Smart homes are all the rage in the US and we are slowly catching up in South Africa. The only problem is that most South Africans don’t have a good understanding of how to go about getting set up for a smart home and facing this intimidating new world head on.
Here’s the low down on taking the plunge!
Smart homes are all about connectivity and convenience, at the touch of a finger, from your phone, anywhere! It’s like a sci-fi movie, but it’s reality and it can be your reality too.
The first place to start when setting up your smart home is to have an assessment by a professional who can tell you what you do and don’t need for your specific home requirements including, but not limited to, lighting, home temperature, locking and unlocking doors, managing your security lighting and cameras, sound systems etc.
Next you need to make sure you have strong, consistent WiFi so that your smart devices can function effectively across your home network. The smart devices work off of bluetooth, so without consistent connectivity devices will be patchy at best which is going to make having a smart home pointless! Choose the area of your home that gives strong connection to the rest of the home.
Our advice is to get a smart hub to use as your dashboard for your smart home system and not to use your phone for this. A smart hub is far more reliable and while your phone will still be the main point of functionality, the smart hub offers a stable point of connectivity. Again, a professional will be able to advise you on which smart hub best suits your needs and will give you the best functionality.
Now you need to decide which features you want to include in your smart home system:
Security – home security systems and high quality video, doorbell cameras, smart locks and keyless entry
Lighting – control your lighting remotely to save on energy and costs as well as control your security lighting
Climate control – control your heating, air conditioning and ventilation
Electrical outlets – control any electrical outlet through your smart hub: turn on the coffee machine from your bed, turn on the sprinkler while you’re on holiday, the options are endless!
Getting started on your smart home can feel like a BIG challenge, but it’s worth the convenience it brings to an already stressful life!
Call us to assess your smart home needs: 0860 APE APE (273 273)
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