Home automation and security solutions are aligning with one another in many settings, creating a situation in which consumers can capitalize on control and protection in a single package. However, there are some complexities to this kind of setup. Generally speaking, the challenges do not come once the systems are set. In fact, home automation generally creates a user-friendly interface for security solutions and other platforms within the program. Instead, the difficulty usually comes at installation, which is a task that requires professional service and cannot usually be accomplished by the average person.

Debunking Home Automation Ease-Of-Use Myths

Shorty after the Consumer Electronics Show, some non-technology publications began covering home automation as a future-like technology that needs standardization and is not yet user-friendly. A recent CEPro report said these types of articles can be frustrating to deal with from an insider’s perspective and misleading for consumers. Home automation has actually been around for approximately 25 years. Interoperability problems are somewhat present as home automation connects various security, lighting, entertainment and environmental control systems, but these architectures can be fairly easily interconnected by trained professionals.

This myth of inaccessibility is actually far from the truth. To explain the importance of professional installation, the news source compared installing home automation and security systems to repairing a roof. If your roof is damaged in a storm for any reason and you are not a trained carpenter, you probably are not going to go out the next day with a hammer and a few nails to fix any problems. You are probably going to get in touch with a roofing service and have a specialist come out to fix the roof.

This begs the question, “Why would you install a home automation system if you don’t understand the network, device and security solutions involved?” That isn’t a difficult question for most people, they wouldn’t go near the technology. Instead, they would sit back and let professionals handle the task and then learn how to use the technology effectively. The report said the importance of a professional installation should not be looked at as a negative of the technology. Instead, it should simply be noted that home automation and security systems are so powerful that they need special skills to install effectively.

Maximizing Home Automation

Getting the most out of your home automation investment depends on looking past some of the mix-and-match smartphone-based systems and looking more closely at holistic solutions that combine integrated security solutions with various intelligent building systems. The report said there is value to basic mobile device-based platforms, but they are often built around the immature side of the market. More sophisticated solutions are generally available through specialty vendors that can often offer smartphone interoperability as part of the program. To really maximize the benefits of such investments, you have to look closely into what different vendors are capable of providing and think about what you really want the system to accomplish, the report said.

Do you want home automation for convenience? Should it be a security-focused solution instead? Integrated home security systems can go a long way toward protecting your home and family. Investing in systems that can interact freely with home smart devices can add a great deal to home automation technologies because they provide a solid security foundation that the intelligent building system can be built around. The closely related nature of automation and security systems is creating an environment in which holistic solutions are becoming accessible at better price points that make them an option for a wide range of consumers.