Thanks to technology, our lives are becoming easier and more productive than ever before. Our smartphones give us the power of the internet at our fingertips, and a growing number of homes are now connected to super-fast fibre optic broadband. This connection to the internet, as well as an array of different sensors and technological innovations, has also created smart homes.

Smart homes are properties which are designed around technology, giving the homeowner a better living experience by allowing all electronic devices to be connected. With a smart home, you have full control over your devices, activating them by voice or through your smartphone. You can also use sensors and timing controls to create a home that responds to your needs. In this article, you’ll learn more about how to make your home smarter.

Smart Home Safety

If you’re looking to turn your home into a smart home, you need to be safety conscious. Electronic devices make our lives easier, but they can also be dangerous if misused. The more electronics you have in your home, the higher the potential for electrical fires or other issues. Thankfully, this can be mitigated quite easily with safety equipment.

For example, miniature circuit breakers from RS can turn circuits off if an overcurrent is detected. This helps protect your home against power surges, minimising the risk of electric shocks and fires. It also mitigates any damage caused to your devices, ensuring your smart home lasts longer.

Having a home that’s connected to the internet offers many advantages, but you need to make sure your home is properly protected. If your network security is low, unauthorised users may be able to take control of vital systems in your house. Ensure that strong passwords are used and only use smart products that are from trusted suppliers.

Smart Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important parts of any smart home and perhaps the easiest to set up. You can find lots of internet-connected lighting devices that allow you to program your lights to come on when you need them and turn them off when you don’t need them. Voice-controlled lights are popular, but it’s also possible to set your lights to come on when you’re getting back from work and turn off when you go to sleep.

The great thing about smart lighting is that it helps you save money on your energy bills, You won’t have to worry about forgetting to turn off the light switch, and you can even access your lighting controls when away from home. Dimmable and colour-changing effects are all possible too, so you can pick the mood and style that suits your home best.

Smart Heating

Keeping our homes warm in the winter has the biggest impact on energy bills, with most people in the UK spending more than 50% of their total bill just on heating. With a smart home, you can use sensors and adjust times to ensure your heating is only ever on when you need it.

In addition, your smart heating can be paired up with your smartphone, so you can accurately measure just how much you’re spending and adjust your usage accordingly. The same system can be used to cool your house in the summer too. If you have an air conditioning unit or smart fans, they can be programmed to come on at certain times to specific temperatures to provide cooling.

Smart Security

For many homeowners, security is a big concern. We want to keep our homes safe from potential intruders and ensure that our family and any possessions are protected. With a smart security system, you can monitor your home when you’re not around, receiving alerts when motion is detected nearby.

Some smart homes can also be programmed with alarms to trigger the local police, warn off any would-be thieves, and keep your property safe.