 

4. Management

Since everything is connected through one platform, it's easy to see who turned on lights, plugged something into an outlet, or even when someone last used an appliance. It also allows more than one family member to manage all these devices with one account.

Amp Up Your Home Life With Smart Technology

If you're a homeowner, one of the best ways to improve your home is by making it smarter. A smart home is equipped with connected devices that can automate various processes.

If you're interested in creating a smart home, you should examine your everyday problems and brainstorm potential solutions. Then, once you've identified how you would like to make things smarter, it will be easier to decide which smart devices are best suited for your needs.

Remember, it's not just about having the latest and greatest gadgets; it also means understanding what they do and how they work together in harmony to make your life easier. When these two intersect, you get a beautiful thing—easy living through technology.

Author Bio: 

Garry Everrett is a Tech Geek who is a freelance writer by passion. Mostly, he types away on a 13 inch used MacBook Air about topics revolving around the latest gadget and technology, In his free time, he likes to walk his dog, read sci-fi novels, and play golf. 

6 Ways to Turn Your House into a Smart Home of the Future

There was a time not so long ago when smart rooms, voice commands, and AI were reserved only for Sci-Fi shows like Start Trek: TNG. Well, it turns out the 24th century came by much faster than we hoped for. These days, the smart tech has become so affordable and so widely accessible any house can be home can be easily turned into your very own USS Enterprise.

Well, sans the FTL speed of course.

So, if you have always dreamed of turning your house smart and getting the taste of the futuristic life you were promised as a kid, now’s the time to do it. Here are a couple of tips to help you along the way.

Start with the smart lighting

Putting aside the smart lighting fixtures are incredibly cool, useful, and can work independently from other home systems, this upgrade can also produce considerable energy savings so it makes a very good foundation for all of your future efforts. Another perk that comes to mind is the ability to turn the lights on and off while you are away from home which creates the illusion the house isn't vacant and sends away curious burglars. All you need now is a couple of motion-activated outdoor lights and you’re good to go.

Pick your go-to personal assistant

At the moment the three main options you have to choose from are Google, Alexa, and Siri all of which come with some pros and cons. In terms of general knowledge, making reservations and similar chores Google represents the most versatile solution. On the other hand, being tied to Amazon's online empire makes Alexa the best pick for entertainment and online shopping. Finally, although it doesn't perform these tasks on the same level, Siri is best integrated with Apple's services so if you are a loyal user that's the obvious pick for you.

Get yourself a smart life kit

Some people like to build their smart homes from the ground up and pick all of the IoT components they are going to use. But honestly getting a smart home system kit is so much easier. These bundles usually come with top-tier devices like smart cameras, smart plugs, alarms, and door and window sensors, so they pack all you need to get your smart home get off the ground. However, if you are going to use these components with some third-party or preexisting hub be sure to check are all the devices compatible.

Connect to a smart hub

Speaking of the hub these components are incredibly useful so it’s more than recommended to get one in your living room. Essentially smart hubs put all of your IoT devices and virtual assistants under the same roof and allow you to control all of them without having to switch between dozens of different apps. What’s even better, smart hubs also allow you to create customized, automated routines (e.g. turning the music on whenever you use the kitchen) so your life is made as streamlined as you can possibly get.

Replace the old appliances

Smart capabilities have long since strayed from the world of gadgets and found a way into our kitchens so why wouldn't you bring some of that AI in your kitchen as well? Like always the choices are plentiful and you can find some cheaper entries like smart trash cans for less than $100. Installing some of the biggest appliances like vacuums and refrigerators will, naturally, cost more but all these new devices also come with a killer ENERGY STAR rating so if you have already thought of canning your old appliances this is a perfectly good way to go.

Make use of solar energy

Yeah, is there anything more futuristic and smart than ditching the traditional energy sources and doing something good for the environment? Solar technology is the tech of the future and hooking up your house to this renewable source will solve most of the energy problems that are expected in the near future. Granted, although the tech has become more affordable it still entails considerable upfront costs but the investment more than pays off, and government rebates and incentives should make a purchase at least a bit easier.

In the end, we have to point out that these few mentions are only the tip of the iceberg – smart tech is evolving too fast to make putting all the smart home upgrades in one article possible. But, they do offer a good place to start. The tech world is working 24/7 to make our lives more enjoyable and simpler, and faster so there’s no point in waiting to jump on the bandwagon. The future is finally here and you only need to reach out and take it.

6 Common Home Automation Mistakes And How You Can Avoid Them

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Most recently, more and more people are now accustomed to installing a home automated system because of its many benefits. Before, the incredible features of the automation system are only accessible to commercial buildings and luxurious homes due to its high-priced value. Fortunately, as technology advances combined with the increase in the production of phones and tablets, a home automation system can be readily installed without spending a large amount of money. Aside from having full control of lighting, security, camera, windows and doors, you can also have access control on your devices, heating and cooling systems, and even your entertainment system. Hence, with the right automation device, and proper installation, you can truly benefit from its tremendous functionality. 

1. Buying The Product That Lacks Features

Needless to say, countless products are available in the market today that could easily convince you to purchase them. It is important to consider that each product contains different features and functions which may or may not work with your home devices and appliances. Furthermore, acquiring the wrong product will leave you with more difficulty and inconvenience rather than enjoying its benefits. You should keep in mind that your needs and priorities should come first.

