Have you heard about the latest craze when it comes to property and homes? A smart home is a convenient home setup whereby most of the appliances and devices are centrally connected using a mobile or other networked device. Most of the time, the devices are interconnected through the internet, allowing the user to remotely connect to their security systems, lighting and even home theaters.

One way to make a smart home is to purchase loads of components – sensors, security cameras, smart bulbs etc. and connect them all to a hub that helps them communicate with one another, and with you via your smartphone. However, this can work out extremely costly and you’ll invest a lot of time doing so. You don’t need to be an expert or spend a fortune on cutting-edge gear, starting off small and working your way to a complete system is a good idea, and much more budget friendly. These guidelines will aid you in making your home just as smart as you are.

Figuring out what you require

If you’re planning on starting off small and expanding, you’ll need to ensure that your smart home products are compatible with each other. The key is knowing which smart home products don’t depend on a smart home hub in order to operate. Whilst hubs do offer advantages, they are not always essential. They may offer a single user interface to control everything, but the most important thing to have, is a good wireless router. Preferably one that can reach all corners of your home. Once you have done that, you can start building a hub-free smart home system.

Smart Lighting

Lighting is often the starting point when it comes to smart homes. Many smart lighting systems work well with a central hub. Look out for light bulbs that communicate over wifi or via the Bluetooth radio on your smartphone. You can then control your lighting directly from an app on your phone or tablet, which will also allow you to program schedules for switching on and off.

If however your home is based in the ceiling and controlled by a switch on the wall, you may need to replace the switches with smart switches and dimmers, as the smart bulbs become “dumb” the moment you turn off the switch controlling it.

Home Security Systems

A good quality home security camera will allow you to keep a watchful eye on your home. Used for watching your pets or children, the indoor models can help you monitor your house while you are away. The outdoor models can assist you in catching prowlers in the act, or hopefully discourage them from coming to your property at all.

There are some fantastic doorbells that include a camera which allows you to monitor the front door and interact with visitors without you even being home.

Smart speakers

Imagine being able to dim the lights through a speaker? If you own a smart speaker, you’ll be sure to impress your movie-night guests when you say “dim the lights” and your connected speakers action this command.

In fact, smart speaker have become central hubs all on their own. They can serve as a central interaction point for everything, from smart lights, security cameras and even to displaying video feeds from connected TV’s.

Smart Thermostats

These days, you can purchase a smart thermostat that can deliver both comfort and cost/energy savings. They can establish not only a heating/cooling schedule, but along with sensors, they can trigger heating or cooling based on your movements within the home.

Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Conventional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are rather dumb if you think about it. Whilst they may do a good job at detecting a problem, and their alarms are loud, if you are not home to hear them, what good are they anyway? With a smart detector, it will still sound an alarm, but it will also send an alert to your smartphone.

Some exceptionally smart smoke alarms will even shine emergency lights, which could be extremely helpful in finding your way out of a smoke-filled room or building.

Smart irrigation

These systems are great due to the fact that they ensure your garden gets enough moisture to be healthy but also prevents wastage. Water is a precious resource, and it’s worth installing a smart irrigation system if your budget allows for it.

Having a fully functional smart system at home is extremely convenient for homeowners as you can control your lighting, heating and other devices all from the palm of your hand. They can save a lot of money as your appliances and electronics are used more efficiently.

In contrast to the above, you must also be aware of the security risks and possible bugs that technology brings along with it. Whilst you can do your best to avoid such attacks from hackers, you’ll need to weigh up your options and find the best solution for you and your home.