5 Features Every Home Automation Setup Should Have

Home automation can make a living space dramatically more enjoyable and practical. If you're planning home automation, though, you should know which features are likely to provide the most benefits. These 5 features will usually provide the best value for your dollar.

Voice Command

A lot of the benefit of automation is reducing the amount you have to get up to deal with things. While remote controls have long provided some value on this front, you still have to get up from time to time to locate the controller. Moving to a voice-based system can significantly reduce how much effort you'll have to put into each action. Simply tell the voice assistant what you need, and it will follow the command.

Interoperability

Most home automation setups include multiple systems. For example, you'll probably want to connect your home theater's audio system to your TVs. Likewise, it's nice to have all the streaming and media capabilities tied together in one system.

The technical term for this is interoperability. One system can connect to the other with little to no effort. For example, you might want to pull feeds from your home security system up on the TV in the living room. An interoperable setup will allow you to connect the two systems. You can also have a microphone at the doorbell so you can then talk to people at the front of your house through the voice system.

Access

You will have times when you'll want to remotely connect to your setup. For example, you might want to use your phone to tell the thermostat to turn the heat up before you get home on a cold day. Similarly, you may want access to administrative functions in the system so you can add users, change permissions, or reconfigure different home automations.

Long-Term Expansion and Upgrade Options

Technology never stops changing, and it's critical for a home automation system to support expansions and upgrades. Perhaps a brand new audio system will appear two years from now. When that happens, you'll want to have the ability to integrate new components without much fuss.

Manufacturer Stability

Plenty of companies have produced home automation devices, but not all of them have long track records in the industry. You don't want to be stuck with a system that doesn't get updates, for example, because the manufacturer is out of business. Choose components from companies that have stood the test of time. 

For more information about home automation, contact a local company. 


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