To prevent such circumstances, you should take some time to research when buying the right product and features.  You should know the features that work well with your lifestyle and working schedules. Getting the right product with the needed qualities will ensure safety, convenience, protection and comfort.

2. Installing The Home Automated System On Your Own

There is a great danger and high possibility of failed installation when you are not familiar with the home automated system. This is because there are specific details that must be followed, and sometimes, it can be strenuous. Installing your home automation product for the first time will need careful attention. The physical installation mainly deals with the wiring of electrical equipment and the necessary placement of your smart devices in your home. Moreover, it would be harder to carry out the installation when you are trying to upgrade new capabilities on your smart devices.  Hence, it is always advisable to refrain from doing the installation yourself to avoid problems during and after the installation.

To prevent such failure, it is greatly necessary to seek the assistance of professional installers. They are highly capable of assessing your home on how the installation must go forward, at the same time, they carry the right equipment to fully work on your system without damage, or worse, injuries. Also, you need an expert to devise a complete network design that will work effectively with your smart automated system.

3. Your Automation System Lacks The Necessary Ventilation

Even with the right home automated system product, you need to make sure that your device is getting the right ventilation. Your device may not last long if it gets heated up after running for long hours. This may cause your device to become damaged and destroyed. When this occurs, you will be facing bigger problems related to repair, and even reinstallation. Hence, the area where air can just freely flow should be taken into consideration. Alternatively, you could incorporate a specialty equipment rack for better airflow, or install a mechanical cooling system to prevent the device from getting heated up.

4. Purchasing The Brand That  Is Not Compatible

First and foremost, you should check for compatibility feature. Your home automation device should be compatible to connect with the other devices and appliances in your home. When you have compatibility issues, it would be very difficult for you to manage your automation system. To fully achieve a working control home system, you must be able to harmoniously link your devices to your control home system. In this way, you will have a smart home that greatly supports your needs.  On the other hand, some brand products do not work well together and this issue causes major problems during installing. 

5. Purchasing cheap products that may be unreliable

As part of the general rule, it is a must to consider the consequences and outcome of buying inexpensive products. It may seem wise to save money but then suffer from the problems that might arise days or months after the installation.  Cheap products may have been fabricated using substandard materials, thus, it is best to scrutinize the product before purchasing them.

Furthermore, you might need to spend more money to replace or repair your system. Likewise, low-cost brands usually fail to provide quality and service.

6. Lack Of Thorough Planning

When installing a home control system, thorough planning can greatly make a difference in achieving a complete functional home. It is essential that after the installation, your smart home system will provide a safe and comfortable environment. The one thing that requires planning is your wiring which must be fully structured. Properly structured wiring can contribute to the safety and efficiency of your smart devices.

Guest Post - How To Protect Your Home This Summer With Smart Home Products

Summer draws to mind a lot of outdoor activities, nights on the town and pool parties. But with a virus sweeping the nation, a lot of that is changing. This year, summer will look a bit different. And while the temperatures keep on climbing, restaurants, bars and recreational areas across the nation are shutting down to help flatten the curve of the coronavirus. So what does that mean for the summer? It means that families will be staying home more than ever before, turning to their backyards and indoor areas for entertainment and exercise. And while this may seem like a great thing, there are issues lurking just around the corner.

The high temperatures of summer already take a beating on your home’s appliances and systems, but when you add in the excessive use most homes will have due to this pandemic, you get the phenomenon known as “home strain.” Home strain is the acceleration of wear and tear on your devices, appliances and your homes overall structure. While every home experiences some level of this wear throughout its lifespan, the COVID-19 pandemic has really brought this issue into high gear.

Soon, homeowners across the nation may begin to need maintenance repairs for leaking pipes, broken AC’s or malfunctioning refrigerators. But, there are steps they can take now to help prevent this home strain from taking too large of a toll on their homes (and their wallets). This is where smart home technology comes into play.

Smart Home, Smart Summer

Over the past few years, smart home devices have skyrocketed in capability and popularity, offering real-time and remote assistance to homeowners throughout their homes. With smart devices, you can automatically lock your doors, set automatic shut off timers for your gas stovetop and even monitor the activity inside and outside your home when you are away. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what smart home products can do.

There are a few products specifically catered to help counteract some of the damaging heat of the summer, giving homeowners a head start for potential issues or repairs. For instance, smart thermostats can be set remotely, allowing you to avoid cooling a home that’s empty. They can also help save you money as well (up to 10% a year on heating and cooling)! Other devices such as temperature and humidity sensors will alert you to abnormal situations within your home’s climate, so you can avoid a potentially deadly mold overgrowth or pipe damage you may not have caught otherwise.  

Smart home tech also helps keep you safer. Because of the climate, and the fact that many homes sit empty for weeks at a time, summer is home to higher crime rates than any other season. But with a few installations, products like smart doorbells, motion detectors and cameras can allow you to monitor your property from a distance and alert authorities immediately in the case of a break-in. You can even set these devices up to send you a push notification on your phone anytime someone unlocks or locks the front door, offering you total awareness of your home at all times.

Below, the team at Hippo has put together an infographic on smart home devices for a streamlined home. Check out their full list of recommendations and let us know what devices you plan to use for a greater piece of mind and a better functioning home!