While having a smart home may feel like a thing of the future, it’s actually quite common. And the trend is expected to grow in coming years. Not convinced? Take a look at these facts:
- Over 50% of homebuyers are willing to pay more for a smart home package.
- In 2017, three of the top five selling Black Friday products were smart home gadgets.
- Revenue in Smart Home technology in 2018 will reach nearly $20 million.
According to SmartHomeUSA, a “smart home” is “a residence that has appliances, lighting, heating, air conditioning, TVs, computers, entertainment audio & video systems, security, and camera systems that are capable of communicating with one another and can be controlled remotely by a time schedule, from any room in the home, as well as remotely from any location in the world by phone or internet.”
Smart homes are possible in new home construction as well as in existing homes that are receiving upgrades. So, whichever category you fall into, you should be aware of some common issues and how to tackle them.
Let your smart home work for you rather than against you by staying on top of these problems:
1. Integrated Technology
When it comes to choosing smart home tech appliances, you have lots of options. But the problem is that many manufacturers don’t want to make their products compatible with products coming from other companies.
This can lead to having multiple apps or controllers just to have all products communicating.
The solution: plan out the functions you want, the hardware you will need, or look for a smart home hub package and voilà!
2. Battery Drains Quickly
What’s the point of having nifty wireless smart devices, if you have to perform a lot of upkeep?
Many smart home products, like door sensors, are low-energy and will only require battery changes once or twice a year.
However, cameras and motion sensors will need lots of energy to get the job done.
The solution: go through the settings and turn off features you never use, since they drain the battery. And be sure your devices are in a good WiFi signal range. If they’re constantly searching for signal, they’ll die more quickly.
3. Poor Internet
Smart home products need reliable two-way communication over the Internet (meaning fast download and upload speeds).
The most common example is a doorbell camera. This is because they need good two-way communication to send messages between the person at the door and the person receiving the message.
The solution: you may need to look into upgrading your Internet or changing providers.
Chances are, if you’re looking at modern homes (or wanting to update your existing property), you’ll run into smart home technology. Whether it’s a safety feature or an energy saving technique, problems can arise. Knowing the common issues and how to solve them can save you a lot of time.
Do you have any smart home technology in your house? What would you add to our list?
What would you like to use? We want to hear from you in the comments!