Myth-busting guide to smart home technology
Anamika Talwaria debunks the 10 most common misconceptions around installing the infrastructure to automate your heating, lighting, AV & more
This home by Barc Architects includes tech from Control4 for whole-house AV control, lighting and a cinema room. Azro created preset lighting ‘moods’ to choose from
T here is a plethora of smart tech designed to give you better control over your home. Some tackle a single issue, like heating, lighting or security, while others will marry this all together in one seamless solution. But is it complicated to install? Too expensive? Inefficient? These are just some of the questions that, left unanswered, can put self builders and renovators off adding the technology to their property. But home automation can make life so much easier - so this month, I’m busting some of the myths and misconceptions about smart homes.
MYTH ONE: It’s really complicated
Done properly, it’s dead simple. “The whole idea of smart homes is to simplify the interaction between technology and the user,” says Steve Itoje, managing director of Link It Solutions. The aim is to give you one intuitive point of control over everything - so, you can use a phone app to turn on your heating, dim the lights and play some music. Or even push a single button that says ‘relax’ for a predetermined light and music setting to chill out to. With a good smart home designer, it couldn’t be easier to create something that enhances your lifestyle.