12 Great Tips For Converting Your House Into A Smart Home

14 January 2022

There is a trend in home renovation taking the world by storm. It's called a smart home, and it has to do with converting your house into a remote controlled, fully automated environment

In this article, we will look at 12 great tips for converting your house into a smart home!



What Is A Smart Home?

A smart home is a house that utilizes the power of technology to make life easier. A fully smart home will typically have fully automated lighting, blinds, heating/cooling and security systems.

It is also possible to control almost every function remotely using your iPhone or Android phone. Smart homes can be 'programmed' to do things like turn on the television when you are five minutes away from getting home, or motion sensors can tell if someone has broken into your home while you are away. It's even possible to open the front door for guests remotely via text message.

Why Convert My House Into A Smart Home?

There are many reasons why people convert their houses into smart homes. The main reason is convenience. You no longer have to get up from your comfy position on the couch to turn down the heater or close the front blinds, for example.

All you have to do is grab your phone and adjust everything exactly how you want it while you are still sitting in front of your fireplace sipping a glass of wine.

#1 - Don't Let Technology Own You

One very important thing to remember when going over these tips, don't let technology own you. Smart homes have been criticized in many ways; one way is that they allow individuals to become slaves of their own homes. Only half kidding there, but really, stay in control.

#2 - Simple Is Better

You don't need a ton of money to make your home smart, and it's better for you if you don't go crazy. Simplicity Is King! As Martin Fowler puts it: "The simplest possible system that could possibly work." So keep it simple and smart.

#3 - Get Some Friends (Or Not)

If you're doing this all by yourself, it's going to be much more difficult because there will be very few people around to discuss ideas with or get advice from. If you have friends who are into similar types of things, they can come over and help out, saving you time and money.

That being said, there is a network of people out there who are very interested in this stuff and have a lot of experience with it. They can help you out, so if you don't know anyone, look them up.

#4 - X10 Is A Great Place To Start

X10 is one of the most classic smart home control platforms available out there. It allows your house to be controlled from an interface on your computer or smartphone. There's also some low-end hardware like remote controls and motion sensors that work great for starting off with X10.

#5 - Focus On What You Really Want

Don't waste time doing things that aren't important to you; only do what is necessary and practical. Fancy hardware isn't necessary, but it is nice. If you want that, then spend the extra money on it; if not, then don't bother.

#6 - Make It Fun

Home automation sounds like a lot of work and stress, but really it can be a ton of fun if you make it fun. Build your smart house for yourself and do what makes you happy. Have a blast while building up your home! A new hobby? Sure, why not.

#7 - Keep The Future In Mind

You should always keep in mind where this technology is going to go next because some devices will become obsolete over time while others won't change much at all. Think about how things will be "in five or ten years" before buying anything.

#8 - Control Your Heat With Zoned Temps

Save money and energy by zoning your house and controlling the temperature in different parts of the home with a programmable thermostat. You can also use it to heat up or cool down specific rooms as needed, but don't overdo it because you could waste a lot of energy that way.

#9 - Control Your Electricity With A Power Monitor

Your power company has been ripping you off forever now! It's time to take control of your electricity usage with a power monitor. This device allows you to monitor all aspects of your power usage from anywhere at any time. Consider investing in low drain devices like motion lights, video doorbells and cordless power tools. You can power them with a rechargeable 18650 battery.

#10 - Make Your Garden Smart

Some enterprising individuals have taken their home automation to the next level by making their entire garden smart. They control everything from humidity, temperature, and moisture levels as well as automatically watering. It's a lot harder than it sounds, but it can be done!

#11 - Get Some Ideas And Inspiration

The best way to learn about this stuff is through research and practice. Look up various forums online for ideas and inspiration, even look at some videos on YouTube if you're interested in doing cool outdoor stuff like controlling your garden or seeing live feeds from security cameras. The web has a ton of information about home automation.

#12 - Go For It!

There are tons of resources out there to get you started, so why not dive in? It's really fun and rewarding to have your house doing things for you all by itself. You can even get an "alarm clock" that wakes you up slowly with bright light instead of a blaring alarm.