We all question: will it be too expensive? Will it be too complex? What technology do you need? How do you start? Am I going to turn into a Jetson - and where do I get my jetpack? 

Well, we have one word of advice: relax. A smart home is meant to make life easier and more convenient, not more confusing and frustrating. 

You can take some simple steps to make your home a smart home on your terms. In this article, we are helping homeowners navigate the process of making their homes smarter. 

Do You Really Want Your Home to Be Smart?

Before you can begin making your home smarter, you need to decide if you want a free-thinking home. Of course, a smart home does not have free will. It’s only as smart as you let it be. To determine if you want your home to be smarter, let’s answer a few questions.

1. What Are the Benefits of Smart Homes?

There is more to making your home smarter than just convenience and novelty. There are many true benefits, such as:

• Security: Owners can install security systems that track visitor arrivals and departures and notify you if any unusual activity is seen. You and your family may live in a safer and more secure environment by locking doors, arming security systems, and seeing cameras from your phone. This allows families to make sure kids and the elderly are as safe as possible. 
• Fire Protection: Have you ever had the nagging feeling you left the house without turning off the stove? “In 2018, fire departments responded to an average of 470 home cooking fires per day.” One benefit of a smart home is the potential to check in on appliances that you may have forgotten to turn off. 
• Accessibility: If you have elderly or handicapped relatives or family members, you are aware of how challenging even the most routine daily tasks may be for them. Their quality of life may be significantly improved by smart home technology, and using voice commands can significantly reduce the learning curve for someone who is not comfortable with computers.

Greater flexibility and freedom in housing will be possible as technology develops, benefiting those who may not be totally capable of taking care of their houses on their own.

• Energy Efficiency: Smart homes can control energy-gobblers like your heating and air conditioning systems. By optimizing the times of day it regulates temperatures, you could reduce energy usage and improve the lifespan of the system.
• Cost-effectiveness: While there are certainly some up-front costs to making your home smarter, you may find it will save you money in the long run.

2. Do You Believe Some of the Myths About Smart Homes?

We wrote more extensively about the myths regarding smart homes here. Five myths we discussed include:

1. The Myth That Smart Homes Are Expensive: Often, homeowners and families find that converting to a smart home is not nearly as expensive as they would have assumed.
2. The Myth That Smart Homes Are Difficult to Operate: The learning curve to operating your smart home is not as steep as you would think. Many systems can be controlled with voice commands and simple smartphone apps. 
3. The Myth That Smart Homes Are Pointless and Gimmicks: Converting your home to make it smarter is not just a party trick or conversation starter, although it can be pretty cool to show off to your neighbors. As we discussed above, there are real, practical benefits to making your home a smart home. 
4. The Myth That Smart Homes Spy on You: All smart home gadgets have terms and conditions that should be read, but the majority of them also provide you settings to make sure the technology isn't listening when you don't want it to. Businesses have gone to great efforts to guarantee that they can demonstrate that their products give you the privacy you desire.
5. The Myth That Smart Homes Aren’t for Me: You may not be able to determine whether smart home technology is for you until you try it and examine all the potential benefits. 

If you find that benefits are intriguing and you are not beholden to the myths about smart home technology, it may be time to start planning your smart home conversion.

Smart Homes Begin with Smart Planning

You don’t have to fully transform a traditional house into a smart home all at once. If you’re building from the ground up, yes, that may make the most sense. However, if you’re working from an existing house, it may be easier and more budget-friendly to take a stepped approach. 

Consider the different “zones” or systems in your home, and gradually make each smarter. Start with:

• Temperature. A smart thermostat enables you to control your home’s climate through any internet-connected device. Not only does this increase your comfort, but it can also help facilitate significant energy savings.

• Lighting. Smart lights and light bulbs provide an easy way to manage your lighting at home and remotely. It can be as simple as turning your lights on while you’re on your way home, so you’re greeted with a warm glow instead of darkness. 

Other solutions allow you to alter the “temperature” of the light to accommodate for different times of day (stronger in the morning, lower at night, etc.), create “themes” that reflect your moods, and set more natural timers when you’re away. Again, you can save energy with increased control.

• Sound and Entertainment. Sound and entertainment, too, can be very simple. Google Home, for example, allows you to listen to music, access a weather forecast, conduct internet searches, and complete other tasks using just your voice. More complex applications let you enjoy shows and movies seamlessly and create a complete home theater.

• Cleaning. Smart cleaning is so smart! Who doesn’t want to let technology do the work? From robotic vacuums and trash cans with a suction function to clear away any debris nearby to dishwashers you can control anywhere, anytime, and refrigerators that make your grocery list for you, you can do quick work of chores.

• Safety and Security. These are areas that truly benefit from smart technology. You can perform a number of safety- and security-related tasks through mobile devices. Have a smart lock? You can give the babysitter a dedicated code that works from the hours of 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM until you get home from work. 

You can give visitors a code to get in while you’re gone. No longer needed? Deactivate it. It saves you from giving out keys - and worrying about them getting lost or misplaced. 

You can also install cameras that keep an eye on your exterior and your interior. Set “zones” that alert you when kids or elderly parents enter (e.g., the backyard, pool, etc.). See who’s knocking at the door or ringing the bell - on your phone. Smart smoke/CO2 detectors immediately alert emergency responders to keep you and your property safe. 

There are so many security applications available, and Integrity Security is happy to walk you through options that make the most sense for your needs.

Making your home a smart home is manageable. Take it step by step and start with the applications that are most important to you. Safety and security are top priorities, and Integrity Security is here to help you integrate the latest - most effective - technology into your home. Contact us today.