It was my longtime wish indeed to put all the information in one place.
During my career as a Smart Home Consultant, I’ve faced unexpected and bizarre situations that helped me to grow professionally.
Today I’ll be sharing my professional learning in the form of Smart Home Automation Tips.
I hope you’ll not only cherish these 31 smart home tips but will also implement it in your project.
This list is equally good for a smart home beginner as well as experienced.
Without any further ado, let’s begin…
The Need of Strong Reliable Network
For optimum performance of a smart home, you definitely need a strong reliable network.
If all other network fails, then I would recommend you to consider picking up a Mesh Network.
It will definitely serve the purpose.
Keep a Track of the Batteries
You must be well aware in advance that smart devices use different types of batteries.
Some batteries are long and cylindrical while others are flat type batteries.
AAA, AA, CR123 are some of the batteries that are long and cylindrical in dimension.
CR2032 is an example of a
Check for Neutral Wire
If you’re planning to add smart home light switches into your lightning array, then you need to check for the neutral wires that are present behind the wall plates.
If you’re not sure about the neural wires, the best thing that you can do is to hire an electrician
Be Clear with What You Want
You need to ask yourself whether you REALLY want a smart home or you are OK with remote control capabilities and some basic automation.
After all, no one else can better understand your need and requirements.
Being clear in the beginning about what you want can help you save both time and money in the short as well as long run.
If you don’t want to truly make your home smart, then it is advisable to not buy a
Proper Positioning of the Echo
It has happened to me, and many of my clients.
Placing the Echo in the wrong way may give you a bizarre result. Later on, yelling at Alexa may be of no use.
I highly recommend my clients to mount the Echo Dot on the wall with the help of a wall mount.
Trust me, you will find a
Look for Smart Light Switches
Lutron switches can be of great help.
I highly recommend it.
It’s a lot cheap than smart light bulbs for each individual socket.
Moreover, if your project needs only 4 to 5 light bulbs and all in a different room, then, in that case, you need to buy a single light bulb for each room.
In the end, you need to decide as per your requirement.
Networking for Help
As a smart home enthusiast, you may need help.
The best way to reach to the veterans in this domain is through networking.
In the digital age, you’ve lots of options, and you need to leverage the opportunity provided by various platforms.
For example, you can join groups on Facebook related to the topic.
In case, you want to approach someone in person, then you can look for some IoT meet up group near you.
Redundancy
You can add multiple ways to control smart devices.
However, you need to be careful and also keep a track that the methods used by you aren’t redundant.
At the same time, don’t get afraid of having multiple smart home hubs if it is needed.
Sometimes the smart device that you’re using may have an app attached to it or in other words, the smart device can also be controlled by the App.
Mailbox Motion Sensor
It is advisable to put a motion sensor in your mailbox.
Another feasible option is to place a contact sensor on the lid of the mailbox.
As soon as
Another thing you can do is to use a motion style sensor on the inside of the box.
When the sensor detects the motion of the mail is put into the mailbox it will send an SMS to your phone in a similar way as a contact sensor.
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Look for a Common Wire
As a smart home enthusiast, you must be well aware of the fact that smart devices such as thermostats will need a C wire.
So, it’s advisable that you should check your home for the C wires before buying a smart thermostat.
Nevertheless, if you’ve brought the thermostat home without checking the C wire, then you should call an electrician for the same.
Return Policy
This is one of the reasons why I prefer Amazon over other e-commerce websites.
Trust me, I never had a tough time returning smart devices that have compatibility issues.
As a newbie, you should look for the products which have a genuine return policy because there are chances that the product that you bought may have a
Pets and Sensors
The function of the motion-sensitive equipment is to pick on anything that is going around it.
Most of the time, you have to deal with false alerts if you have pets in your home.
However, once you start using these sensors for some time, then you can adjust the sensitivity to negate the false alarm.
Cold Weather and Cameras
As a newbie, you may overlook the importance of the cold weather while buying a security camera of your choice.
It is really important to be aware of the fact that all the security cameras don’t perform great in the cold weather.
If you’re planning to set your security smart camera outside your home, then I’ll recommend you to use either Blink XT or Arlo Pro.
Both are specially made to deal with the cold weather.
Use Smart Devices to Reduce the Electricity Bill
You have to pay more upfront for the smart household appliance but in the long run, these devices are economically beneficial.
For example, you can buy a smart thermostat as it will save you both money and energy usage.
Similarly, using a smart light bulb will not cost you more than 2 dollars annually under normal use.
Check on Discount
Keep a track of the power companies providing a discount on the smart devices.
