These days there are so many smart things, smart devices, and smart technologies that can make our home smarter; as we have a smart home, we also need to make sure it is safe.
We were recently consulting the, Safer and Smarter Home guide by Electrical Safety First and we were inspired to bring some of these details to the forefront for our customers and visitors also.
Keep reading this guide to find out more about:
As of today, May 2024, some many smart devices and sensors can be installed or used in our home, including:
- Smart cameras
- Smart door locks
- Smart video monitoring system
- Smart shades system
- Smart water control
- Smart heat control devices
- Smart access control
- Smart weather devices
- Smart lights
- Smart sensors
- Smart Wifi
- Smart Solar Panels
- Smart multimedia controls
- Smart climate controls
- Smart flood sensors
- Smart alarm system
- Smart garage door
In a sense, there's a smart device for any aspect of our daily life and for every part of the home, and many modern people rush into getting this and that smart device, only to discover that, eventually, some devices don't work with one another while others are complicated to set up and maintain, and still others die suddenly.
When the smart devices work, life is bliss, but when there are problems, life tends to be a mess.
We need to learn to measure and manage the smart home in a proper way so that it can be not just a smart home but also a safe home.
If we install the smart things as the manufacturer intends and instructs, they assist us and even improve certain aspects of our lives.
However, we need to be aware of some of the dangers or hazards involved in having and using smart devices around the house and have a smart home that is also safe.
Having a Smart Home - Benefits
As we live in this post-pandemic world, we realize that we have an increasing need for electronic devices that are interconnected.
Actually, the pandemic accelerated the use of electronic devices and smart devices, both for leisure and for work, and we realize how easier life can be when we have them around.
There are some great benefits of having a smart home, which include:
Energy Saving by Controlling, Monitoring, and Saving Energy with Smart Devices
When we have connected devices that help us monitor our heating, water, and energy usage, we can control it better, keep track of what we're using, and reduce costs.
We can be notified when there's an excess of water or energy used, and we know for sure that the bill will be lower when we use energy-saving LED Lamps and LED light fittings.
We will be aware of how much we spend on using heat pumps and the electric boiler, and we will reduce the cost when switching to smarter heating systems.
Buy Intelligent Thermostats at Sparks
Having a Smart Home when we Work from Home
If there's one thing the pandemic showed us is that many of us can work from home, at least partially. We do relax and unwind at home, but at the same time, we work either part-time or full-time from home.
Smart devices and smart sensors in our home, paired together with smart control systems, can make our lives simpler and our work-from-home experience much more enjoyable.
We may learn how to set up our home network, TV, audio, lighting, and other smart systems around the house.
Convenience
One of the best benefits of having a smart home that is also safe is convenience. Having voice-activated assistants and touchscreen control of the systems around the house is very convenient.
And many times we can remotely control and adjust the smart devices in our home - even when we're at the office or on holiday.
For example, we may want to make sure the house is warm when we get back from holiday, so we remotely adjust the heating.
We can even set up individual lighting schemes based on our needs or according to our mood.
Security
With the rise in the smart doorbells, it is so easy to install one and remotely answer the door or greet your guests.
Even without opening the door, we can chat with visitors or mailmen. Furthermore, there are many security systems that can be installed around the house and in the house to monitor the premises.
There are also smart locks that can be used to open the door and allow specific people to come in, based on their credentials and security access.
Safety
Some of the smart devices we use in our home can monitor whether we have left an appliance on or off, and we can see whether we can turn it off remotely.
We can avoid potential fire hazards by using smart technology, turning the electricity or heating off remotely.
For instance, some smart home sensors can detect temperature, levels of carbon dioxide, or water leaks, and they notify the homeowner.
We at Sparks sell a range of smart Fire Alarms and Heat Alarms by Aico, incorporating AudioLINK+ and alsoRadioLINK+ technology.
For those who are elderly or disabled, there are smart home technologies and devices that can make a great difference to their quality of life and guarantee the peace of mind of the caregivers.
Automatic sensors can be installed to check if a cooker has been left ON or a bath is overflowing.
The light can be automatically turned on when presence is detected and off when someone leaves the room. Voice-controlled smart home devices also help people with limited mobility by making common household appliances easy to use.
A Smart Home Can Improve Well-being
Having a smart home and interconnected smart devices can also enhance personal well-being.
Many health-related devices monitor and alert you regarding different health conditions and anomalies.
Many smart routines can be set up in the home to help with sleep and living patterns.
There are smart air filtration systems and dehumidifiers to purify and ventilate the air.
For example, at Sparks, we sell a range of dMEV ventilation systems which come on when moisture is detected, and they run slowly in the background when they are not needed.
Having a Smart Home that is also Safe: Safer Smarter Homes
When we consider the smart devices, sensors, and technologies that can be installed and used around the home, it's not the fire hazards that are more common but the nuisance related to installing, maintaining, interlinking, controlling, warranty, fixing, and taking care of these smart things.
It is important to consider certain matters when planning to buy smart things for the house.
It is important to consider that the smart home is also safe - there's a need for safer smarter homes.
Here is a list of questions to consider before purchasing a new piece of technology that is smart and can improve our life at home:
Will this smart device work with my other smart devices?
We need to know what system we use at home, how the smart devices interconnect, and how will this new device interconnect and relate to the other devices. Some competitor technologies and manufacturers do not interoperate, so we can save ourselves the frustration of trying to make them work together by making sure this happens before we buy them.
Does this smart device use Bluetooth or wifi? Can my wifi cover it?
Some smart devices require a good wifi connection, while others connect via Bluetooth.
Before purchasing any smart device, we need to consider if we have enough wifi coverage to reach that device and whether we can use Bluetooth to reach it if Bluetooth is required.
Software updates: how long are they guaranteed?
It is imperative to know beforehand if the smart device we purchase is guaranteed for at least 2-3 years to have software updates by the manufacturer.
Regular software updates improve the smart device and patch any issues or errors.
How long do we have after-sales support? Is there online support?
We may think we know everything we need to know about a particular smart device, for we studied it and we know it inside out, but it's best to know before buying whether we have after-sales support, and for how long.
Also, we need to know the place online where we can get support, first by registering the product and then by enquiring with them about different issues that may arise.
Is this smart device the real thing?
Sometimes the price of a smart device is so low that we're ready to buy it; however, we need to make sure we buy the right thing, the device made by that manufacturer, and not any counterfeit device. For example, we at Sparks sell smart devices made by Forum Lighting, Danfoss, and Aico, among others, and we sell original products made by these manufacturers.
Is my personal data safe?
Many times our personal data and device usage is stored in the cloud, so we need to make sure that our personal data is safe before purchasing a product.
If a particular manufacturer has a track record of being lax about their security and there are data breaches, it is not recommended to purchase smart devices from them.
What's the backup plan for when this smart device fails?
No one wants to think about this, but it is an important point to consider. If the smart device we're about to buy will fail, what's the backup plan? Let's say we replace our doorbell with a smart one, and the smart doorbell fails; what is our backup plan?
Note: all the above tips are inspired by the Electrical Safety First guide to Smart Home and Safety - guides 1 and 2. At Sparks, we sell a limited amount of smart devices, but we want to make sure all our visitors and customers are safe when purchasing and using smart devices for a smart home - even a smarter safer home.
