What are some of the Smart Home Beginner Mistakes to Avoid?

Every year we find that smart homes are becoming more and more common.

14:15 10 June 2020

Imagine that you could have a home that understands when you get home, keeps your room at a comfortable temperature, or knows when you are ready to get behind the computer and play at FreeRouletteDoc.com.

 

However, creating the right smart home isn’t something that you should do without careful planning for it. You might make a few of the more common mistakes if you do not plan ahead. These are a few of the mistakes that we see regularly, which should help people avoid them in the future.

 

Mistake #1 – Assuming you needs loads of hardware

 

Some people simply refuse to look into a smart home because they are afraid that they are going to have to invest heavily in hardware. They are afraid that they will have to replace every appliance, every switch, and every bulb. The truth is that you can start with just a few simple devices. A video doorbell, a smart plug, a few smart bulbs, that should be enough to get your starter smart home. Getting started doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money, and you don’t need as much as you probably think you do.

 

Too many brands – too many apps

 

A smart home is supposed to make your life easier, not harder. We see many new manufacturers on the market, and before you know it you have several different apps from several different makers. Each of these has its own custom app and before you know it you are switching between five different apps just to be able to get your lights out.

 

Even though it might not be possible for everything, it is highly recommended that you use the same brand across devices. Try to use the same manufacturer for smart plugs as you do for your smart bulbs for example. If that doesn’t work, at least try to stick to a single app to control everything you have. In most cases, this will be Google Assistant or Alexa. You can use a smart hub like Hubitat or SmartThings to control other aspects.

 

Too many different smart speakers

 

Even though having smart speakers is a good thing, you shouldn’t have too many different options. Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google – they are all producing smart speakers that compete with one another. You should stick with a brand once you have a smart speaker preference. You are going to get pretty confused if you have different devices across your rooms. Again, if you do not opt for a single smart speaker system, you are making your life more confusing instead of helping yourself. If you decide that you really prefer Alexa over Google Home, make sure that you switch out everything.

 

Not enough smart speakers

 

Perhaps you want your voice control limited to a single smart speaker – understandable but not a great option. If you only have a smart speaker in your kitchen, for example, a voice command won’t work in the living room. That is why it is recommended that you buy multiple smart speakers and install them throughout your home. Especially in the rooms that already have smart plugs or smart lights. This is going to make voice control far easier.

 

Poorly grouping or naming devices

 

It is an exciting feeling to get your first ever smart light bulb. It seems so simple, you screw it in and pair it. You install a few more because it is so easy to do. However, that is when you lose all track of your convenience. You are frustrated because you don’t know how you grouped or controlled specific lights in a room.

 

Group your smart lights by room, if you have voice control in that room you are not going to have to remember anything. Also, make sure to rename your smartphone devices where possible. Stay away from numbering them as much as possible and just describe them instead. If you have several lights you need to control, just group them instead.