We all have to start somewhere! While starting out a smart homes journey can be confusing, it doesn’t have to be. Here are the top 10 tips we think all smart home / home automation beginners should know before starting out.
1. Smart home products should make your life easier or solve an existing problem
Hate getting up every night to turn off the lights? Great problem to automate. Want to get a notification on your phone when your clothes are done drying? That could definitely make your life easier. Putting a camera inside your garbage can? Maybe not a great place to invest your time or money (believe it or not, there are multiple “trash” cameras on the market). The key here is not to go looking for things to fix that aren’t broken.
2. Turn off the power at the circuit breaker
This one will be obvious to most people, but it bears repeating. You also don’t want to leave projects half-finished, with wires hanging out for stray dogs and kids to come shock themselves.
3. Make sure you know if you have a neutral wire
You will need a neutral wire for most smart home devices. This can be found by pulling off a face plate from from a wall switch (after turning off the power at the circuit breaker!) and looking at the wiring. For the most part, neutral wires will be white wires coming in from the wall. Most homes now have neutral wires, but older ones may not. (PS if you don’t have a neutral wire, you can still set up smart lighting with a product like Lutron).
To learn more about the electrical side of home automation, see What Beginners Need To Know About Smart Home Wiring.
4. Make sure your devices are compatible with one another
Part of the right of passage for smart home beginners is learning about home automation protocols. Zigbee devices like Zigbee controllers. Z-wave devices like Z-wave controllers. You won’t be able to control your GE Z-wave light switches with your Echo Show, despite it being marketed as a smart home controller. In our opinion, though, beginners can’t go wrong with an all-in-one like the Samsung SmartThings Hub. Just never set up a fan onto a dimmer switch.
5. Be creative to find ways around compatibility issues
IFTTT (If This Then That) is amazing. And certain Alexa routines will make you feel like a magician. Some of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had are through using smart home tech in ways we’ve never even thought of. For example, our ring security camera has a motion sensor, and we have an integration where if there is motion detected, the front porch light will turn on. No more fumbling around the lock trying to find the key hole at night. Not to mention all the great integrations that can be made using the likes of a Bond Hub or a Harmony Hub. But please, just never set up a fan onto a dimmer switch!
6. Most projects take longer than expected
Especially when just starting out or trying something new, make sure you have enough time set aside for a given project. There’s nothing worse than having to pack everything up and put face plates back on halfway through a project because you don’t have time to finish. You’re just going to have to do double the work taking everything back out to finish the job. Either that, or leave exposed wires for your family to find (and they always do).
7. Time spent figuring stuff out is never wasted
The first time we changed a light switch, it took us 2 hours. Now, it takes 5 minutes. And replacing a ceiling fan now takes less than half an hour. Same deal with setting up automations using IFTTT and Alexa. It may be frustrating, but please remember that you are not only making life easier for you and your family in these projects, you are also bettering yourself through learning new skills. And that naturally lead to…
8. YouTube is your new best friend
You are special… but not really. Chances are, if you’re encountering difficulty with a project, you’re not the first or the last to come across an issue. There will be a YouTube video on how to troubleshoot it. Our favorite example of this from our own life is finding a YouTube video on how to find the real instructions on setting up a crib from Ikea, instead of trying to use the decoy ones.
9. Provide enough highway for the traffic
Despite the different types of smart home protocols, you’re going to need to connect your hubs to WiFi if you want to control your devices when your away from home. This comes in two form: making sure your internet service has enough bandwidth, and using a dependable way to send/receive that bandwidth on your devices. (If your interested in our own experience with this, check out our review of the insane Orbi RBK852).
10. Be considerate of others
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get tied up in a project without thinking of the implications. Will your wife hate that she can’t use the light switch to turn off a light or else the smart functionality won’t work? (Pro tip: smart switches are almost always better than smart bulbs). Before starting a project, it’s worth remembering that others may be using devices as well.
And there you have it! Now go get started on your smart home journey!
Want to learn more smart home tips and tricks?
- Check out our educational content in the learning center here.
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