Two short answers:
- Consult a professional installer of home automation equipment.
- Make a plan.
If you want your home to be “smart,” then be smart about how you go about automating it.
Whether you’re incorporating home automation into a brand-new home or adding it to the house you’ve lived in for years, make a plan.
Most people start by automating a few lights so they can turn them off at bedtime simply by pushing a button on a bedside control panel. Chances are, though, that you’re eventually going to want to add more lights to that panel, or add your stereo or other equipment so you can control it all from one remote console.
A tip: Dream big. Before you meet with the dealer who will sell and install your home automation equipment, figure out where you would like to go with it. You might just want or be able to afford a few interconnected lights right now, but what do you see for the future?The more specific your plan, the less expensive it will be to acquire all of the pieces you hope to add later. Your plan for the future will ensure that the components you buy today are compatible with what you might add tomorrow.
