Table of Contents
Introduction
Smart home automation is when you program a smart appliance using a mobile app to do a task automatically. For instance, your smart lock sees the phone’s location as you arrive home and immediately unlocks the front door.
With the ability to quickly add newer and more intelligent devices to our homes, home automation provides us with a sense of convenience and comfort unmatched by any other technology. However, advanced smart home automation ideas require more than one smart device. They should also be compatible with top smart home platforms such as Google Assistant, Apple Homekit, and Amazon Alexa.
In this article, we have given a list of the best smart home automation ideas, which will give you an idea of how to add smart devices to your house and automate tricky tasks.
The Top Smart Home Automation Ideas?
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are smart devices that are capable of upgrading regular appliances into smart appliances. Smart plugs are a great way to connect a regular coffee maker, lamp, electronic device, or even a Christmas tree to the internet.
There are many smart plug devices in the market, but you should always purchase one that is compatible with all the major smart home platforms. Here are a few smart home automation ideas that you can try with smart plugs:
You can use your phone’s location, create schedules or use voice commands to control the lamp’s lights.
You can turn on the Christmas tree after sunset or when you arrive home.
You can create a schedule with the smart plug to turn off energy-consuming devices when they are not in use.
Smart Lights
You can also automate your home with the help of smart lights. You can set the lights to turn off or on based on your phone’s location or via a schedule. You can also use smart lights and other smart devices to create a complex automation system.
There is no shortage of smart lights in the market, but Nanoleaf, LIFX, Hue, and Philips smart lights are the best. Here are some ideas that you can try with smart lights:
Use smart lights at low brightness to save energy.
Set the smart lights in such as way that they go dim just before you go to bed.
You can also set your lights to a warmer color such as red before you go to bed.
With the help of the geofencing feature, have all the lights turned off when everyone has left home.
Have the smart lights turn on when you return home.
You can also connect a smart speaker with smart lights and change the lights via voice command.
You can also connect a smart speaker and smart lights and change the light patterns and colors to create a festive and fun atmosphere.
You can also set your house up for vacation mode so that the smart lights turn on and off at certain time periods.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are smart devices that can save money by optimizing when cooling and heating systems should run based on a schedule. These devices can sense that a room is occupied; they can also track patterns and use a smartphone’s location to understand how and when to run a particular system.
One of the best smart thermostats in the market is the Ecobee and Google Nest smart thermostats.
While these smart thermostats are all compatible with top smart home platforms, you can only install them if you have a C-wire at home. Here are some smart thermostat ideas that you should try:
You can use your smartphone’s location to change the temperature when you arrive or leave home.
You can also use a smart thermostat’s ability to keep the fan running even after the AC compressor is turned off. The AC coils create cool air even after turning off, so it is a good idea to pump the free cold air into the house.
The smart thermostat will notify you when changing your HVAC system’s filters is time.
You can also set your smart thermostat at a particular temperature for a certain period with IFFFT.
The smart thermostat will also notify you if the humidity levels in the house increase.
The smart thermostat sensors can detect motion, so if they detect motion when you are not home, they will immediately send you an alert.
Smart Locks
Smart locks are among the most popular smart home devices because they can make your life easier. Smart lock devices are also a great way to track when and who has opened the door. Some smart locks can also automatically unlock the front door when you arrive home.
There are many smart locks in the market, some come with built-in keypads while others have a touchscreen. Most smart locks also provide remote access so you can control them through an app from your iPhone or Android smartphone. Here are some top ideas that you can try:
You can develop individual access pins for extended family members, friends, guests, and kids. You will also get a notification when specific people arrive at your house.
You can also give access pins to babysitters that only work during a certain period of the day.
Set a song in the smart lock for certain people. The device will play the song whenever these people arrive at your house.
Set your front door to lock automatically after a certain amount of time has passed.
With the IFFFT, you can turn on a smart switch or smart light whenever your house’s front door is unlocked.
Robot Vacuums
While Robot vacuums cannot completely replace manual vacuums or human beings, they are getting there. The main issue with robot vacuums is that they are pretty loud, and you probably don’t want to listen to them when you are at home.
You can develop schedules for your Robot vacuum to run cleaning cycles to fix this issue. You can also set up triggers for the vacuum, enabling it to stop cleaning and go back to its base when you get back home. Here are the top robot vacuum ideas:
With the IFFFT, you can have your robot vacuum start the cleaning process the moment you leave the house.
You can also set your robot vacuum in such a way that it goes back to its base the moment you get back home.
IFFFT can also automatically pause the robot vacuum and halt the cleaning process when you are answering a call on your smartphone.
You can also develop voice commands to send the robot vacuum back to its base when guests arrive in the house.
