When you think of all of the devices in your home, you probably think of the individual components that make up a smart home system. For example:
- Smart lightbulbs and wall switches that enable you to remotely control and change a room’s hue dynamically.
- A smart thermostat that can raise and lower a home’s temperature on the fly.
- Door and window sensors that are always in the background and send alerts to your smartphone when an activity is detected.
A smart home is made of many parts, but the real power comes when they work together to create a space that responds to your every need. The key to making it all work is to create smart home scenes and rules with your hub or security system. These rules can make these pieces work together to achieve some advanced functionality. Here are three ways that the right smart home setup can make your home a better and more convenient place to live.
Rule 1: Create a home that always looks its best
One of the most popular and affordable smart home upgrades is to replace traditional lighting systems and bulbs with smart bulbs or fixtures. These smart lighting solutions have a range of great features, including:
- Variable dimness settings.
- The ability to change the white color temperature.
- The ability to light your home in a rainbow of colors.
A powerful feature these products provide is the ability to use a companion app or a smart home hub to automate their use and set various lighting scenes. For example, if the natural light in your kitchen changes throughout the day, you can set your lamps to turn on in the morning, turn off in the afternoon, and have your overhead lights come on for dinner.
If you have smart lights installed in a home theater room, create different lighting scenes that you can change with the tap of a button in the app. Consider creating an “all on” mode for board game night, and a “theater” mode to set the lamps at a low dimness the next time you're ready to watch a movie. You’ll be surprised by how much smart lighting can change the look of a space.
Rule 2: Create a home that secures itself
Smart home products have made it easier than ever to protect your home, and many families now own an array of security products like door sensors, smart locks, and WiFi smart cameras. While it’s easy to arm and disarm these products from a wall panel or app, you can set up several smart home rules that can keep you safe without having to lift a finger.
If you’ve installed smart locks on your doors, set up a routine that automatically locks the deadbolt for any unlocked doors at a certain time every night. If you use door and window sensors, you can also have your home send you a notification if a door or window was left open by accident.
Another helpful feature is to use your smartphone's built-in GPS to have your home security system automatically arm when you leave the driveway. There’s a lot of peace of mind that comes from a home that remembers proper security measures, even when you don’t.
Rule 3: Create a greener home with lower bills
Finally, consider programming your smart home hub or security system to automatically go into energy-saving mode when you’re away or asleep. Many smart home systems can sense when you’re away and automatically shift to more efficient temperature settings and shut off the lights. The same goes for bedtime, when you’re likely under a pile of blankets and don’t need the heat running at full tilt.
Whatever smart home system you use, investigate how the smart gadgets you own can integrate with each other for a wider set of features. It’s a great way to make your home more beautiful, safe, and energy-efficient.
