Smart homes, or connected homes, are becoming more and more popular. If you’re thinking about making yours smart, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. Here is an introduction to the different types of devices available to automate your cozy nest.
Smart home hub
The most useful device is certainly the smart home hub. It acts as a wifi router by connecting all your devices to a single network. The idea is that you can control everything from a smart home hub.
Smart fire alarms
The connected fire alarms are linked to your smartphone, giving you the opportunity to test the alarm and know how many batteries are left. For example Nest, Aqara and Roost. Roost is also a connected battery that can connect to your wifi and add to your existing alarms, making them intelligent. The key element with these alarms is that you can receive an alert even if you are not at home and a fire starts.
Smart light bulb
Although the simple switch is very useful, it can be comfortable to control your lights with your smartphone, voice or smart hub. Nowadays, thanks to smart light bulb, you can connect to your network to dim, change the color, turn on or off your lights remotely. Some even turn off automatically if they detect that you are not in the room. Brands such as Philips, Yeelight and Osram, produce the smart light bulb that will last for years.
Smart Meters
Many service companies around the world are beginning to offer their customers smart meters. These devices manage your electricity, gas and water usage so you know exactly what you are consuming. The goal is for you to learn how to reduce your consumption, your bills and your impact on the environment. Research the smart meters available in your country.
Home security
Nowadays it is easy to install cameras at home and connect them to your smartphone, so you can have peace of mind when you are away. These devices may also have motion detectors that can trigger an alarm. Honeywell, Loxone and Belkin are just a few of the brands that offer intelligent security solutions.
These few categories can help you get started. There are many other ways to make your home smarter, so don’t hesitate to ask us about it.