Sensors
Window and door sensors are not special by themselves, but they can become very powerful if you combine a smart home platform with them, along with a smart appliance. There are multipurpose, motion, and water sensors too that you can use.
However, smart sensors will work as a trigger and tell other smart appliances in the house to perform a task. Here are some ideas that you can try for your house:
Receive text or email alerts if the motion detectors are set off around or in your house.
You can also get a notification from the smart sensors if you have accidentally left your refrigerator open.
You can save money on lighting costs by enabling motion sensors to turn off lights after a specific time period.
You can use a multipurpose sensor to get notifications when the washer cleans your clothes, so you can then move to the drying process.
These sensors can also send you notifications if there is a leak in the house.
You can develop a trigger for the lights to flash when another person opens your front door. This is helpful when you are wearing noise-cancellation headphones and are in the zone, and don’t want to be frightened by something.
When a sensor notices you have left the room, have a smart speaker alert you to get some fresh air.
You can also set the sensor to provide you with alerts or notifications when someone opens your kitchen cabinets.
You can also put a sensor inside the mailbox that will alert you whenever mail arrives in the box.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells are smart devices that are perfect for monitoring when a certain package arrives. However, you can also set these appliances up as triggers and perform a task within the house. Here are some smart doorbell ideas that you need to try out:
With the help of the smart doorbell, you can get alerts when a package arrives at your front door.
You can also set up the smart doorbell to pause the TV when someone is at the front door.
With the help of IFFFT, you can set your lights to turn on or off when someone presses the doorbell.
With the help of IFFFT, pause a Neato or Roomba vacuum if someone presses the doorbell.
Mesh wi-fi
Mesh Wi-Fi systems can significantly improve an internet connection by solidifying and extending internet coverage. The mesh systems from Eero and Google have automation features for people who want to limit internet usage for their children. Here are some ideas you can try:
You can set up the device to pause the network during dinner. You can do this with a voice command or by setting up a schedule.
You can also group all the devices on a single network. Then, schedule downtime for the devices. This is great for homework or bedtime.
You can also pause devices at any time.
Smart Security
Smart security devices are capable of keeping your house safe even when you are not home. Here are some security ideas that you can try:
You can automate the touchscreen of your bedroom to observe who is at the door when the bell rings.
When someone presses the doorbell, you can set a song that can play through the speakers in your house. You can also set your outdoor patio lights to dim from 20 % to 75 % at night.
You can also access your security video feed from your smartphone camera.
You can also develop a Cat scene, which will trigger outdoor lights and temporarily disarm the security system in your house.
You can also program all your lights to illuminate 100 % if someone, such as a burglar or a thief, enters your house.
If you have surveillance cameras at home, you can program them to stream video to select touchscreens and TVs when instructed to.
You can monitor your security cameras at home through Echo Show.
You can also automatically arm the security system when no one is at home, or everyone is asleep.
Smart Refrigerator
A smart refrigerator is a useful smart appliance that can help you keep track of fresh food and is a must have in any smart kitchen. Here are some ideas that you can use:
With the smart refrigerator, you can see when perishables were added and rotate items so they don’t go bad.
You can also set your refrigerator screen to mirror your television, so you won’t miss your favorite TV shows while working in the kitchen.
It might be hard to believe for some people, but smart refrigerators also come with a built-in web browser, which you can use to do all sorts of things.
If other smart devices are in your house, you can sync them all together and monitor them straight from your smart refrigerator.
A smart refrigerator is more than a gimmick; you can develop it in a central hub where you can control different house components.
Most smart refrigerators come with special features and applications that can help you and your family members stay connected.
You can draw pictures or set do-to lists on the smart refrigerator.
Smart Pet Feeders
Taking time to feed your pets may be tough if you are a busy person. Luckily, smart pet feeders are available on the market, and here are some interesting, smart pet feeder ideas that you can use:
Smart pet feeders can connect to Wi-Fi, and you can also program them from your smartphone.
If you have an Amazon Echo device, you must ask Amazon Alexa to dispense food for your furry friend, and you are good to go.
NFC Tags
Modern smartphone devices come with NFC technology, which is used for contactless payments. You can also use NFC technology around your house in the form of NFC stickers.
If you scan the sticker, it will trigger a task or action. For instance, scanning an NFC tag will add a particular item to the reminder list. There are NFC tags available on Amazon, and you can even purchase a bag of these tags. Here are some ideas that you can use at home:
Once you complete a task, you can scan an NFC tag to create a reminder to do it again or check it off your list.
You can also scan an NFC tag next to your front door to unlock the door’s smart lock.
If you have run out of a household item, you can scan the NFC tag to add the item to the shopping list.
You can scan an NFC tag to disable your phone when you are ready to work.
Scan an NFC tag to keep track of when you took a pill or vitamin.
