5 ways to use home automation | Renovation Quotes

We’ve all heard so much about smartphones; at this point, they are practically embedded into our everyday lives. So, if your phone can be smart, why not your entire home? Well, with the rapid rate of growing technology, now it can be.

A home with an automation system installed is becoming a popular trend in North America as well as internationally. The smart home will make your life safer, easier and in some cases, more environmentally friendly. So, if a technological home sounds like it’s right up your alley, then read on for all of the information.

5 ways to use home automation

1- Home automation for locking and unlocking doors in the home

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This may seem like a fairly easy task to complete on a daily basis, but losing your keys is a real problem that many face time and time again. When home automation has been installed, your door automatically unlocks when you approach it and locks directly behind you when you leave. This function is controlled by way of your phone, and also offers you a chance to lock and unlock your doors for family members, visiting friends, neighbours or otherwise.

Since all smartphones have a GPS system built into them, for this function to work you simply need to select your home location by way of an app. There are a few in place on the market already, and this choice will come down to reviews as well as personal preference.

Once you enter the area that has been defined as “home” on the app, the door will simply unlock for you. This function is convenient if you have a family member who is consistently losing their keys, or if that family member happens to be you!

2- Automate your lights

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Lights account for a huge portion of your home’s energy consumption, and this can be anywhere between 20 and 30% of your energy bill. If you’re trying to cut down on costs or you’re concerned about the state of the environment and want to look into green-friendly solutions, why not consider installing smart lights in your home?

Smart lights are just another brilliant aspect of home automation, and they help to save money while also understanding your personal needs, as they react to your daily routines and preferences.

These preferences include setting your lights to specific levels of brightness, whether that means having them slowly brighten as you want to wake up or as it begins to grow dark outside. If you’re going on a vacation and need it to look as if someone is still living in your home, this is a function they can accomplish as well.

Smart lights are controlled by way of a bulb or wall switch that is compatible with many of the apps on the market. You’ll likely need to pick up a lighting automation kit that is compatible with the fixtures already in place in and around your house.

There will be an option to control several bulbs or just one bulb with a few taps of a button. As mentioned, the lights and their actions will be completely customizable to suit your specific daily needs. Further, if you happen to forget to turn your lights off frequently, having smart lights in your automated home is an excellent way to deal with this directly.

3- Save money while making your home more green-friendly

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Now, we may have already mentioned the ways in which you can save money by way of home automation, but another excellent way to accomplish this is to install a smart thermostat. By way of a smart thermostat, you can control your HVAC system: heating, air conditioning, dehumidifiers and so on. A smart thermostat is excellent for making sure the rooms of your home remain at a comfortable temperature. For example, you can use your smart thermostat to adjust rooms to specific levels when specific things happen, including your coming into and leaving your home.

Again, the smart thermostat will require a partnering app as this will allow you to set its controls, heating and cooling rooms only when they’re occupied. Not only will this allow rooms to reach their desired temperature only when necessary, but it will also automatically reduce expenses and improve the system's overall performance. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

4- Security measures

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Home security systems are in place to make yourself and your family feel just that, secure. But what happens if you can’t exactly afford a home security system due to the monthly fees as well as the installation fee itself? As we’ve already mentioned, most automated homes can be locked and unlocked from anywhere. 

By way of smart home and the necessary app, you can also add additional security measures, including triggering an alarm if there is any detected or unwarranted motion. In some cases, you can install motion sensors on doors and windows, and you’ll receive a notification if there is any suspicious activity happening in and around your home. Depending on the app you’ve paired with your home, you’ll be able to look in and see what’s happening!

5- Water control

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Aside from energy consumption by way of the lights and electricity within your home, another one of the major sources of energy loss is water. Whether you’re taking a shower every morning before work or washing your dishes every night following dinner, chances are you use a fair amount of water. Smart showerheads, as well as touchless faucets, are two different technologies that can be easily integrated into a smart home.

Not only are the indoor water sources important, but the outdoor ones are as well. Smart irrigation water systems work to stop waste and save money, and like all of the above points, are controlled by way of an app. In some cases, newer models will react to outdoor weather conditions so that you can leave watering your lawn up to the system. 

Would you like to read more about this subject? We have an interesting article for you:

• Home automation in 2022: the CHIP initiative (Connected Home over IP)