Smart Home Systems

Smart Home systems are changing the way our residential customers interact with their homes, while reducing energy consumption, saving money, and adding convenience and security. Smart Homes can involve numerous types of accessories that perform a wide variety of functions. WIREONE has been installing these systems for years and is standing by and ready to serve you, whether you’re learning about Smart Home systems for the first time or an experienced aficionado.

What is a Smart Home system and what does it do?

A smart home is one in which the various electric and electronic appliances are wired together to a single controller, which may be your phone, tablet or other device, allowing you to control a variety of features of your home through a single interface, or automatically causing things to happen at certain times. For example, heating can be set to come on automatically at 6:00AM on winter mornings, the lights can be set to turn on or off at specific times, the security system can be activated remotely, or a visitor at the door greeted from your office.

In the most advanced form of smart home, there's a computer that does what you normally do yourself: it constantly monitors the state of the home and switches appliances on and off accordingly. So, for example, it monitors light levels coming through the windows and automatically raises and lowers blinds or switches the lights on at dusk. Or it detects movements across the floor and responds appropriately: if it knows you're home, it switches light and music on in different rooms as you walk between them; if it knows you're out, it sounds an intruder alarm.

What are the advantages of a Smart Home?

There are numerous advantages to installing a Smart Home, including:

• Manage your home from one place – or anyplace! The convenience factor here is enormous. Theoretically, all you’ll have to do is learn how to use one app on your smartphone and tablet, and you’ll be able to tap into countless functions and devices throughout your home.
• Flexibility for the Future. Smart home systems tend to be wonderfully flexible when it comes to the accommodation of new devices and appliances and other technology. No matter how state-of-the-art your appliances seem today, there will be newer, more impressive models developed as time goes on and your system is designed to be updated as new technologies emerge.
• Home Security. When you incorporate security and surveillance features in your smart home network, your home security can skyrocket. For example, home automation systems can connect motion detectors, surveillance cameras, automated door locks, and other tangible security measures throughout your home so you can activate them from one mobile device before heading to bed. You can also choose to receive security alerts on your various devices depending on the time of day an alert goes off, and monitor activities in real-time whether you’re in the house or halfway around the globe.
• Remote Control. With a Smart Home, you can control your home’s functions remotely! For example, you can order your house to become cooler in just enough time before you get home from work. If you’re in a hurry to get dinner started but you’re still at the store, you can have your oven start to preheat while you’re still on your way home. You can even check to see if you left the lights on, who is at your front door, or make sure you turned off all your media while you’re away.
• Energy Efficiency. Smart Home systems can save you money. For example, you can have more precise control over the heating and cooling of your home with a programmable smart thermostat that learns your schedule and temperature preferences, and then suggests the best energy efficient settings throughout the day. Lights and motorized shades can be programed to switch to an evening mode as the sun sets, or lights can turn on and off automatically when you enter or leave the room, so you never have to worry about wasting energy.

What are the most popular types of Smart Home devices?

It seems like a week doesn’t go by without the introduction of a new Smart Home device. Fortunately these systems are designed to easily accommodate new technologies. A few of our favorite current devices include:

• Ring Video Doorbell
• Amazon Echo
• Google Nest Hub
• Philips Hue Lighting
• Nest Thermostat
• Arlo Security Camera
• Belkin Smart Plug
• August Smart Lock