Smart Water Heater
Just imagine it’s a cold day, and you have forgotten to turn on the heater. We are pretty sure you won’t have a good start to the day. However, you can install a smart water heater in your home. Here are the best smart water heater ideas for you:
Smart water heaters are efficient smart devices that can help you manage your energy bill.
Some smart water heater units can also keep track of cold and hot water usage so that you can adjust the settings accordingly.
Smart water heaters can also monitor for leaks in the house and send you notifications if something is wrong in your house.
Smart Blinds
Smart blinds are a convenient way of controlling the amount of light that enters your room. The idea of smart blinds is to enable the user to control everything from the couch. Two types of smart blinds are available on the market: a motor that you can attach to blinds or a unit that comes with shades or blinds.
You can remotely control the smart blinds from a mobile app, and they are compatible with all the smart home platforms, such as Apple Homekit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Here are some smart blind ideas that you can try:
You can program the smart blinds to work when the sun is out, making the most of the natural sunlight for cooling and heating.
You can also program the smart blinds to close when you are watching a movie or TV show during the daytime.
If you want some privacy, you can set shut the blinds down
You can also open or close the smart blinds based on your location.
Smart Air Conditioner
A smart air conditioner may be similar to a regular air conditioner in many ways, but with this smart device, you can control all the functions through your tablet or smartphone. Here are some smart air conditioner ideas that you can try:
You can schedule the AC to be switched on or off.
You can also remotely control the temperature from your smartphone through a mobile app.
If you want to save money on energy bills, you can also program the air conditioner to run at certain times during the day.
As long as you have an internet connection, you can monitor your air conditioner from anywhere, so you don’t need to be at home.
Smart Gardening Systems
Many people love to do gardening but typically need the right tools. Gardening is a time-consuming activity, but you can make it fun by incorporating smart gardening systems. Here are some ideas that you can try:
A smart gardening system can help you take all the guesswork out of the gardening process.
Most smart gardening systems come with drip irrigation and container gardening, which will enable you to efficiently do your gardening.
You can also set your smart gardening system to receive notifications in case something has gone wrong.
You can also install a smart sprinkler in your garden that will not water your garden when it rains and will only sprinkle water on the grass when the weather is dry.
Smart Backyard
If you want to keep your backyard safe, you must install a combination of smart devices. Here are some ideas that you can try:
Was that a raccoon or a burglar? You can install an outdoor security camera and check out the live video feed through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Your pets should also enjoy the benefits of a smart home control system, so you can set up scheduling for locking or unlocking the pet door to keep unwanted animals, such as raccoons, away from your house.
If you have a pool, you can also take up steps to beef up pool safety. You can set smart lights in your pool that will adjust the lighting before you take a late-night dip.
You can also observe and manage the pool PH levels with the lights. You can also install pool motion sensors that will alert you if something is wrong in the pool.
Smart Entertainment
If you have smart speakers, you can easily stream music to every room of your house. You also don’t need wires; you can remotely control the speakers. However, apart from playing music, you can also try other smart entertainment ideas:
You can use a combination of smart lights and a smart remote to darken the room when watching a movie automatically. You can also turn the light settings to dim when you pause the movie. For this, you will need a smart remote that can call routines and use macros.
You can also set your smart TV to turn on whenever you enter the driveway. However, apart from the smart TV, you will need a compatible hub to do this type of automation at home.
You can also hook up all the smart TV’s to a smart hub and turn off all the televisions in the house during bedtime.
Smart Convenience and Lifestyle
The best smart homes have smart devices that can improve your lifestyle and offer you convenience. Here are the best smart convenience and lifestyle ideas that you can try:
You can either use a vibration sensor or a smart device and connect it to the washing machine. The smart device can tell when the washing machine stops working and will send a signal to the smart hub. Then, the hub will send the information to you as a notification.
You can also set up a smart reminder for trash with the help of a smart hub, smart switches, or lights. You will also need to define several conditions for the trigger so that the garage door opens during a specific time period.
You can also set up a location-based thermostat and adjust your temperature based on your location and time.
You can also make your garage safer by connecting the garage door to the carbon monoxide detectors. When the detector is on, it can trigger the smart hub to open the garage door.
You can also use a smart hub and sensors to connect them to a home ventilation system. Whenever the fireplace gets too warm for a particular room, the smart home ventilation network will turn and evenly distribute the warm air throughout the house.
There is also the LG ThinQ mobile app, which can communicate with the washer to help you troubleshoot the issues and create a diagnosis, saving you money.
You can also use smart washers that have better features than normal washers and can do all the tasks efficiently.
Smart Air Purifier and Cleaner
If you want pure and clean air to circulate in your house, you should install a smart air purifier and cleaner. Here are some ideas that you can try:
An intelligent air purifier and cleaner air can improve the quality of life.
