The 3 Most Common Concerns about Smart Home Technology

The smart home revolution is truly upon us — and we all knew it was coming. For years now, phones and computers have been getting smaller and more sophisticated. Digital devices have became more widespread in various areas of daily life. It was only a matter of time before homes themselves turned into digital hubs. Heating and cooling, lighting, security, and entertainment would all be connected to a central nervous system that made daily living easier, safer and more rewarding.

But most of us didn’t realize just how quickly the smart home revolution would happen. It seems like the stuff of science fiction, yet the products and expertise to achieve these “futuristic” results already exist.

Many people hear about the reality of smart home technology and say ‘not so fast.’ What about all the security concerns related to home automation? And will smart home technology really save energy and money, or is it just a gimmick? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the hardware that exists right now, and will it get better in the future?

If you’re at all serious about investing in smart home technology, these are very important questions to ask. You want to make sure you’re putting your resources into something solid and reliable — not some set of gadgets and gimmicks that will ultimately fail to deliver the results you want, and become obsolete before they’ve even paid for themselves.

Security

This is the biggest question most people have, at least if they’re considering smart locks. Others aspect of smart home technology — such as entertainment, cameras, HVAC, lighting, and smoke/CO2 alarms — would be of little interest to criminals. But the idea of someone hacking your smart lock is a very real concern that needs to be addressed. People considering investing in smart home technology should be aware of the following points:

• Smart locks are not yet mainstream enough to be attractive to hackers
• Current smart lock technology is extremely difficult to hack, and will only get better
• Thieves are probably more likely to be able to pick an ordinary lock than hack a smart lock
• Many other aspects of home automation are available to those who aren’t comfortable with the current smart lock technology
• Smart smoke and CO2 alarms, smart cameras, and smart lighting systems can all enhance your home security without raising significant “hacking” concerns



Energy efficiency

There’s no doubt that the right hardware, including smart thermostats like the next generation Nest, have the power to make your home significantly more efficient. By learning your heating and cooling patterns and giving you easy ways to optimize energy use, these devices will generate lower energy bills right away. Smart lighting and entertainment systems are another way to limit your energy usage only to what you need.

Upgrades and obsolescence

This is another concern people commonly have, and it comes from years of experience with the technology market. Will I invest thousands of dollars in smart home technology, only to see my system become totally obsolete within a year? How long can I expect my technology to work? Can it be upgraded without too much hassle?

The need to secure a long-term return on your investment is one of the reason why working with a qualified home automation professional is so important. When you go it alone, or simply try to assemble a collection of smart devices and make them work together, frustration is all but guaranteed. When you partner with an expert who knows this technology forward and backward — someone who can specifically answer all your questions about obsolescence and upgrades — you’ll have a much clearer idea whether smart home technology is something you want to invest in.