Twenty years ago, the idea of an Indianapolis smart home seemed something right out of science fiction or cartoons. Controlling lights with your voice or unlocking your front door with your phone seemed more in line with The Jetsons than everyday life. Of course, now it seems like there’s a new “smart item” ready to make our lives easier every day
But if you’re just starting out in home automation, which products should you use? Here’s a quick guide of what every Indianapolis smart home should use:
Tie Your Home Automation Into Your Home Security System
Before you start plugging in gadgets, consider the control system for your new smart home. Many people like to tie home automation into their Indianapolis home security system. This makes sense, as a professionally installed security system usually comes with its own automation app. Putting the two systems together just makes your home safer, especially when you also hook your system up to a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Home.
Smart Lighting Is A Must For Any Indianapolis Smart Home
The great thing about smart lighting is the amount of control you get. Wonder if you forgot the lights when you left the house? Check your security app and switch them off remotely. Want to set a mood for movie night? Create a scene in your app that dims all the downstairs lights by 40%. Smart lights even improve safety through scheduling, so that it always looks like your home.
You can get smart lighting into your home automation in a number of ways. New lamps and lighting fixtures have connectivity built-in. Or you can just install individual smart bulbs into your existing lights. The bulbs are responsive LEDs, so they’ll last for years. And they cost pennies on the dollar to run when compared to your standard light bulbs. The first time you walk into a room with your hands full and tell Alexa to turn on the light, you’ll wonder why your entire house doesn’t have smart lighting.
Smart Thermostats Make Your Life More Comfortable
Get an immediate cease-fire on your thermostat war when you use home automation for your temperature control. That’s because your smart thermostat can automatically adjust to make sure your home always feels comfortable. Bigger house? No problem. Just have your installer add additional temperature sensors upstairs.
A smart thermostat is also energy efficient. First, it keeps a better watch on external temps so the air and heat doesn’t run needlessly. Then, you can schedule the thermostat to respond to different times of the day. Have the heat turn down during the night when you’re asleep. Or stop cooling down the house so heavily when you’re away at work. You’ll notice how much your new thermostat saves you the first time you check your energy bill!
Smart Locks Keep Your Indianapolis Smart House Secure
Smart locks may not seem as exciting as programmable lights or responsive thermostats, but they may be one of the most important items. Here, instead of a key, your locks work with a customized numbered code. Each member of your family can choose their own code, or set temporary codes for one-time visitors. Any time someone unlocks the door, you can get an alert to your phone, so you know exactly what time your kids get home from school. You can even remotely unlock and lock your doors through your home security app.
Other Useful Items For Your Indianapolis Smart Home
Why smart bulbs, smart thermostats, and smart locks are some of the most important items for your home automation system, they are far from the only useful devices. Here is a list of some other items that you can plug into your smart home:
- Garage door sensors: Never leave the garage door up again.
- Security Cameras: Your doorbell and other security cameras can all be controlled remotely or set on preset schedules through the home security app.
- Smart Plugs: Now any device can be a smart device!
Nelson Alarm Can Make Your Home A Smart Home
Along with installing your home security system, let Nelson Alarm help with your home automation system. We can help you choose the right devices and install them so they work right the first time. Just call 317-255-2125 or send in this form for a free quote.