How to Convert a Building Into a Smart Home

Traditional means of using buildings’ facilities can’t provide residents with comfort, safety, and efficient energy consumption.

Home automation is the best method to enhance the safety and comfort of the building and to make it more energy-efficient. You need to connect your systems together for sharing data and managing their performances.

In this article, you will learn how to convert an existing building into a smart home.

What is a smart home?

A smart home is a building that uses automated communication technologies to monitor and control different processes. Opening doors, controlling shutters, managing HVAC systems, turning on/off the appliances, and many other processes are the focus of smart home builders.

The home automation concept was introduced in 1966 when ECHO (Electronic Computing Home Operator) was invented. This system could control the home’s temperature and turn appliances on and off.

Unfortunately, that technology could not become economical until the early 2000s. The phrase “Smart Home” was first introduced in 1984, and even today, it is considered a modern technology in the real estate industry. For example, Condoly, a leader in assignment deals all around Canada, claims that smart homes are expensive options for many customers.

Tips for converting an existing into a smart home

It is a difficult task to choose a smart home design as well as suitable devices, especially when you have no experience in smart homes. To choose the best available solution for converting your home into a smart home, you have to learn all the details that a smart home needs.

Here are several useful tips to make your home smart:

Choose a smart speaker

Smart speakers are central to smart homes. These devices let you take control of different functions in your house using voice commands. In fact, they act as an assistant to control everything in your home.

You can choose the Google home speaker or even the Amazon Echo speaker. There are various kinds of smart speakers with different levels of technology, and of course, price. Google Nest is an affordable and useful device that can make your house smart. It has several types, and you can choose the one that aligns with your needs and budget.

Install smart thermostats

HVAC systems are one of the most vital facilities in our home. They make sure that we’re safe and comfortable when the outdoor weather is at extremes.

HVAC systems are also responsible for almost 40% of our home energy consumption. So it’s of paramount importance to automate your system to prevent it from consuming extra energy.

Smart thermostats can help you reduce the energy consumption of your HVAC systems. These devices ensure that the heating system doesn’t work when the room temperature is higher than a set point, and the cooling system is off when the room temperature goes below a given degree.

These thermostats have a predictive system, which means that they can set the temperature of the house conveniently and on their own. They can control the temperature in every part of the smart home as precisely as possible.

With smart energy management, you can simultaneously have different room temperatures in different zones of your home.

Don’t forget smart LED light bulbs

It is anticipated that LED lighting technology can save a huge amount of energy in the world. LED light bulbs consume about 50% less energy compared to traditional bulbs and last for decades.

Smart light bulbs are LED-based light bulbs that can be controlled by a central computer or even by an app on your smartphone. This smart home technology can also play a significant role in your comfort and in the energy consumption in your home.

Smart detectors for smoke and carbon monoxide

Smart detectors for smoke and carbon monoxide that charge themselves are so useful in smart homes. They have several main advantages, like the ability to exactly detect the origin of the smoke. Also, they can and send an alert to your smartphone if when you’re not home.

Some smart detectors can be connected to smart thermostats to shut down heating systems when the smoke alert goes off and prevent the problem from further escalations. Although they might be a bit expensive, the efficiency and the safety they bring to your smart home are worth the price.

Home security cameras

Security is a must when you want to convert your home to a smart one. The security of a smart home relies on devices, sensors, and cameras rather than human checking, which is common in traditional buildings. It is also more cost-effective than hiring guards, especially when the building is extremely spacious and detached. Smart security cameras are the best tools when it comes to security and monitoring your property.

Smart cameras let you know if any unusual activity happens in your home, such as intrusions and burglary. You can also monitor your children and pets when you’re in other rooms or even outside of your home.

Many smart cameras are that they integrate light bulbs and various motion sensors into the central security system. They also cover the doorbell to let you monitor the doors of your home using your smartphone.

You can then easily communicate with the visitors who are at your entrance points without getting to the door at all. So you have the ability to remotely control any access points to your home using your smartphone. This will significantly increase your peace of mind as well as your comfort.

Many smart cameras are equipped with two-way audio, night vision, and HD video, which can increase your home security. Many of them can also ping you if they see any motion in any of the rooms. So you always receive alerts about unfriendly activities.

Use smart cleaning systems

Cleaning is one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks in every home. Apart from dishes and clothes, you need to think of cleaning the floor every often. When you want to convert your home into a smart one, smart cleaning is a must-have system.

First, you can replace your washer-dryer with a smart one to be able to plan for laundry even before arriving at your home. Many smart machines work with Alexa and Google and have many options for different users.

Second, you can buy a smart robotic vacuum to vacuum while you’re away. Many of these cleaners are both voice-activated and can be programmed and controlled via smartphones. Finally, a smart trash can would be of use to your family. It can be opened without touching and also have a suction port to sweep things on the floor.

Final thoughts

Smart homes might be pricey, but they are worth it and can improve your comfort. Moreover, the initial investment can be returned by reducing the energy consumption, which is possible by using smart systems in your home.

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