Affordable Ways to Upgrade Your House into a Smart Home

One way to build a smart home is buying different smart devices and connecting them all with a central hub. This way there is a single interface which can be controlled via a smartphone. But this method can be expensive. Good thing there are now smart home devices that are not dependent on a hub. This allows homeowners to upgrade their home elements slowly and at a cheaper price.

1. Smart lightings. Upgrading your lighting systems to smart lightings is a good entry point in integrating smart technology into your home. It’s a great way to control the appearance of your house and save energy. There are many smart lighting systems that work perfectly fine without a central hub. You can try bulbs from LIFX, Cree, or TP-Link which communicates over Wi-Fi. There are also some that you can control via Bluetooth radio in your smartphone like the Philips Hue bulbs.
2. Smart thermostats. Having the ability to automate your climate control systems at home delivers both comfort and energy/cost savings. Air conditioning systems consume the maximum amount of energy in the Smart thermostats are equipped with sensors that you can install in the rooms you occupy most frequently. This allows the climate control systems to operate where you are specifically in the house. Instead of heating or cooling the entire residence including the hallways which you are most likely to only pass through. This way, there is a significant reduction of energy consumption. There are smart thermostats that you can connect with your Wi-Fi and don’t require a central hub to work. Just like the Nest thermostats.
3. Smart home security cameras. Safety should be one of your priorities when upgrading your house into a smart home. Smart cameras allow you to keep a watchful eye on your residence even when you are away. In addition, they integrate lights and motion detectors into the home security system. This is helpful in detecting if there are any unusual activities in your home such as intrusions or burglary. Some smart cameras are incorporated into doorbells which: (1) enables you to easily monitor the entry point of your home. And (2) let you talk with the person on the front porch without actually approaching the door. Some options you have for smart security cameras that are not dependent on a hub are Ring and Arlo. They work by connecting to your home router.

These are the most important home systems that I recommend to prioritize when upgrading your house into a smart home. Other smart technologies you can integrate in your residence are: speakers, smoke detectors, and appliances. One thing you must have when turning your house into a smart home without using a central hub is a good and reliable Wi-Fi internet connection that can reach all corners of your home.