Key tips for turning an ordinary condo into a smart one
Creating foundations for turning the home into something of a smart home can be done through the purchase of products that are compatible with one another. This helps over expenditure on acquisition of smart home products.
There are two ways to do so. One can either purchase a smart hub that controls everything from a single unified interface. The second is to purchase products dependent on Wi-Fi and working on their own.
Key tips for turning an ordinary condo into a smart one
As determined by thesmarthomer.com, turning the home into a smart home will save residents 15% on their electricity bill each month. It is also estimated that the world will have around 73 million smart homes by the year 2021.
Can luxury condo be converted into smart homes? They sure can and it depends on some factors. If the condo is in an old building, permission from the condo board is needed. Newer condominium complexes have paved the way for smart home devices and systems to be added in with ease. Yet, some cases require permission, particularly for those living on rent.
Smart home assistants (speaker based) versus a complete Smart Hub – which one is better?
The first thing residents should do when they are converting their home into a smart home is to decide whether a ‘smart home assistant’ (smart speaker) or a smart hub would suit their needs best. Some key examples of Smart Home Assistants with speakers having built-in smart hubs are Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomePod.
There is a disadvantage when it comes to buying the speaker over a smart hub device itself is that it isn’t compatible with all smart products people choose to purchase. A stand-alone smart hub will do so as it is compatible with all smart home products.
What a Smart Hub can do easily? It will control all the smart products with the aid of a single app. If people are going to go with a smart hub, then some of the best products they can consider purchasing are the Hubitat Elevation Home Automation Hub and the SmartThings HUB.
The smart lighting system provides an array of lights
Modern technology has revolutionized LED lighting to the point that sets the daily lighting schedule, controlling them from outside the home, color customization, and the like is now made possible thanks to smart home systems.
The bulbs used are quite an energy-efficient and last much longer than a regular light bulb. Yet, one thing that should be kept in mind is that if residents are using bulbs that connect to the phone, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth directly, they won’t be able to control the lights that are out of their range.
If they have smart hub products mentioned earlier, then they can control the lighting from almost anywhere.
Smart thermostats save energy
Installing a smart thermostat is quite popular because of its energy efficiency. Such can be programmed to control the temperatures from the phone at any time of the day. They have become beneficial in the winter as turning them on (or off) in an hour or two before residents arrive home.
Such is done so they can avoid stepping into a home turned into a freezer and also prevent the heating bills going through the roof. Some smart thermostats like ‘Nest’ can determine when to close the heating or air conditioning systems, thanks to detection systems that can sense the presence and absence of residents at home. This helps in saving vast amounts of energy.
Smart Security is a worthwhile perk
Usage of smart home systems brings in smart security systems. Not only do they protect residents and their loved ones, but it also saves them the hassle of bringing their keys everywhere or losing them by accident (resulting in an adverse event).
Smart door locks allow residents to unlock the doors of their residence (home or condo) through the usage of a fingerprint or retinal scan, facial recognition, entering a pin, or through the touch of a button on their phones.
Residents can also set up an alarm system when they can either arm or disarm their home using a single app. These locks can be programmed to notify residents if there has been a burglary, an issue, or another incident out of the ordinary. It can even notify them of a potential attempted break-in.
Other smart home security systems that can be purchased are indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras that can be monitored from almost anywhere. Smartthings by Samsung allows residents to set up a complete security system including all of the other systems mentioned earlier too.
Smart Plugs are resourceful too
These kinds of plugs are resourceful as each room in the home has a power outlet. These devices allow users to turn on, off and even unplug appliances from their smartphones.
The plugs can also work according to preset schedules and can be programmed to do different things at different times. They can make the home look ‘lived-in’ when residents are on vacation. The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug has extended the range outdoors too. Also, it is the only device that allows residents to control two electrical outlets independently.
Conclusion
Turning the condo into a smart home is a resourceful move with numerous benefits. However, with each advantage comes a disadvantage. Smart home systems should be robust so hackers trying to enter the system and make the home vulnerable be stopped in their tracks.
Hence, research is needed when looking into products for this so what residents purchase works well with their needs, lifestyle, and schedule.
