Smart Home vs Home Automation

These days you may see the terms “Smart Home” and “Home Automation” used almost interchangeably, but did you know that they don’t actually mean the same thing. Yes, I know it may seem confusing to the laymen but there are differences between the two terms.

“Smart Home” generally refers to the connected devices that communicate via WIFI or specialized technologies like Z-Wave. Examples of such devices would be: light switches, dimmers or even bulbs that you can adjust using an app; thermostats that can follow a schedule or be adjusted from your phone; security cameras that can be monitored from your home or the other side of the world; alarm systems you can arm or disarm from anywhere and will notify you of trouble. These are just a few of the vast array of devices available for your home that can alert you to the status of your property or allow you operate systems from the comfort of your recliner.

So, what is “Home Automation”? Well it takes devices in your home and combines them together in a functional and effortless system. Here are a few examples:

1 – Do you use an app to turn on your entry lights before you unlock your door after returning home in the evening? That would be the “Smart Home” way of handling things. Arriving home after sunset and the system automatically turns on the entry light when you unlock the door is automation!

2 – What about your morning routine? Before your daily 9 to 5 do you get up and brew a hot cup of joe, turn on the news and open the shades to let the morning sun in? An automation system could perform all this for you at the push of a button, at a specified time (think alarm clock with perks) or even from a sensor that detects you stepped out of bed.

3 – Automation can even save you money in the long term if that is your goal. Using sensors to detect when a room is in use and the time of day, rooms can use natural light or turn electrical lighting on and off as rooms come into use or are vacated. Shades can automatically open or close to assist the HVAC system when trying to cool or heat your home by either allowing or blocking the sun from heating rooms naturally.

Of course, to automate your home you need a cohesive plan and the ability to pull it all together. Using your desires, Custom Audio Video can help you design, budget and achieve your goals. Utilizing automation processors from companies like Crestron, Control 4 and Savant, we can take “Smart” and not so smart technologies in your home and bring your dreams to life. For more information, contact one of Custom Audio Video’s design team members to bring your “Home Automation” dreams to reality!