But reality is very quickly catching up with the fantasy, while home owners would be surprised at just how easy it is to bring their home “into the future”.
Types of Home Automation
Something that has been available to home-owners for some time in various guises is home automation. This involves various appliances and elements of the home being automated either through a central system or as a single device.
From your humble touch lamp, to automatic garage doors, most modern homes have at least some element which is automated. This automation can be delivered in a number of different ways – including through a remote control, touch, or sound such as a clap or voice command.
Simple home automation though does still require the input of a user to have the appliance follow the command. Connected devices however allow for anticipating the user’s needs and automatically perform their function.
Connected devices are more than something as simple as a sensor light. Through a connection to the internet and with the use of sensors, connected devices are programmed to activate and perform tasks when needed. Some devices even learn the habits of home occupants and change their patterns to best suit the needs of the user.
But having a host of different automated and connected devices isn’t necessarily all that useful to a home owner. Having all devices running off different systems can be more hassle that the time they are meant to save. This is where “The Internet of Things” comes in to save the day.
The Internet of Things (IoT) brings together all the various devices in a home into a single network and through the use of sensors, and programming allows devices to complete tasks without any input from a user. Devices on an IoT network can even speak to each other to better learn and complete tasks.
Why Automate Your Home?
While a completely self-automated house sounds great, it can also seem very expensive and daunting for a home owner. But from saving money to improving safety there are many surprising benefits to automating your home.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but automating your home can actually save on electricity consumption which is great for the environment and your bank balance. Through automation appliances are only ever in use when they are needed, and run as efficiently as possible. This will greatly cut down on the amount of electricity used in the home.
Security and safety are other great reasons to install automation in your home. From sensor lights, security cameras, and alarm systems very advanced security networks can be developed to protect your home from would be intruders. The installation of sensors can also help protect your family from a range of different dangers including fire, gas and water leaks.
Automation can also greatly improve the liveability of a home for the disabled or elderly. Through the use of automatic sensors and voice activation many appliances can be used where previously they couldn’t, while monitoring and alarms can be used to call for help in case of an emergency.
If you live in Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches and plan to automate your home, call us on 0410 229 139. We help you to understand the electrical implications regarding installation, maintenance, and best practices.