Tips From The Top

A U.S. News and World Report recently had a great article about the difference between home automation and smart home security. We find it to be a topic of discussion with our clients. There’s a lot of misconceptions out there, and just general confusion. It’s easy to understand why. Home automation and smart home security have grown leaps and bounds in recent years, both in technological advancements and availability. And while they’re linked, they’re definitely not the same thing. And for home owners wanting to provide the best security, and automate their home systems, it’s important to understand the differences – especially when you want a home automation system that also incorporates top-rate home security. 

In a nutshell: a smart apps are not home integration platforms.

Simply put, home automation is basically using technology to run home systems more efficiently. This can include security, and climate control, lighting and shading, audio/video, and more – everything from a refrigerator that can communicate with you while you’re grocery shopping, or a hot tub that will turn on to your specifications before you arrive home. These devices offer convenience, save energy costs, and in some cases can talk to one another and learn – always improving systems to work better. 

Smart home security can include everything from cameras at the doors to smart locks that can be opened from any location. Lighting can be programmed to mimic actual activity throughout the home. Sensors can detect intruders, turn on lights, or even send out a drone to examine the case and send you images on your mobile device. Security can also mean temperature and water detectors, to let you know if the heat has turned off for some reason, or if there’s a water leak in a bathroom. We find these simple smart alerts to be effective and comforting to the home owners who travel often. If there’s a problem, they know it and can then make sure it’s resolved, even if they’re not due home for weeks. Imagine finding out via your phone that there’s a leak under the kitchen sink, calling a plumber, giving them access to the house via smart locks, making sure they’ve left, and having the house locked and the job completed – all before your return flight even lands.

Privacy and the security of home automation – especially considering a smart security system – are utmost among our priorities. We’ve all heard the horror stories of random people hacking their way into an unsecure home system and blasting loud music, raising the thermostat to dessert temperatures, or worse. That’s why we only work with and install technology from companies who also prioritize the home owners’ privacy and the closed integrity of the system. As integrators, our first job is to make sure the technology works for the home owner, and that means ensuring that it’s protected from outside systems and intruders, and continues to be for years to come.

To learn more about how home automation and smart security can improve your home, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.