How to Make Your Home a Smart Home without Breaking the Bank
One of the most common requests we get is for helping people upgrade their homes so they can enjoy some of the great smart home products on the market these days. The commercials for products would have you believe that having a smart home is as easy as syncing up Alexa to your WiFi. The truth is, if you want to reap all of the benefits of the modern-day smart home, you should think about hiring a home automation electrician to perform a service called home networking. Get a smart home electrical panel, surround sound installation and more.
What is Home Networking?
This service, also called structured wiring, is the installation of the wiring and hardware needed for a fully functioning smart home. A smart home is one in which all of the building’s automated features are controlled by a single control system.
Imagine if your home had a brain that controlled the lights, music, climate, phones, cable, Internet, security systems and anything else you can think of — in every single room of your home. Now imagine you had an app on your phone that let you check and operate all of it. You don’t have to imagine it anymore. This is real life in a fully equipped smart home.
Smart home technology has developed so quickly that having control of everything is now affordable to more homeowners than ever. Every device in the house could be turned on or off or operated remotely by a central control station, several control stations in various locations around your property or even via an app on your phone or computer.
These days, almost every newly built home has some home networking built right in. That doesn’t mean homeowners can’t have smart homes too. The best method is to hire a licensed electrician for the job. The intricate work of home networking is no job for an amateur.
What kind of things can you do with smart home technology?
- People can program their homes to do whatever they want. Having more control over heating and air conditioning can save homeowners a lot of money. There is no need to heat or cool rooms you don’t use often, and a simple program can help you easily change your settings.
- Hate coming home to a dark house but also hate leaving your lights on all day? Turn them on from your phone before you leave the office.
- Each member of your family could save their preferences in your home entertainment system.
- The options are endless. If you want to control something in your home remotely, we can make it happen through home networking.
When to upgrade to a smart home
If you are planning any work to your home like automation or even surround sound installation, consider hiring an electrician to do the structured wiring. Simple installation of a few wires can raise the worth of your home even if you do not use smart technology. By simply having an electrician make these upgrades, your home becomes more marketable because it is already wired for smart technology should the new owners want to take advantage. Smart home upgrades can be done at any time, but obviously, if you can do several projects at once, you can save time and money.
Who is qualified to wire my smart home?
Most home networking is done by licensed electricians. Only the most basic smart home electrical work should be DIY. More than 70% of homeowners hire a home automation electrician to do services like installing a smart home electrical panel or surround sound that is integrated into the home’s wiring.
How can I prepare my home for smart home networking by an electrician?
You don’t need to do anything to prep for home networking. Gather up your ideas and then call an electrician to get a quote. If you want structured wiring done in conjunction with other home upgrades, call an electrician early so they can work with your contractor to make everything as seamless as possible.
Where can I find an experienced electrician for my smart home upgrades?
Afton Electric is an electric company specializing in residential electric service, custom electrical projects and home automation, surround sound installation, electrical repair, new construction and commercial electrical installation. We are New Braunfels-based serving Comal County and most of the surrounding areas. We are licensed, insured and we are excited to talk to you about your project. Call us today for a free quote on your electrical work from a home automation electrician, including smart home upgrades.