6 Affordable Ways to Turn your Condo into a Smart Home

First Posted: Apr 11, 2021 09:17 PM EDT
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6 Affordable Ways to Turn your Condo into a Smart Home

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Condominiums are among the most popular choices of homes in urban areas. They are conveniently located in cities full of work opportunities, notable landmarks, and tourist spots. Condos are strategically placed in areas near establishments necessary for daily living such as grocery stores, shopping centers, hospitals, schools, and other places. Most of the working class prefer to live in condominiums because it is much more cost-effective than commuting from their homes to their workplace. Distance and traffic are also factors to consider when choosing to live in condominiums since it is better to live near the workplace rather than live in homes in rural areas.

With condominiums being in demand with the increase of people looking for work, many condominium owners are looking to upgrade their units for a more fulfilling experience for their renters. Many condominium owners are also looking for ways to make their generic-looking units into a home with a personalized touch. With the recent advancements in technology and appliances, one of the best ways to personalize your condominium units is to install electronic gadgets and turn your home into a smart home!

What is a Smart Home?

 

A smart home is a term used for a home that has been automated with the use of electronic devices that are all linked digitally using the internet. A smart home is fully cable of controlling several things such as the switching of lights, opening and closing of the windows, shutting off or on several electrical appliances, and many more. All of these are possible using the Internet of Things (IoT).

Internet of Things is a term used to refer to the appliances and objects connected to each other via a digital network, for example, the Internet. By digitally connecting all of these objects, it becomes possible for a user to control the mechanisms and activation of these objects by issuing a simple command from a main controlling device. These controlling devices are also connected to the digital network and may come in the form of remote controls, or in some cases, a smartphone.

A fully automated smart home enables the user to control several objects from different rooms inside their homes. With a controller, it also becomes possible to manage a home from far away by simply connecting to the digital network, which is possible via the internet. Having this ability to control your home from far away also helps maintain the security of the unit since the user has control of the doors' and windows' locking mechanisms.

Different Ways To Upgrade Your Smart Home

 

Upgrading to a smart home will definitely cost you some money since you will have to purchase several devices and controllers to automate your homes. To make sure that you will not spend too much money on a unit that could be upgraded into a smart home condominium like Precondo, always go for the essential devices first. Then, slowly upgrade for convenience and personal touches. Listed below are some affordable ways in upgrading your smart home:

1.     Set up a Wi-Fi network

 

An internet connection is a must if you are upgrading to a smart home. This allows your device controllers and the main remote controller to "speak" to each other. A Wi-Fi router is definitely needed for this to work since most device controllers operate on wireless networks. For this, you don't really need to spend too much on a high-end network since the data processed is just the signals sent between your main remote controller and devices so an internet connection with an average upload and download speed will be enough. No need to purchase those internet subscription plans that are used for high-speed online gaming or video streaming.

 

 

2.     Add Security Cameras

 

Nothing screams "security" more loudly than a security camera placed on a front door! For most smart homes, a security camera is an essential gadget that helps the user monitor their homes 24/7 even if they are away on vacation. These cameras may be battery-operated or plugged in electrical sockets to make them operational for a long duration and can be controlled by an app. These devices also send back real-time feed to the user and can record videos for later use. The angles of view are also controllable using the application so it can cover a wide area. These cameras now come at a cheaper price compared with a few years ago due to the increase in popularity and the production of the device.

 

 

3.     Install Smart Outlets

 

Another key feature in smart homes is smart outlets. As its name implies, smart outlets are electrical outlets that can also be controlled using an app through a smartphone. These outlets may be a bit pricey since they are custom-made and most designs only come with two receptacles so there will be a need to purchase more if you want to put more smart outlets in different rooms. But looking at it long-term, these devices can save a lot of electricity by programming them to captivate at certain intervals. In this way, you can control the output of heavy-duty devices such as air-conditioning units, televisions, and other electrical appliances. It is also convenient if you forgot to turn off some appliances if you were in a rush to leave home.

4.     Add Motion Sensors

 

Motion sensors are also a good addition to smart homes. By placing motion sensors in strategic places, you can set them up for activating lights, doors, windows, and other objects. These devices are really cheap and come in small sizes so they can be installed without having to worry about the decorations too much.

5.     Consider Sound-activated Light Switches

 

If you probably heard of "clappers" then these are referring to sound-activated switches. As its name implies, these switches are activated by producing a certain sound such as clapping of the hands. The receivers of these devices are calibrated so that they will not react to any type of sound. These can also be used for setting up light switches so it will be easier to turn on lights especially if the room is too dark and it is difficult to find a light switch.

6.     Install Smart Locks for Security

 

Smart locks are electronic locks that are installed on doors and windows to control their locking mechanisms. These may be activated using biometric scans that use facial, fingerprint, or even voice recognition, passcodes, or a simple command from your smartphone. These are also super convenient for securing your homes when you are away. Some products also have a smart alarm system that sends you a message if a certain door or window was unlocked.

Upgrading your condos into a smart home does not need to be too pricey. You just have to be knowledgeable in electronics and research first about how these devices work so that you can utilize them properly. By knowing more about these things, you can choose which devices are essential and you can save money by avoiding what you don't really need.

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