Get beyond the basics for greater comfort and convenience at home

After all the time and money required to set up a home automation system, you want to know you’re making the most of the technology you’ve paid for. For example, there may be subsystems or features you’re unaware of, or that you haven’t fully utilized. Or maybe there’s a way to combine your systems to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

Addressing these concerns is the purpose of today’s blog. We’ll go through a handful of steps residents of Miami, FL, can take to customize their smart home control systems, as well as how to optimize devices throughout the integrated home.

SEE ALSO: What Is the Best Way to Get Started with Smart Technology?

STUDY YOUR CONTROL SYSTEM

There are a multitude of ways smart home control can make your life simpler, but discovering them all takes time. One step you can take to speed up that process is to check out our online resources. We have easy-to-understand articles on managing your A/V system, lights, security system and more. Who knows what you might find after you’ve done some research?

UPGRADE YOUR HOME NETWORK

Your home network is the foundation of your home automation system. Any connected device relies on your network to communicate, and the speed of your network will determine how well those devices perform. This is especially true if you’re streaming audio or video content. Whether you have network glitches when you use your devices or loading issues when you’re trying to stream your favorite movie, it’s probably time for a network upgrade.

CREATE SCENES FOR EVERYDAY USE

Many automation systems are designed to make everyday activities easier, from watching a movie to securing the house when you leave for work. An easy way to make your system more helpful is to create scenes that control multiple systems at once for easy use.

Here’s one example: Say you’re sitting down to watch a movie. Smart home control lets you manage your lights and motorized shades from one remote, along with your TV and speakers. You could activate all these systems individually, but why not create a scene that takes care of everything at once? A “Movie Night” scene can dim the lights, lower your shades, and turn on your home theater with one command. You can create scenes for all kinds of common events.

SET UP AUTOMATED SCHEDULES

What’s the easiest automation system to use? One you don’t have to touch at all! You can use automatic schedules to minimize the time spent directly controlling your devices. For instance, you could program your home to turn on your home security system, turn off your lights and lower your shades every morning when you head to work. Once you’ve returned home, your security system can turn itself off as your lights come back on once you’ve programmed the right schedule. This approach creates a system that works for you while you don’t need to touch even one button.

KEEP EXPANDING YOUR AUTOMATION SYSTEM

You may feel an urge to keep your automation system the same once the initial installation is complete. We suggest you ignore that impulse; additional components can open new automation possibilities. Adding an intercom to your home security system, for instance, makes it easier to reach your family when you’re at home or in an emergency, even if your Internet connection and landline phones aren’t working.

These are just a handful of tips to help you improve your smart home control system. For more information on our home automation solutions, call us at (305) 910-2890 or fill out our online contact sheet