Which Smart Home Automation Gadgets Should You Buy First?

Integrating smart home gadgets into your house can save you a lot of time and money. However, there are so many products on the market that it can be challenging figuring out which ones to invest in. Here are a couple of tips to help you determine which ones you should spend your cash on.

What are Your Goals?

When deciding which automation devices to install in your home, you need to consider what your goals are. Do you want to increase security? Prevent lockouts? Save money on your utilities? The outcome you're trying to achieve will dictate exactly where you should spend your money.

If you want to reduce your energy bills, for instance, then you should focus on installing devices that automate the things that use electricity and/or gas in your home. You could put in a thermostat that automatically turns the heat/air conditioner on or off depending on whether you're in the home or put your lights on an automated system that turns them on and off when you enter and leave rooms. If security is your primary concern, installing a security system you can monitor from a tablet may be your best option.

Take a moment to list all your goals on a piece of paper in the order of importance to you, then shop for devices that help you achieve your most pressing concerns.

What is Your Routine?

Another way to decide which gadgets to buy is to look at your routine. Like most everyone, you have certain habits and things you do on a daily basis that home automation can make more efficient and save you some time. For example, if you lower the shades everyday at around 1pm because the sun makes your computer screen unreadable, you could install automated shades to your home automation system and program them to open and close at preset times.

Going this route requires you to be hyperaware of what you're doing in your life for a period of time, which can be challenging. Carrying around a notebook and writing down your activities for a few days may be helpful as would enlisting the assistance of friends of family members who can watch you and make suggestions. You can then use this information to see where home automation devices may make your life more convenient and comfortable.

For more information about choosing the best smart home automation devices for you or assistance with installing a system, contact a home security and automation company in your area.


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