Home Automation For Beginners
For many homeowners, taking a deep dive into home automation can be a bit overwhelming. While the learning curve isn’t as steep as you might think, there are a few points to keep in mind when going into home automation for the first time.
Know What You Need
Once you decide to use automated devices, it is important to decide up front on which smart home automation devices you want to choose that will provide you with the best control. If you do not want to completely automate your home just yet, then you won’t have to buy a smart home hub or any additional products.
Choose a Reliable Network
There’s nothing better than having a strong and reliable network for your home, whether it’s wired or wireless, you will never be wondering why your “smart” lights aren’t working the way they should be.
Be Wary of Battery-Operated Devices
Many smart devices are battery powered, which means you will need to keep an eye on the battery life of the various devices you are using in your home. Making sure that the batteries of your smart devices do not ware out should be the top of your priorities list when making sure your entire smart home devices are working at optimum levels.
Position the Echo
This is something that is often times overlooked, but more often than not, homeowners tend to place their Echo incorrectly. The result is they have to yell commands at Alexa in order for it to listen, which should not be the case. It is important to mount your Echo Dot device on the wall at a place which is convenient and where there is lots of foot traffic so you do not have to go to some special area in the home just to tell Alexa to turn the lights on or change the temperature of the thermostat.
Invest in Smart Light Switches
Contrary to popular belief, investing in smart light switches for you home does not cost you an arm or a leg. In fact, it’s a lot cheaper than smart lightbulbs for each individual socket in your home. However, you might have to get separate singled lightbulbs if you do not need more than four or five light bulbs for an entire house or if the lights are going to be in different rooms.
Before Installing a Smart Home Thermostat
Before you decide to install a smart home thermostat it is important to first check if your home has a common or C wire. This ensures that your home is compatible right off the bat without having to call an electrician or making any drastic changes to your home’s wiring.
While there are many options to go with when attempting smart home automation, the aforementioned options are considered to be the easiest and cheapest for beginners.