Smart homes are the rage these days with homeowners and renters alike looking for enhanced security, efficiency and convenience in their homes. The possibility of controlling your home functions from lighting, heating and cooling and security among others from anywhere in the world is something futuristic enthusiasts are considering a must-have in their dream homes. Now that you are building your home, you have the opportunity to integrate smart tech from the ground up. Moreover, that gives you endless possibilities to build a smart home of your dreams. That said, here are five tips on how to integrate smart home tech when building your home.
Create a plan for your dream smart home
Integrating smart home tech when building a house starts with deciding the tech that you want for your smart home. To do this, you will need to do a conclusive plan. Think of how you want your home to function once it is completed. You might need to consider your tech needs as well as those of your family. In addition, ensure that you account for how these needs might change in the future. Some of the smart home tech that you can consider include:
- Smart security – Smart locks, cameras, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, security systems
- Smart heating and cooling – Smart thermostats, heaters, leak detectors
- Smart lighting – Smart plugs, lighting kits, bulbs
- Smart kitchen appliances – Smart ovens, coffee maker, refrigerator. Microwave
- Smart household appliances – Smart vacuums, RO water filters, water dispensers, washers, dryers
Do the required cabling
Proper infrastructure is very important for a smart home. Moreover, it is better laid on a blank canvas. Now that you know the smart home technology to integrate in your home, doing the cabling during the building process should come next. This ensures that the cabling is designed in as well as installed at the right places for maximum effectiveness. Besides, adding them when the house is complete can be very expensive and messy at the same time. Depending on your smart tech plan, you might need a coaxial cable for TV, a C-wire for the thermostat, speaker cable for the audio, wiring for smart doorbells and data cable for the internet among others.
Install motion sensors and smart lighting
Most smart security systems work with motion-activated security cameras. The motion sensors add another level of security as they can be programmed to do various tasks such as lock the doors, turn on the lights and even alert the security system if they sense a problem. If you plan to have a robust smart security system at home, having them installed during the building system is a good move. Install them on the windows, doors and fencing.
Plan for internet connection
Every smart home requires a reliable internet connection. If you want your smart home up and running from the word go, planning for internet connection when building the home is essential. Again, integrating it at this point ensures reliability and connectivity are maximized. Some building materials such as glazing, foil-backed insulation and steelwork are notorious for blocking WiFi signals. You will need a number of Wifi access points placed strategically around the house to improve internet coverage. These access points are generally WiFi aerials that are connected to a central router through data cables.
If installing a wired internet isn’t your best option, then you have to plan on the best wireless protocol to use for your smart home. There are several options available including Zigbee, Z-Wave and Bluetooth Low Energy among others.
Work with an expert
Integrating smart technology in a home requires the right expertise and experience. Working with an expert is a great way to realize your smart home dreams. Moreover, bringing an expert in during the ideation stage benefits you a lot. For starters, you gain insights on the best smart tech to match your lifestyle and budget. In addition, they can come in handy in selecting compatible devices as well as unifying control so that you can control all the tech from a single app.
Conclusion
Building a smart home is no longer a nice-to-have. It is now a necessity for homeowners who want to enjoy the benefits that come with it. Planning to integrate it from the onset gives limitless options. Besides, some tasks such as cabling are best done during the building process. Plan to bring in an expert from the word go. This way, you can leverage their knowledge to achieve your dream smart home from the ground up.
