What is Home Automation?
Home automation is the practice of controlling your home's devices with a central computer. This is different from home-control systems, which are used to remotely control devices in your home. Automation systems are generally connected to the internet, whereas home-control systems are not. By connecting various devices in your home to a central computer, you can control them remotely from your computer or smartphone. You can also program some systems to perform certain tasks based on certain conditions. For example, you might program your lights to turn on at sunset or your thermostat to lower when nobody is home. Home automation systems come with many benefits, including remote control, increased safety and energy savings.
Benefits of Home Automation
As you're reading through the ways you can automate your home, you may start to notice some recurring benefits. First, automation can help you save money. By lowering your energy bill through programmable thermostats or smart plugs, you can save hundreds of dollars a year. It can also help keep you safe by alerting you to potential hazards, like a fire or a broken window. And lastly, automation can save you time by taking care of mundane tasks, like keeping track of your groceries or turning down your thermostat when nobody's home.
Automating Your Home Appliances
Many household appliances can be controlled through automation, including your coffee machine, toaster, oven, refrigerator, and more. You can even program your microwave to turn off at a certain time, saving energy while your food finishes cooking! If you don't have a smart microwave, there are ways to automate your appliances without an overhaul. If you want to automate your oven, simply set it to turn on at a certain time and temperature. If you want to automate your refrigerator, you can set it to turn off when it reaches a certain temperature or you can set a certain temperature for when it turns on. You can also program your refrigerator to keep track of your food items, alerting you when you're running low. If you want to automate your coffee maker, you can set it to turn on at certain times during the day or when you want a cup. Alternatively, you can set up a coffee bot to brew coffee at certain times. This can be a great way to ensure you always have fresh coffee on hand.
Automating Your Lighting
Lighting is a great place to start when automating your home. Some lights have automated features, like motion-activated lighting, but you can also set up smart light bulbs to control your lighting. Use a voice-activated device, like an Amazon Echo or Google Home, to turn your lights on and off. You can also set up smart lights, which come with remote controls and scheduling options, to turn off and on as you like. You can even set up lights to change colors based on different occasions, like changing the color of your home's lights to red on Valentine's Day.
Automating Your Home Security
Home security is important, even when you're at home. You can set up your security systems to alert you when certain sensors are triggered, like a broken window or open door. You can also set your systems to arm themselves when you leave the house. This way, you can ensure your home is secure while you're away, and you don't have to worry about leaving your family in danger.
Automating Your Entertainment
With today's technology, you can pretty much automate anything. You can set up your entertainment system to turn on when you come home, and turn off when you leave. You can even set it to change the channel when you get home to avoid the hassle of finding something to watch. You can also program your system to record your favorite shows, or turn on when there's something important on. This can be especially handy if you have little ones who don't understand the importance of programs like the news or presidential debates.
Automating Your Heating & Cooling Systems
You can program your thermostat to change temperatures based on the time of day and the seasons. This is a great way to keep your energy costs down by saving money on cooling and heating. You can also set up a thermostat to shut off during certain times, like when you're at work, or to come on before you get home. You can also program your HVAC system to change when you leave and return home. This can save energy while you're at home and make your house more comfortable.
Automating Your Doors & Windows
You can set up your windows and doors to close when you leave and open when you return. You can also set them to close when there's a change in weather, like during a storm or heavy rain. This is great for keeping your home safe and for keeping your energy costs down.
Automating Your Sprinkler System
If you have a sprinkler system, you can program it to run at certain times of the day or during certain seasons. You can also set your system to run when certain sensors are triggered, like when it rains or when a person walks by. This is great if you have kids or pets who may be in danger when the sprinkler runs.
Automating Your Pet Care
For pet owners, automating their homes can be especially helpful. You can set up your system to feed your pets at certain times of the day or when you're away. You can also set up cameras to allow you to keep tabs on your furry friends while they're home alone.
