What Can You Do With Home Automation?

What can you do with home automation? 

For one, you can save money on your power bill, and with energy costs on the rise, that can mean huge savings. 

Home automation systems can also bring you convenience and increased security. Devices with this kind of technology enable you to remotely control a variety of features in your home.

When you have a series of smart devices working together in your home on one network, this is often referred to as a “connected home.” Usually, all of these devices will need to be connected to a hub device that runs a particular platform. 

Smart devices can come in many shapes and sizes including TVs, appliances, security systems, and thermostats. 

Not only does home automation provide remote control features, but it also allows you to automate certain tasks. For instance, you could have all the lights in your home automatically turned off after everyone’s gone to bed.

If you’ve been considering installing smart devices in your home, you’ve come to the right place. 

Today, we’re going to explore the latest technological innovations that people are installing in their homes, the benefits they provide, and the easiest way to deploy them.

1. Automated Thermostats

Smart thermostats can save you money and provide incomparable levels of convenience. With this technology, you can adjust your home’s temperature from your smartphone or mobile device. 

You can also set rules to automatically adjust the temperature in your home, allowing you to save energy on heating and cooling when nobody’s at home.

Tired of wasting money on expensive air-conditioning and heating when someone leaves a window open? 

If your thermostat is connected to smart window sensors, you can also set up an energy-saving mode. This can allow your system to reduce power consumption whenever the windows are open.

To take this automation power a step further, you can even connect your intelligent thermostat system to your ventilation system. Sensors can be used to detect if an appliance, such as a fireplace, is providing too much heat to just one room. 

These sensors can trigger your in-home ventilation system to vent this heat throughout your home, driving further energy efficiency.

2. Remote-Control Lighting

What can you do with home automation for your lights? Lighting may not seem like it needs automation, but smart lighting is one of the most popular choices for home automation.

Using smart lighting, you can automate all of your lighting throughout your home and even create specific routines. For instance, you could set up your home automation hub with a nighttime routine that automatically turns off lights in your home at a particular time.

Concerned about security while on vacation? With a smart home lighting system, you can set your lights to automatically turn on and off, mimicking your presence and reducing the likelihood of a burglary.

Even when at home, automated lighting can increase your security. By having exterior lights that turn on as soon as it gets dark, you can mitigate the risk of a break-in. 

Most burglars will avoid houses with exterior lights, which can expose them to the view of cameras or other security devices.

3. Intelligent Appliances

Did you know that many of the latest appliances, such as dishwashers, ovens, and washing machines, can be connected to a home automation system through Wi-Fi? This technology has several practical benefits that can save you time and money.

For example, what if your child leaves your freezer door open? This could mean a loss of freshness at best and the loss of all the food in that appliance at worst. 

However, with intelligent automation technology, that freezer could notify your smartphone that the door has been left open, allowing you to keep your food safe.

This notification feature can also help you be aware of configuration problems or issues with the appliance that could cause more severe problems over time. 

For some appliances, the manufacturer can actually connect to your appliance remotely and diagnose any issues it may be having. This can mean less spending on maintenance.

4. Smart Outlets/Plug-Ins

Smart plugs are a special kind of technology that enables you to turn any device into a smart device. These plugs are usually plugged into the wall and have an outlet on them that you can plug other devices into. 

Would you like to turn your favorite lamp on with your phone? That’s exactly what you can do with smart plugs.

Some can even be used straight out of the box and without a hub. Often, you can operate these devices by using a simple smartphone app. 

You can also use smart plugs to save money on your electric bills by ensuring that your devices automatically turn off when not being used.

5. Networked-Connected Locks

Having locks on your doors is critical to keeping your home safe. However, home automation technology brings many benefits over traditional door locks. Smart locks provide a variety of automation features, including automatic locking and unlocking based on where you are.

You can program your doors to lock as you leave and unlock when you return. Furthermore, you can also provide special access codes to visitors or guests that can be scheduled to expire after a certain period. 

These locks also keep a record of everyone who has accessed your home and when they did so.

The Easiest Way To Install A Home Automation System

Whether you are interested in installing just a few devices or a comprehensive smart home system, you need experts who understand integrated technology.

SNAP Integrations is a home and business security company in Charleston, South Carolina. All the automation ideas we have discussed can be integrated into a smart security system and used to protect your home. 

But keep in mind that some technology is not compatible with others, so let our experts get you set up with the right tech for your home.