The IoT (internet of things) is often touted as a cutting-edge technological revolution. And behind the closed doors of many powerful tech companies, well, it kind of is. However, the elite nature of many IoT gadgets doesn’t restrict their usefulness to tech gurus and gadget geeks.
There are many simple yet powerful ways to implement the IoT in your own home — regardless of your living situation or tech-savvy nature. Here are a few of the best ways that anyone can streamline their home experience with IoT, whether they’re renting or owning.
Set Up a Smart Home Assistant
If you want to fully and easily tap into the power of the IoT, you want to start with a smart home assistant. There are multiple different assistants available, each of which has its own strength.
For instance, the Amazon Echo is highly efficient at helping you do your shopping, whereas the Google Nest can field questions and provide answers without skipping a beat.
In either case — and with most of the other home assistants as well — they are more than capable of helping you run your various smart home devices, too. As you purchase other items on this list, you’ll often be able to set them up quickly and easily if you already have an IoT infrastructure in place that runs through a smart home assistant.
Install a Thermostat
A smart thermostat is one of the most common recommendations for an IoT device. And with good reason, too. Installing a new thermostat doesn’t take much work. And yet, it can revolutionize the cost, comfort, and sustainability of your home in an instant through things like:
● Learning your behavior and then adjusting the temperature of the house when you’re gone.
● Maintaining the comfort level when something like humidity rises or the oven heats your living space while you’re cooking.
● Generating analytics can help protect your HVAC system, see issues early, and otherwise analyze data and improve your energy usage.
A smart thermostat can work in both a home and a rental (just talk to your landlord before installing one.) However, even if you can’t install a thermostat in a rental unit, you can still tap into the heating and cooling benefits that the IoT offers in other ways.
For instance, you can install a portable AC unit or heater that has IoT functionality. Then, when you move, you can bring the device with you to your next dwelling.
Hang Some Smart Blinds
Along with a smart thermostat, you can also install smart blinds to help regulate your home’s environment. These can be programmed to open and close on demand, depending on how much heat and sunlight you want to enter your home.
In many cases, smart blinds are custom built for a window, making them more of an option for homeowners. However, some kits can convert regular blinds into smart alternatives. This is an excellent option if you’re living in a rental.
Electrify Your IoT
Your lighting and electricity is another area of the home that is ripe for IoT improvement. Once again, you can electrify your dwelling with the Internet of Things in multiple ways. A few common examples include:
● Getting smart lightbulbs that can change colors, adjust the intensity, and turn themselves on and off on command.
● Install smart outlets and smart plugs to give you better control over things like your non-smart lights and your coffee maker.
● Swap out your power strips for smart alternatives that use smart tech to avoid vampire loads and unseen trickling energy usage.
At the worst, upgrading to IoT electricity involves installing a light or a wall socket. At its most simple, it involves plugging in a power strip or screwing in a lightbulb. In either case, it’s a great way to streamline your home experience.
Improve Your Entertainment
Home entertainment is a big part of the IoT industry, and there are countless ways to improve your entertainment system with smart tech. For example, you can:
● Install smart speakers.
● Use a smart television.
● Get a smart device to stream music and visual entertainment.
All of these can be integrated into your smart home system. Once that’s done, they can be operated by voice and run themselves based on simple commands.
Streamlining Your Home Experience With the IoT
The Internet of Things has an exciting future filled with barely untapped potential. While companies are racing to be at the forefront of IoT innovation, consumers can already cash in on the ongoing creativity in convenient ways.
From blinds and thermostats to entertainment systems, lighting, and entire home assistant setups, there are plenty of ways to incorporate the IoT right into your home. These can be done in the name of being practical, sustainable, comfortable, and cost-effective.
When added together, all of these options create a streamlined experience that has never been available to homeowners in the past and only promises to get better in the future.
