What Is Home Automation and How Does it Work?


Home Automation Developments


Home automation is a step toward what is referred to as the “Internet of Things,” in which everything has an assigned IP address, and can be monitored and accessed remotely.

The first and most obvious beneficiaries of this approach are “smart” devices and appliances that can be connected to a local area network, via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. However, electrical systems and even individual points, like light switches and electrical outlets, were also integrated into home automation networks, and businesses have even explored the potential of IP-based inventory tracking. Although the day is still far off when you’ll be able to use your mobile browser to track down a lost sock, home networks are capable of including an increasing number of devices and systems.



Once you start to understand the possibilities of home automation scheduling, you can come up with any number of useful and creative solutions to make your life better. Is that west-facing window letting in too much light? Plug your motorized blinds into a “smart” outlet and program it to close at noon each day. Do you have someone come by at the same time each day to walk the dog? Program your home automation system to unlock the front door for them, and lock it up again when they’re done.

Remote Control

The other main characteristic of cutting-edge home automation is remote monitoring and access. While a limited amount of one-way remote monitoring has been possible for some time, it’s only since the rise in smartphones and tablets that we’ve had the ability to truly connect to our home networks while we’re away. With the right home automation system, you can use any Internet-connected device to view and control the system itself and any attached devices.

Monitoring apps can provide a wealth of information about your home, from the status of the current moment to a detailed history of what has happened up to now. You can check your security system’s status, whether the lights are on, whether the doors are locked, what the current temperature of your home is and much more. With cameras as part of your home automation system, you can even pull up real-time video feeds and literally see what’s going on in your home while you’re away.

Even simple notifications can be used to perform many important tasks. You can program your system to send you a text message or email whenever your security system registers a potential problem, from severe weather alerts to motion detector warnings to fire alarms. You can also get notified for more mundane events, such as programming your “smart” front door lock to let you know when your child returns home from school.


Home Automation Components


Where home automation becomes truly “smart” is in the Internet-enabled devices that attach to this network and control it. The classic control unit is the home computer, for which many of the earlier home automation systems were designed. Today’s home automation systems are more likely to distribute programming and monitoring control between a dedicated device in the home, like the control panel of a security system, and a user-friendly app interface that can be accessed via an Internet-enabled PC, smartphone or tablet.



Energy Efficiency

One clear advantage of home automation is the unmatched potential for energy savings, and therefore cost savings. Your thermostat is already “smart” in the sense that it uses a temperature threshold to govern the home’s heating and cooling system. In most cases, thermostats can also be programmed with different target temperatures in order to keep energy usage at a minimum during the hours when you’re least likely to benefit from the heating and cooling.


Set schedules are helpful, but many of us keep different hours from day to day. Energy costs can be even further reduced by programming “macros” into the system and controlling it remotely whenever needed. In other words, you could set up a “coming home” event that turns on lights and heating as you’re driving home after work, for example, and activate it all with one tap on your smartphone. An opposite “leaving home” event could save you from wasting energy on forgotten lights and appliances once you’ve left for the day.

Putting It All Together

Source: SafeWise Team | Updated October 12, 2018

How Can I Save Energy with Home Automation?

Home automation can help you save energy by ensuring your home uses resources like water and electricity more effectively, reducing waste throughout the home.

You may know that home automation can help increase your home’s convenience and security. But did you know it can also save you money? With home automation, you can make a small difference for the environment—and you see smaller utility bills as a result.

turning on light switch panel

Home Automation Can Help Limit Resource Use

In terms of saving energy, smart home systems can do a lot to help you scale back on the amount of water or energy you use on a daily basis.

To save energy in your home, purchase smart home gadgets in one or all of the following areas.

  1. Climate Control: Smart thermostats like the Nest Learning Thermostat and ecobee3 keep your heating and cooling costs at bearable levels. The devices monitor energy usage within the home, as well as outside temperatures, helping to heat or cool your home as efficiently as possible.
  2. Lighting: Lighting controls can be set on timers, preventing lights from staying on all day or night. Many smart lightbulbs work with motion sensors, too. These bulbs respond to people entering and leaving a room, which saves energy and money.
  3. Energy Management: Energy management devices include smart power strips and switches. These gadgets can power off lights and appliances, thereby saving energy and reducing costs.
  4. Water Allocation: Smart sprinkler systems can plan the most effective watering schedule for your yard, reducing water waste that usually occurs due to poor sprinkler positioning or evaporation.

Some homeowners start with one green home automation product. Others buy two or more. There’s no wrong way to save energy, so figure out what works best for your home and start there.
Source: SafeWise Team | Updated October 12, 2018