Looking to bring your home into the digital age we now live in? Integrating devices to turn your home into a smart one is the easiest way to do it. Smart homes are houses or apartments that can be controlled from a centralised hub. This lets you switch lights off as well as adjust your thermostat and it’s estimated that there are around 15.8 million smart homes in the UK and they are only going to continue growing in popularity for years to come.
The reason smart homes are so popular is that they can save you as much as £450 every year on household bills due to the enhanced energy efficiency they offer. Plus, they’re a significantly more convenient option for homeowners as they can control much of the house’s functions from their smartphone or a tablet.
So, if you’re in the middle of a home redesign and are thinking about integrating smart devices into it, this is the guide for you. Read on to find out more about how you can do it and which devices you need.
How to create a smart home
The first step to creating a smart home is to create a central hub to control many of the electrical features around your home. Common examples of what this hub may look like include a tablet, smartphone or a voice command device like the Amazon Alexa,
From here, you’ll be able to control any electronic device with smart functionality through an integrated app.
Smart devices every home should have
There are many different smart devices that you can put in your home and they vary in price, so there should be an option for most homeowners. DIY enthusiasts can also make plenty of them by themselves using a printed circuit board (PCB). With that in mind, here are the must-own smart devices you should consider implementing in your home:
Smart lightbulbs – smart lightbulbs are one of the easiest devices to put in your home. All you need to do is replace the regular light bulb with a smart one that can connect to the internet and you should then be able to control it from your central hub.
Smart thermostat – getting up to change the temperature can be an annoying task and may lead to you leaving your heating on for longer than you need to. Fortunately, smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature using a tablet or smartphone for greater convenience.
Smart doorbell – camera doorbells let you see who’s visiting your home at all times, giving you increased security for your peace of mind. This means that you can speak to couriers dropping parcels off as well and instruct them where to leave an item if you can’t answer the door.
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