Sometimes they may provide you a new smart thermostat for free.
These power companies run deals that provide some good discounts on smart devices.
Controlling Television with Voice
Currently, it’s trending. A lot of my clients are interested in the voice control setup for their TV.
I recommend Logitech Harmony Hub for automating a smart entertainment device that you have in your home.
It’s efficient and cost-effective as well.
Remove Laziness
You can easily integrate your smart TV with your fitness tracker with the help of IFTTT.
It will guide you to finish your steps before you can sit down to watch the TV.
Automation of the Lights
I’ll recommend you to set up motion sensors.
It will help you in saving the electricity bills.
Once you’ve set up the sensors, it will turn on the light when you’ll enter the room and turn off the light when you’ll leave the room.
You can also call it the automation of lights.
Automatically Lighting
If you’re using a lighting system such as Philips hue, then you can activate the geofencing feature.
By doing so, you can automatically turn on the lights when you arrive home after dark.
Look for Compatibility
It is very important to choose a smart assistant platform that is compatible with the smart home devices that you’re using.
If we talk about the options, then Siri, Google Home, and Alexa are definitely good options.
Smart Home Hub
As a smart home beginner, you should go with an extremely simple smart home hub.
Wink smart hub is a good option to start with.
However, if you’re looking for an advanced smart home hub, then the best option would be Samsung SmartThings Hub.
Start Small with Minimum Complexibility
As a smart home beginner, you can start small and slowly make it big.
I would recommend you to start with smart home lighting as it can be implemented easily.
At the same time, you can also try Samsung SmartThings starter kit.
You can find the kit on Amazon.
Don’t Ignore Privacy Policy
It’s always good to read the
The reason I’m emphasizing on it is that you should understand how your data from your smart home devices are used and shared.
There are smart home devices that are monitoring, sharing and potentially selling your data.
So, you need to be smart and careful to prevent your data from getting shared.
By reading the privacy policy, you’ll be aware that the device you’re using is sharing your data or not.
Improve the Security of Your Smart Home Network
There are quite a few things that you can do to secure your smart home network.
By securing your smart home network, you negate the malfunctioning of the smart devices as well as prevent the devices from getting hacked.
Set Holiday Lights to Music
You can try this for not just Christmas but any holiday.
The process is simple and easy.
Just set your light to turn On and Off to Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
You need creativity, raspberry pi, and a little elbow grease, and you’re done.
Don’t worry about smart home gear, you’ll not need it.
It’s good to turn down the volume when your neighbors are sleeping, isn’t it?
Alexa’s Hidden Secrets
Alexa has loads and loads of secrets that you can explore.
Trust me, the hidden secret easter eggs will help you to have lots of fun with party jokes, games and whatnot.
Explore IFTTT
IFTTT can be abbreviated as “If This Then That”.
It can be a game-changer for you if you’ve time to learn and explore it.
Once you’ve learned it thoroughly, you can use it to automate several tasks at one go.
I always advise my clients to learn IFTTT, if they have even the simplest of smart home technology in their house.
Make it Sleek
In case, you’re setting your smart home equipment around the desk or a shelf, then it’s good to attach 3m or binder clips to the back.
Once you’re done with it, simply run the chords through the clip to keep them cleaned up.
Most of the time, you’ll find wires hanging on the floor.
The best and simple solution is to use a decorative basket to keep the mess away.
Even a wooden box will work fine.
Phone Call Alerts
Are you aware of the fact that you can sync smart lightning to your phone number?
By syncing, you’re alert by the lights blinking whenever someone is calling you on your smartphone.
Help Your Old Roomba with Wi-Fi
Are you still using the same old Roomba?
If yes, then it’s time to upgrade the old Roomba.
I hope you’ll be aware of the fact that old Roomba doesn’t come with built-in Wi-Fi.
The solution is much simpler than you can think. Try RooWifi and start your journey as a smart home enthusiast.
Windows Scare Me?
If you’re scared of getting the windows cleaned because of height and risk factors.
Then, you don’t have to get scared anymore.
Completely forget climbing dangerous ladders and reaching to the nasty windows which may risk your life.
I’ve got a solution for you.
Try Alfawise S60 Window cleaning robot.
It works fine on the flat and framed glass.
It’s a
Final Thought
I hope you’ll definitely like the tips shared in this post.
In case, I’ve missed some tips and tricks, then let me know in the comment section.
If you like this piece of information, then please share it with your friends, family and also for someone who is looking for similar information.
You can also have a look at some of the idiosyncratic articles on this blog.
Feel free to contact me for any doubt or queries.
Remember, sharing is caring.
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