However, along with all this amazing tech comes some hesitation. The more complicated our home gets, the more difficult it might be to fix and maintain when problems crop up. The more disastrous accidents will be, and then there’s the question of installation in the first place. How many of us are computer-savvy enough to know exactly how to set things up efficiently and prevent future problems? Here are a few tips that can make a smart home feel a lot more doable for you and your family.
Invest in Quality
One of the most important things to consider as you assemble your smart home is to invest in quality. Consider each item a long-term investment; not a deal that you’ll just try out. When you go for the cheapest option, you’re almost always making big compromises in compatibility, user-interface, and long-lasting mechanics. Remember that every time you have to replace something in a smart home, you also have to ensure that it operates well within the rest of the system. This can be especially difficult with things that are hooked up to many different components and installed directly into your home, instead of sitting on the counter; things like speakers, lights, and cameras.
Make Security High Priority
Did you know that your smart home could get hacked? If that thought hasn’t occurred to you yet, I guarantee you it will keep you up tonight. The thought is enough to make some of us swear off smart homes entirely. However, the rest of us know that with certain precautions, this can make your home more secure than ever.
For the most part, the best things you can do to keep your smart home secure are the same things you do to keep any online information secure: inform yourself about phishing scams, check and double-check IP addresses and emails to make sure they’re coming from where they should be, and always use the utmost caution when sharing personal information online. In addition, set up multifactor security checkpoints on your access. It should be more than a password. Utilize fingerprints, eye scans, one-time codes, etc. whenever possible.
Ask for Professional Help
Is the installation process boggling your mind? Well, maybe it’s time to call in a professional. You don’t have to do this alone, and the truth is that most people have better security measures, and are able to get more out of their smart homes when they have professional installation. Many service companies will set things up beginning to end, briefing you on all of your capabilities and putting the power in your hands.
Don’t Buy It unless It Plays Nice
As you add to your repertoire of smart home devices, it can be intriguing to get anything and everything. However, it’s important that you do your research before buying each item. You need to make sure that it’s compatible with your operating system, and that it’s actually something you’ll use. Not everything in your house is better when it’s hooked up to the wireless. You’ll also need to determine from the beginning which operating system you want to use. Enlisting the help of Siri, Ok Google, an Amazon Echo, and Alexa all together will get complicated.
Check Glitches Quick
When things get glitchy in your smart home, it can get hairy quickly. Most items will have fail-safes and security measures to make sure that nothing gets out of control. And although you might worry, nothing’s suddenly going to go wrong, such as your faucet turning on completely spontaneously and flooding your home. However, when there is something wrong with the wiring, it’s important to get it checked out quickly to make sure that it’s not a sign of malware in the system. So, even if it’s something as simple as your garage’s remote control, be alert to malfunctions. Call in a trusted professional if you notice something off.
We hope these tips will help you get your smart home up and running.
