Smart Homes for Beginners
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What is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a home that is rigged with devices that can take control of your home appliances such as heating, lighting, and home security. All these items can be controlled by either a phone or a computer. With the advances in smart home technology, you can even control your TV and other home electronics. Ultimately, a smart home is designed to make your life easier and is meant to give you more control over your home and life.
What is a Smart Hub?
A smart hub is a hardware device that comes with software enabling devices on a home automation network to connect and speak to one another. Smart home hubs can connect to devices locally, as well as the cloud, and can also connect to WiFi and Bluetooth.
Will a Smart Home Increase the Value of My House?
There is no guarantee that having a Smart Home will ultimately increase the value of your home. However, Smart Home Technology may increase the resale value of your home as it becomes more in demand amongst consumers. Smart Home Technology is quickly becoming more popular, and will eventually be considered a necessary feature when buying a new home. Currently, 33.2% of homes have some form of smart home features, and that number is expected to rise to 53.9% by 2023. There have even been some homes with smart home technology that have appraised for more than the actual cost of the installation.
Can You Hack A Smart Home?
This is understandably a big concern, but just like your previous homes or apartments, it’s best to follow the instructions laid out by the manufacturers on your Smart Home Devices in order to reduce risk. Below are some steps to reduce security and privacy concerns with your smart home system:
- Keep your network name and password anonymous
- Change your passwords frequently
- Only approve users you have deemed trustworthy of accessing your network and devices
- Do not purchase your smart home devices second hand
- Keep your device serial numbers private
Is It Easy to Set Up A Smart Home?
This all depends on the devices you plan to try to connect together in your home. Always ensure that your different smart devices have been designed to work together and that you are using smart home devices that have been validated and come from well-known manufacturers. Most smart home devices come with quality instructions that provide step-by-step instructions for connecting them to your other devices. The key with setting up a smart home is to do your research and plan out which parts of your life you are looking to optimize, and then find a device that can facilitate the automation you require. Also be sure that your smart home devices can be used with the Operating System (OS) of your smartphone and home computers.
Do Pulte Smart Homes Come Pre-Set Up?
Yes, the Pulte Smart Home Package comes with white glove service to set up your front door lock, thermostat, and garage door smart home devices. After closing on your new home, you must promptly schedule your internet service provider’s installation of the modem to set up your WiFi service. After you have WiFi, contact your local low voltage provider (white glove service provider) specified by your Pulte sales consultant to schedule your white glove appointment.
The Pulte Smart Home Package has been designed to be easily scalable with other products that you may want to add after move-in. You own the home network and have full control over which smart home devices you add to it.
What Are the Most Common Smart Home Features?
The most common smart home features that come with a smart home include:
1. Thermostats
There are a number of different smart thermostats in the smart device landscape that allow you to control the cooling and heating of your home. These devices are great for monitoring the temperature of your home, and can even help save you money in the long run on heating and cooling costs.
2. Home Security
Home security is quickly becoming synonymous with smart home technology, as there is a wide variety of smart home devices that can protect your family and home from would-be trespassers. Some smart devices in this category include smart locks, smart doorbells, and security cameras.
3.Lighting
There is a whole host of smart lights and smart lighting fixtures on the market today. These smart home devices allow you control anything from the color to the brightness of the light. You can even configure them to turn off and turn on at certain parts of the day, or when you walk into a particular room of your house.
4. Appliances
This is a newer space of smart home devices, but there are products ranging from smart microwaves all the way to smart shower heads. These devices can be voice-controlled through one of the many voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
5. Electronics
There are a number of different smart thermostats in the smart device landscape that allow you to control the cooling and heating of your home. These devices are great for monitoring the temperature of your home, and can even help save you money in the long run on heating and cooling costs.
More and more electronics are becoming “smart” and being connected to popular voice assistants. TVs, stereos and other electronic entertainment devices are being built with smart home technology in mind.
What Are the Biggest Smart Home Voice Assistants?
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Voice Assistant
- Apple Siri
- Microsoft Cortana
Why Does A Pulte Smart Home Come with Alexa?
We partnered with Amazon Alexa, since Amazon was one of the first companies to combine smart home control with voice commands. This gives Alexa the advantage of additional smart home compatibility. Our system can work with others if that is your preference, including Google Home or Samsung Smart Things Hub.
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