Smart home automation is becoming increasingly popular in
households across the UK - but what is it and how can you make your home
'smarter'?
Gone are the days when you have to press a button or flick a
switch to turn an electrical appliance on and off. The future is here and there
are an increasing number of electricals designed for your home with the ability
to be controlled remotely using your smartphone, or even just your voice.
Here's how you could consider being smarter to reap the
benefits of updating the technology in your home:
Lighting
Have you ever left the house and had that niggling feeling
that you left a light on? You're running late and couldn't possibly turn back to
check, or you've just got comfortable in bed and don't want to get up to turn
the light off - that's where smart lighting comes into play.
A smart LED bulb like the TP-Link
LB100 connects to your home wi-fi and can be controlled from an app
on your phone whether at home, at work or on holiday. This is one of many smart
bulbs which allows you to dim lights from your phone too. With the Nanoleaf
Light Panels you can even create custom shapes using up to 30
triangular lights which can all change colour independently to set the mood
however you desire.
What's especially unique about smart lighting is that it
works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant to give you the
ability to change the lighting using only your voice.
Security
They say the home is where the heart is, which means security
is an absolute priority. The addition of smart security around your home will
give you peace of mind at all times, even when you go on holiday.
CCTV which links directly to your smartphone allows you to
visually monitor your home throughout the day. Sophisticated cameras such as
the EzvizC6T 1080p Smart Camera will give you 1080p quality, night vision
capability, and alert you when motion is detected. If you're looking for
outdoor security, the Foscam
FI9828P Wireless Outdoor IP Camera is for you as it is weatherproof
to an IP66 rating.
The Ring Video
Doorbell 2 allows you to monitor every ring at your door with HD
recording and instant notifications to your smartphone, so you can have a
two-way conversation anywhere, with whoever is ringing your doorbell.
Plugs and
switches
Turning your products on and off remotely doesn't just stop
at lighting. With smart plugs and switches, you can control a wide range of
electrical appliances from your smartphone whether it be an iron or a fan.
The Lightwave Smart Socket 2 even allows you to set a timer and lock
sockets across the home so you can control all your appliances in one place.
Using a LightwaveSmart Dimmer 2, you can create customised lighting scenes and take
control using your voice so you don't even have to lift a finger.
Water and
Heating
This is where you can really save some money by updating your
home, from turning on the hot water as you leave the office for a warm bath, to
ensuring the heating is only on when somebody is home.
The Tado
Smart Thermostat Starter Kit V3 allows you to control the
temperature of individual rooms, automatically turns the heating on when you're
nearly home, and can even adapt heat according to the weather forecast. It's
also possible to get a vertical
or horizontal
thermostat which slots nicely onto your existing radiator in place of your old
thermostat.
If this all seems far too smart, feel free to contact the
experts at BOX
or visit our Minworth showroom to find out how you can update your home.