How does it work?
How do smart home systems work? There are varying degrees of smart homes – anywhere from controlling a few interior lights all the way to a fully integrated whole-home system. Most homeowners choose something in the middle - a connection of the most critical cost-saving and convenience devices. In most cases smart home systems can be installed wirelessly, or with minimal wiring – a complete re-wiring of the home’s electric system is never required. At the center of the smart home collective intelligence is the command center. The command center is where the homeowner’s set-it-and-forget-it programs are stored, such as thermostat and lighting preferences. It also listens for instructions from the various switches, buttons, and remote controls placed throughout the house at the homeowner’s convenience. Once installed, Smart home systems are silent, invisible, and best of all, cost efficient.
Disconnected?
Most peoples’ homes are a fragmented collection of appliances, temperature controls, security measures, light bulbs and televisions. Because these devices lack the intelligence to operate with any significant level of autonomy, the homeowner if left managing this dizzying array manually – literally walking around the house turning off lights, opening or shutting window blinds, remembering to adjust the landscape lights for the longer summer days, set the sprinklers according to the city’s regulations, or checking that security cameras are still working. Forgetting to do any of these result in a higher electricity bill at best, but could be more serious such as leaving the house with the stove on.