Home Automation/Smart Homes
"Smart Home" refers to a huge number of connected devices, gadgets, and appliances that do a wide variety of things. While
"Home Automation" refers to devices or things that can be programmed to function automatically. Home Automation turns any home into a smart home. Even with just a few automated devices your home now has the capability to perform tasks completely by itself, all without your direct input. With home automation, you dictate how a device should react, when it should react, and why it should react. You set the triggers, such as when motion is detected in the garage or when a wrong code is entered into your smart lock too many times, along with schedule and the rest is automated and based off of your personal preferences thereby providing control, money savings, convenience, and an exceptionally smarter home.
Automation may also alert you to events taking place in your home you want to know about immediately while you are away, such as sudden increases in temperature, water leaks, and unexpected movement in your home. Settings can be quickly changed by using a smartphone (Android or iPhone) or universal remote control at any time.
Convenience
The ability to control just about every device and appliance within your home, whether you are at home or far away on vacation, is at your fingertips. Having devices and appliances networked together provides the user with seamless control over all those aspects of the home and included property.
Users experience a new level of comfort as they are able to perform actions such as adjusting the thermostat while in bed, turning up the volume of the back porch sound system while outside, or automate a combination of actions with the coffee maker beginning its brew cycle, the TV turns on the news, the bathroom and hallway lights dim up to 40%, and the bathroom floor heater kicks on because it was programmed to operate when the temperature went below 60 degrees, all taking place 10 minutes before your alarm clock goes off! Couple that with your alarm clock set to play your favorite melodic track at 40% volume when it reaches the set time, and increase 10% in volume every 2 minutes; that's a comfortable way to wake-up! Just a couple automated devices will make your home work for you.
Safety
Always on standby and ready to react to an unwelcome stimulus, home automation provides sound and reliable security safeguarding your loved ones. From a couple well placed security cameras waiting for the slightest movement, to interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that function as a team, to a water sensor alerting you to the very beginning of a leak, these automated devices provide a level of safety that allows you to react even while on the go.
Security automation may also be coupled with geofencing to fantastic results. Instead of coming home to a pitch dark house and the unwelcome question in the back of your mind asking if your son/daughter remembered to lock the door when they left, your smartphone can send a protected signal to your home when you drive within a certain distance to turn all your lights on, open the garage door, and open the front door. You can then check your notifications to see when the smart door-lock was locked in the morning, and if you missed the alert that it was opened at any point in the day. While the possibilities are endless, they all add up to a safe and secure smart home.
Bill Savings
Home automation works efficiently for you based exclusively on your schedule. By far one of the most popular smart devices on the market today is the smart thermostat. Most models also include a learning brain inside the thermostat that doesn't need to be programmed. It simply records your settings for a couple weeks and eventually starts to predict your schedule. Additionally most can be automated to turn off shortly before you leave for the day and turn on before you get back, as well as be controlled from outside the home over a highly secure bank level encryption, so only you have the control. This adds up to tremendous savings on energy and utility bills, commonly paying for itself with the savings within 2 years! Many power companies even offer special rates and "Going Green" rebates for having a smart thermostat installed.
Fun
Smart home automation gets your whole family involved. Set your individual preferences and automated actions, then kick back and enjoy using the latest in home automation technology. Though the technology is quite complex, the user interface has been tweaked for many years, finally resulting in an optimum and fun experience. These technology packed devices are fun to use and showoff to visiting relatives and friends. Whether vetting visitors at your front door on your TV, or dimming your lights down to 35% and setting the TV up for a movie by using voice recognition, you'll find home automation surprisingly enjoyable.
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