The future is now. Homebuilders have embraced smart home technology and are increasingly offering it as a standard feature in new homes.
If your new Bryson home offers the security, comfort and convenience of smart home technology, you may be wondering how to make the most of it. Not to worry, we have a few tips for you:
Know What a Smart Home Is
The first step toward optimizing your smart home is having a clear idea what a smart home is and isn’t. A smart home is a house with automated functions including security monitoring capabilities, temperature modulation, lighting controls, and much more. What it isn’t is a Jetson’s-style home that does everything for you (yet).
Begin at the Design Center
Home automation systems vary between builders but most builders allow you to tailor your system to your lifestyle with various upgrades. You can learn more about these at the design center. There, you can discover options and learn about the benefits of adding them to your basic package.
Check Your Hub
The vast majority of smart home devices depend on your Wi-Fi network to communicate with each other. That means having a good Wi-Fi router that can deliver a consistent signal throughout your home. This hub also helps integrate your systems so you can control it all from one app on your smart home. Some examples are Control 4 and Honeywell Tuxedo Touch.
Get to Know Alexa
While your hub integrates all of your smart home features, Alex is your ticket to voice control. Many builders — such as Bryson builder Lennar — contract with Amazon to provide you with devices such as Echos, Dots and Shows that allow you to set up routines (skills) that automatically control your lights, garage doors and even arm your security system with just a spoken command.
Speaking of Security
You can integrate many security systems into your overall automation package. Security systems can be activated or deactivated with a simple voice command. This allows remote access to a home’s security system by use of a cell phone or a computer.
Set Up Guard
Don’t want a full security system? Set up Alexa Guard. Basically, a simplified security system, Guard alternates smart lights in your home to make it appear as if someone is in the house when you’re away, and if an Echo speaker hears the sound of breaking glass or a home alarm, you’ll get an alert.
Cut Your Energy Costs
Smart thermostats and energy-efficient appliances work even better if integrated into your smart network. With an app you can turn off the heating or cooling system wherever you happen to be. Smart window blinds or shades can also be adjusted throughout a day to adjust the amount of sunlight let through a home.
Allow Your Home to LearnMany newer products such as Nest will take a week or two to learn your habits before they become truly effective. Allow these devices that time and they will not only make life much simpler but will also begin saving energy and money.
Set Up Skills and Routines
Huh? Skills and Routines are how electric assistants like Alexa run your house. If you have Alexa, you can ask her to wake you up, start your smart coffee maker or set up a schedule for your Roomba to clean the floors. Skills are also good for tracking your Fitbit and telling you to get a move on and read bedtime stories to your child.
Connect With Bryson
Many Bryson builders offer homes with automation packages. Lennar, for example, includes $10,000 worth of smart home features in its homes. Want to learn more? Visit our model homes and speak with a sales representative. Before you know it, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t get a smart home sooner.