Smart home advantages and disadvantages

In a smart home, you will find both: advantages and disadvantages. However, I can guarantee that there is a big advantage of Smart Homes.

You may feel a little lost at first when you are faced with so many companies and products competing with each other to offer you the best products. Besides, you need to know and learn to use all this technology.

Do not be anxious; with very clear instructions, you will be able to carry out a project in your home and make it work for you!

A smart home is equipped with technology that allows communication between smart devices, and with that, you have total control of your home.

The disadvantages of Smart Homes 

Five things I can cite as a disadvantage would be:

Though you may find these disadvantageous, there won't be many cons to upgrading and investing in your home!

Many people would not count the chances of being hacked as a disadvantage of having cameras because the chances are slim to none.

It is up to you to make sure that you are following the best safety methods so that this does not happen. Also, be sure to look for reputable smart devices to prevent this from happening to you.

The advantages are endless 

However, the advantages are several:

There are a lot of reasons you should have a smart home. In addition, there are various other benefits that each device brings to the table

You forgot to turn off some lights and remember when you were at work? Then, simply access an app and turn off the lights from there!

Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature in your home from anywhere. So go to sleep in the cold and wake up in a cozy and warm house. There are even learning thermostats that are even more advanced, and learn your habits and adjust automatically.

Smart thermostats connect to your phone and have integrated sensors to learn your routine. Your preferred temperatures are entered during the installation of the units.

Some smart devices have features that help you save energy in your home. For example, smart plugs have a power monitoring feature. They allow you to have access to reports on the amount of energy consumed to see how much each device is using.

What you can automate 

The advantage of Smart Homes is the non-ending automation that it brings. This list can give you an idea of a small project.

It won't be hard to find the appliances that will improve your life and add value to your home.

That is, you will be able to, with a simple voice command, turn on the lights of the whole house, turn on the TV and lower the temperature of the house.

You can automate almost everything in your home. Apart from being efficient, it is fun to make things work together for your benefit.

More and more families around the world are adopting smart technology in their homes and daily routines. Smart devices help in the daily routine and allow us to be more efficient.

I imagine that in a few years, home buyers, mainly new ones, will be looking for this technology already installed. Therefore, not only will you be living the life, but you will also increase the price of your home and make your home valuable. 

Voice control and hubs 

The main virtual assistants are Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Homekit. Alexa has the most compatibility at the moment because she can connect with most devices.

To start a project, it is necessary to remember that all devices must be compatible. Some devices will come with hubs, like Phillips Hue, while other devices will be able to connect directly to your Wi-Fi.

You can have your central hub control everything from one place and allow communication between devices. A hub enables all devices to be connected to the Internet, with only the device actually using wi-fi being the hub itself.

In this race to conquer and be a leader, Amazon launched Amazon Echo Plus and Show that offer Zigbee hubs.

Since the devices are connected to the hub, and it is connected to the Internet, you can access these devices from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection.

You will control your home from your phone, tablet, or computer, whether you are at home or not. This brings you convenience anywhere and everywhere.

Convenience, Customization, and Security 

A meaningful advantage of Smart Homes is that all the smart devices work together and thus allow your home to work more efficiently and provide better comfort for you.

Within this part, we can talk about the routines that are possible to be created. For example, you can set up routines to be triggered by a particular phrase, at a specific time of the day or on designated days.

These routines can include turning smart devices on and off, turning on music, and running appliances. All with a simple sentence, like "Alexa, I'm home!"

Regarding customization, it will depend on how much you can spend and how many devices you want to install. 

Security 

As for security, if you plan on putting smart security, like cameras and door and window sensors, you can check your home from anywhere.

An advantage of Smart Homes is that you will be able to do many things regarding security and control everything remotely.

The list of security products can be extended; Nevertheless, it is worth the investment.

Vacation mode is another form of security for your home when you are away that adds to the advantage of Smart Homes. In this way, it simulates someone being at home when you are not, turning the lights on and off in a random pattern.

If you have an intelligent security system, you will be alerted directly and are responsible for calling the police if necessary.

Keep in mind that the cost of these cameras can vary widely. However, some cheap cameras are not professional and suitable for use and might cause more bad than good. 

Installation 

It is also crucial to remember that there are cameras that are for indoors and others for outdoors. Finally, do not forget that you need to know what type of camera to place and at what angles.

This is where an expert comes into play. Hiring a professional camera installer might set you back on the money, but it can pay itself off later because these projects are not DIYs and have to be thought out well. 

The storage factor of these recordings is also an essential advantage of Smart Homes. Though you have to pay a small recording fee to companies to be able to save your footage on the cloud, it will give you access to it later.

Lights, Camera, Action 

If you want your cameras not to record while you are at home, it is also possible, but you will not have the recording if something happens during this time.

For this reason, it is never a good idea to turn off the cameras. Lastly, remember that there are no cameras allowed in bedrooms and bathrooms due to the invasion of privacy of the people recorded.

There is no point in having a sound security system if it does not work well all around!

Lock it or lose it 

Have you ever imagined having your cell phone be your key to entering your home? And it can also be used to lock it when you are leaving. So trust me when I say you won't want to use your keys anymore!

It can also be used for garages; as your phone enters previously customized zones, smart garage door control activates. This can make your life easier and more efficient simultaneously.

If you want to know more about using a home security brand, check out this article about Vivint Home Security.

Appliances in the market 

Apart from smart devices that include small objects like light bulbs and switches, companies are expanding into larger products. Today we already find smart products like:

Having a smart home requires learning as well, both to implement and to use it on a daily basis. But once automation is inserted, it is almost impossible to return to the past!

Though on the pricier side of the scale, they will last you decades if well cared for. Therefore, it is safe to say that the bigger smart appliances in the market today are a significant advantage of having a smart home.

The bottom line 

Things are changing little by little, and we are enjoying and adapting together. Are you prepared for these changes? Where would you like to start?

They are the future of our homes and a big investment in your home and in your life. There is no doubt that the advantages of Smart Homes far outweigh their cons.