3 Important Factors to Consider when Choosing a Home Automation System

Lifestyle & Goals

One way to start thinking about what you need in your smart home is to consider your overall lifestyle and goals. Walk through your house, take notes about your daily routine and figure out what can be automated. It will give you a better sense of what your home can look like, fully automated. Do you want to never have to worry about house keys or codes? Do you want your home's thermostat to always be optimized? Have complete surveillance both in and out of your home? You may want all of those things. However, just because there are dozens of options for automation doesn't mean you'll need or want to use them all right away.

Rather than starting with a whole system, you can start with one that controls only a specific home feature like your security, entertainment, thermostats, etc. And that way, you can get scalable home automation systems that let you expand on the system when you want to. But, identifying your overall goal will guide you in effectively selecting your home automation system. This is also the time to establish your budgets.

Functions & Controls

Next, you'll want to choose a home automation setup with controls that are suitable for you. Hardware-based, software-based, or a combination of the two are the three primary types of home automation control centers.

• Software is designed for people with more complex home automation needs.
• Hardware is best for simple systems with manual controls.
• Hybrid systems are ideal if you want to utilize triggers to automate events such as motion-activated sensors and conditional events such as a thermostat that sets a room temperature at a specific time of day.

From there, you can pick a system that has the new innovative functions and includes all of the exciting, high-tech features, such as remote control, smartphone app, and voice control, among other things. If a system requires an app, you should also check if it is compatible with your devices.

After finding a compatible system, double-check that it has all of the features that assure ease of use and efficiency.

Pro tip: If you're unsure which system is right for you, just contact our technicians or read reviews to know more about how these systems work in real life.

Installation & Security

No matter how amazing a home automation system is, it won't work properly unless it's installed correctly. So, understand the installation process before you proceed to buy. Nowadays, almost any system may be hacked, so reconsider installing your home automation system yourself. Having a AV Design Consultants professional install and program your system provides you with peace of mind, knowing that the technology is working and that your home automation system is safe from hackers.

Designing a smart home is exciting, and we know you'll want to get started as soon as possible. However, by following this guide, you can verify that your smart home meets your expectations. And with this foundation of knowledge, you'll be ready to collaborate with us in selecting the best smart home system. Once your smart home is installed, you'll be able to control your home seamlessly. Start your consultation with us today to get started!