Home automation is the automatic control of smart domestic devices such as lights, thermostats, appliances, alarm systems, and security cameras. If you're wondering what is home automation or how to automate your home, you should think of it as an ecosystem in which all the elements communicate wirelessly with each other — and with you. The advantages of home automation include comfort, security, convenience, and energy efficiency. There are many home automation examples that illustrate these benefits: from unlocking your front door remotely to let the dog sitter in, to telling your thermostat to turn up the heat before you get home from work. No more wondering if you forgot to turn off the stove or to lock the door: you can check from the office or from the road, thanks to your home automation system.
How does home automation work?
Home automation works by communicating wirelessly with your smart domestic devices. Because the devices are intelligent, they are connected to the internet: a home automation system will create a network that includes all of them, which means you can control them remotely through a single voice assistant or an app. For example, you can set times for your plant irrigation system to turn on and off, tell your robot to vacuum the house, or make sure the family electric car is being charged in the garage — all from an app, while you're on a business trip.
What are examples of home automation systems?
Automated homes are full of smart devices: video doorbells, alarms and smoke detectors, fridges and TVs, thermostats and domestic robots, lights and plugs, and many more. This means we need a home automation system to communicate with our smart gadgets and appliances in a way that is smooth, easy and integrated. An example of a home automation system is Enel X's HOMIX, an app that learns your habits, preferences and routines so that it automatically adapts to your way of living and adjust your lighting, your thermostat and your home security devices accordingly. HOMIX acts as a portal to all your smart appliances so that you can customize their settings with just one click.
Does home automation save energy?
An automated or smart home saves energy because it cuts down on the power you use for heating, cooling, lighting, and running your appliances. For example, how many times have you left the heat or the air conditioner on full blast while you’re at work? How many times do you forget to turn off the lights in the living room before going to sleep? With home automation, you can set your thermostat and your lights on schedules so they switch on and off automatically at certain times of day or night, to make sure you’re not wasting energy and therefore money. So one of the prime benefits to consider in choosing to upgrade to a smart home is that home automation will save you money on utility bills. Another prime benefit is sustainability: an energy efficient home is a home with a reduced carbon footprint, and this is good for the environment.
