Why should you have a Smart Home?
Smart home devices are the new way to control your home. They can be programmed to automatically perform tasks, such as turning on lights, locking doors and adjusting the temperature.
Smart homes offer many advantages, including:
Convenience
A smart home makes it easier to control your home environment with a single click or voice command. For example, you can set a “morning routine” that automatically turns on your coffee maker and starts playing music when you wake up every day. You can even program certain parts of your house to adjust automatically as you enter or leave them.
Security
Smart home devices are often equipped with security features that make them more secure than traditional locks. For example, if you set up a Smart Lock and then forget your keys at work, your phone will let you in through Bluetooth technology even if you don’t have physical access to the lockbox itself!
Energy Saving
Having a central control hub allows consumers to have greater fluidity in the monitoring of their electricity consumption. This makes it easier for them to make lifestyle changes to save electricity. For example, being able to see their air con usage through their phones will make consumers more conscious of any excessive usages and moderate accordingly.
But first, what is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a home that uses Internet connectivity to control lighting, heating and other systems.
There are many different ways in which this can be achieved. The most common way is via a central hub, which often takes the form of a voice-activated speaker, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This then controls your various household appliances via WiFi or Bluetooth.
Smart homes are usually controlled by an app on your phone or tablet, but they may also be controlled by voice commands via a smart speaker. You can find out more about what makes up a smart home in our guide to building one.
What do I need to know about Smart Homes?
Before you start building your smart home, here are some considerations to keep in mind:
1. What devices do you want to control?
Smart home technology has come a long way, but it still remains a fairly niche market. As such, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to picking out the right components. Some people prefer security cameras over thermostats, or door locks over lighting systems; others may find value in having both. In any case, you should take the time to figure out what features are most important to you before setting out on your journey. This will help shape your research in narrowing down your needs so that you don’t waste time or money on unnecessary features.
2. What type of system do you want?
There are two main types of smart home systems: hub-based and device-based (sometimes called ‘endpoint-based’). Hub-based systems require that all devices be connected through a central hub, whereas device-based systems allow for direct communication between each device and your phone or computer without an intermediary device (the hub). Whichever works best for you depends on your household needs and usage.
Essential Tech for your Smart Home
No matter how you choose to customise and arrange your smart appliances, we consider these things essential in any smart home:
Central speaker
You would need a central speaker for your home to connect with your smart devices. It functions as a personal command device and as speaker for your home sound system. This central speaker will be your main control system for all your appliances. The speaker is typically placed in the centre of your home, primarily the living room for easy connection to all appliances. It works with voice command assistants to help you automate the controlling of your devices.
Smart LED Bulb
Smart light bulbs are a great way to add some smarts to your home. You can control them with your voice or the Google Assistant app, and even programme them to automatically change colours and brightness as part of a scene.
You don't need to replace all your lights, though; you can just buy a few and connect them with your existing bulbs. Read the instructions that come with your lights carefully (they're usually available online as well). They'll tell you how to pair your device with the app or hub, and what kind of Wi-Fi connection is required for each device type.
Some bulbs will need an Ethernet cable running from it to a power socket near where you're planning on setting up your lights. If you don't have an Ethernet port nearby, then buy a wireless bridge separately (or get one included with some bundles).
Smart Lock
Nowadays, smart homes are becoming the norm. With keypad entry capabilities, you never have to worry about forgetting your keys again. Also, the keyless operation of this smart lock means no risk of being lock-picked, and no more changing the locks due to lost keys.
As it pairs with Google Assistant, you can lock or unlock your door with a voice command. Already in bed, or outside, and need to check your door? Just whip out your mobile phone to do so.
If you are looking for a way to make things easier in your home, this is an excellent place to start!
Takeaway
With the rapid advancement of technology especially in a fast-paced country like Singapore, it is important that we ride the wave of advancement as well! Smart homes in Singapore are going to the staple home set up in time to come. Create a seamless home experience for your family with these simple appliances to get your Smart Home up and running.
If you are feeling doubtful of how these Smart features fits into your home construct, feel free to drop Ridzreno a message to see how we can find the right fit of structure for your ideal home.