You can make a comb of an air purifier and humidifier to remove pollutants from your house effectively.
Smart Outlets
If you are halfway to work and suddenly realize that you have left your bathroom iron on, then you might be interested in purchasing a smart outlet. Smart outlets are smart devices that will enable you to integrate any of your home’s appliances or lights into an automation system.
You can turn lights on and off remotely with the smart outlet and manage small-sized air conditioners. You can also monitor the amount of energy that each electrical appliance consumes, so you will know whether to upgrade to more energy-efficient electrical models or not.
Smart Basement
If you are one of those who have dealt with a basement flood due to a faulty water heater or a burst in the pipe, you probably know that is not an easy situation to recover from.
However, installing water leak sensors in your basement can stop a leak from turning into a flood, and you won’t have to worry about anything. Not only can the excessive moisture that builds up in the basement during flooding lead to structural issues in the house, but it can also cause major health issues and mold formation.
You can also put a moisture sensor in your house that can alert you if there is water buildup in the basement. You can also place glass break sensors in the basement, which will notify you if someone tries to enter the basement by breaking the glass windows.
Smart Scenes
While we have discussed several home automation ideas that work individually, these ideas will work wonders for you if you group them together. One simple form of developing groups of actions is to create scenes, and you can easily create scenes on the Alarm.com mobile app.
Then, you can group an unlimited number of automation and assign them a trigger such as your location or voice command. With just a handful of action groups, you can automate your house:
Off to Work Scene
Top ideas:
Automatically lock all the doors in the house.
Location-based smart thermostat.
Set alarm automation.
Trigger: Location
As you drive away from your house for work, geofencing will track your location. When you are a mile away from your house, your alarm will arm, your smart thermostat will set the temperature to energy-saving mode, and the smart lock will automatically lock your doors.
Morning Scene
Top ideas:
Reduce the humidity in the bathroom
Alarm for sunrise
Reminder to take out the trash
Trigger: Time of the day
With the morning scene, you will wake up in the morning with a slight increase in light. Then, when you shower, the bathroom fan will stay on for a long period to de-fog the bathroom and then shut down automatically.
As you leave home for the office, the lights in the garage door will flash, which will instantly remind you of taking the trash out before you go to work.
Work from Home Scene
Top ideas:
Welcome Home
Music everywhere in the house
Alarm automation
Garage lights
Trigger: Location
The moment you get further than a mile from your workstation, the smart thermostat will adjust the temperature to a comfortable level. Then, if you open the garage door, the TV, music, and lights will automatically turn on. The locks and alarm system will disarm, so you walk into a welcoming and warm home.
Bedtime Scene
Top ideas:
Night lights
Blackout
Vacuum while you are asleep
Bedtime for the TV
Trigger: Voice Command
When you are ready to go to bed and get some sleep, you can activate one scene through the Alarm.com app or Amazon Alexa, and all electronics, such as lights, will be turned off. Then, your robot vacuum will turn on and will begin cleaning the house while you are asleep.
These are just a sample of smart scenes that you can create. There are dozens of more combinations you can try. A simple Google search will reveal several exciting ideas that you can use in your house.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is a smart Hub essential for using smart devices at Home?
Yes! A smart hub is necessary to use smart devices at home because it ensures smooth installation of your smart home devices. However, you can also use standalone Wi-Fi devices that can link to home systems such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Whenever you are looking to buy new smart devices, it is always a good idea to check their compatibility and ensure they are compatible with the smart hub.
Which Smart Hub is the Best One?
The smart hub you choose is a matter of compatibility and personal preference. However, you should always buy a smart hub that is compatible with all the smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Homekit, and Samsung Smartthings.
One of the best smart hubs in the market is Aeotec smart home hub, it works on the Samsung Smartthings platform, and also supports several protocols such as Z Wave and Zigbee, making it compatible with a wide array of smart home devices.
Which Smart Device should you purchase first?
While there is no shortage of smart devices on the market, and you can purchase a smart device that suits your needs, we recommend going for smart devices that cater to security needs.
The good thing about smart security systems is that most of them can double as a smart hub, so they are a great place to start your process of automating your house.
Other smart devices that you can purchase first are smart locks. You can easily place these locks in different windows and doors in your house.
Conclusion
In this article, our focus was on providing you with the best smart home automation ideas. The good news is that there is plenty of smart home ideas since there are all kinds of smart devices available on the market.
While automating your door and windows is possible, you can now even automate your blinders and washing machines and add smart bathroom mirrors in bathrooms. You can also put smart devices or sensors in your garage door or set them up to give you alerts to take out your trash.
We have given a huge list of the best smart home automation ideas that you can try, so hopefully, you will find the ideas you were looking for. Toward the end of the article, we have discussed some important queries in the FAQ section that will give you some much-needed clarity.