The smart home automation systems turn the lights on and off, regulate the operation of household appliances, report problems in communications or warn about unexpected guests. We’ll tell you how to make a smart home with your own hands.
The main idea of a smart home is automation and simplification of routine actions we perform daily. The simplest example is turning lights on and off at a given time. A more complex one is the operation of a video surveillance camera when motion is detected. The most difficult one is the interaction of three or more devices under certain conditions: after the door opening sensor is triggered, the light in the hallway will turn on, and the kettle will start heating the water.
As a result, living in an apartment or house becomes more comfortable and safer, saving electricity and time.
What is a smart home, and What Does It Consist Of?
Smart home automation systems consist of smart gadgets that interact with each other according to a given algorithm. These include a central controller (hub), sensors and actuators:
- The central controller processes the received data, decides, and sends a signal to the device.
- Sensors transmit information about events in the house: water pipe leaks, gas leaks, temperature and humidity fluctuations, or trespassing.
- Actuators perform the main work in the house. These are sockets, switches, surge protectors, mechanisms for opening and closing curtains, lamps, heating devices and various household appliances. Actuators obey voice commands or commands from control devices.
You can make a smart home with your hands in various ways, depending on your needs and capabilities. The set of devices can be anything – from one light bulb to an entire system, and they can be easily controlled using a voice assistant or a smartphone application.
What Do You Need for a Smart Home?
To make a smart home, you will need:
- Smartphone or tablet – control smart devices through applications installed on it
- Internet
- smart devices with remote control capabilities
First Step: Turning The Light Into Smart
To make a smart home, start with the most straightforward thing – screw smart bulbs into lamps instead of regular ones.
Smart lamps can be controlled remotely – turn off the overhead light without getting out of bed or turn on the lamp above the kitchen table while in the office. Smart lamps can also:
- Change the colour temperature. Cold light is suitable for a brisk morning; neutral light will not distort the colours in the interior, and warm light will create a cosy atmosphere in the evening.
- Work according to the script. You can set a schedule to turn on the night lights in your home only for a specific time. And in the nursery, you can set up scenarios using coloured lamps: when the blue one comes on, it’s time to brush your teeth and wash your face, when the green one comes on, it’s time to go to bed.
- Reduce brightness. This is convenient if you want to make the lighting more comfortable while working at the computer or watching a movie and also when you want to simulate your presence in the house while on vacation.
They’re also suitable with video conferencing equipment. Aligning smart lights with video equipment gives you a cinematic look to your house.
Second Step: Change Regular Sockets And Switches To Smart Ones
Smart sockets help turn ordinary appliances into smart ones and turn them on remotely or on a schedule. You can set your electric heated towel rail to run only at night or turn on the fan without leaving your desk. You can put a wireless switch on your bedside table and control the light in any room without getting out of bed.
When you are not at home, do not turn on electrical appliances, such as a kettle or heater, that should not be left unattended. Ensure that their power does not exceed that specified in the characteristics of the smart socket, otherwise, there is a risk of causing a fire.
Third Step: Install Smart Sensors
The main task of the smart sensor is to warn the owners, wherever they are, that something has happened at home, from water leaks and smoke to the appearance of unexpected guests. You can use different types of smart sensors:
- Leakage sensors at the drain of the washing machine or dishwasher or under the bathtub
- Gas leak sensors – where there is gas equipment (stove or heating boiler)
- Smoke detectors on the ceilings in living rooms, in the kitchen, in the basement and the corridor under the roof – to find out about a fire in time
- The temperature and humidity sensor will show you when to turn on the air conditioner or humidifier.
- The motion sensor will notify your smartphone if someone approaches the gate.
- Intrusion sensors will respond to a broken window or open door
After installation, smart sensors must be networked with control and actuator devices, and interaction between them must be configured. This is done through a unique mobile application.
Fourth Step: Connecting Smart Technology
After replacing the sockets, you can install smart appliances in your smart home. New electrical appliances often have smart functions by default, and the cost of such gadgets is not different from traditional ones.
A smart electric curtain rod will open the curtains in the morning. The robot vacuum cleaner will build a route, find lost things in the corner, take a photo of them and send the picture to your smartphone. A smart pet feeder will feed your pet while you’re at work. A smart air conditioner with a Wi-Fi interface will use a signal from a mobile application to set a comfortable temperature for you.
How to Set Up Smart Home Automation Systems
The algorithm for connecting smart gadgets is almost always the same:
- Install a smart home control application on your smartphone. Smart device manufacturers often indicate a QR code on the packaging with a link to the App Store or Google Play.
- Add your smart device by following the simple instructions in the app.
A smart home system’s components exchange data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth protocols. Some devices connect directly to your home Internet router via Wi-Fi. You must buy a hub from the same manufacturer for gadgets that work via Bluetooth. It will become a transmission link between all smart devices and the Internet router. It will require a separate outlet.
Modern systems have a drawback – the lack of uniform standards for smart devices and a unified smart home scheme. Therefore, gadgets from different brands cannot “communicate” with each other. They may also require different applications to control them.
When choosing smart devices and sensors, make sure that they are compatible with each other. Buy ready-made kits from one manufacturer: this way, you won’t have problems with settings and conflicting applications.
How To Connect Voice Control
You can control your smart home via voice commands using a smart speaker. It will tell you about the weather for tomorrow, recommend a movie for the evening, feed your pet according to a given schedule, tell your child a bedtime story, wake you up in the morning with your favourite melody, and even warm up the kettle and turn on the light after the phrase “I’m home!”
Conclusion
Thanks to home automation systems, you can control the situation in your apartment, even in another country, and save time on routine tasks. You can assemble your smart home individually by selecting only the necessary devices from the price segment that suits you.
Start by purchasing and connecting smart light bulbs to make your home smart. This way, you can practice setting up, evaluate the usability of the applications and decide how much you need a smart home. The following steps are installing smart sockets and equipping the house with sensors and smart gadgets.
The easiest way to control a smart home is with smart speakers.
