Whether you were introduced to the concept of a smart home from The Jetsons, or in my case, Smart House, it’s time to break down what actually makes a home smart. Spoiler alert – it’s not a robotic nanny.
The steps to convert your existing home to a smart home are pretty simple, and if you have internet connection in your home, you are already on the right track.
First, for a home to be smart, it must be connected. If you have an appliance or gadget connected to the home Wi-Fi, and information can be shared across devices, your home is connected. A smart home is a connected home, but a connected home is not a smart home.
In order for a connected home to become a smart home, the devices and appliances in the home must be connected to Wi-Fi as well as actively work in-sync with one another. Additionally, the devices are programmed to work together at specific times and are controllable at one centralized hub, which you can access locally and remotely.
A home can be smart to varying degrees, and there are many products on the market introducing consumers to starter-smart home technologies. A few products that are a great start to becoming a smart home are Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Nest Thermostat, and Ring Video Doorbell.
These products are innovative, and DIY projects, but they are a piece-meal approach to home automation. The more comprehensive option is a Control 4 system professionally installed by Hill Country Technology Solutions. Control 4 gives you the ability to link all your smart products on one easy-to-use platform that you can manage at home or remotely. HCTS professionally installs Control 4 and has an unmatched depth of experience with technology infrastructure. To learn more about our products and services, call us at (830) 637-2910 or visit our website.
