To DIY or Not to DIY: The Smart Home Dilemma

Popular smart home platforms like Google Home and Amazon Alexa are leading a rising wave of disparate consumer technology trends designed to make living easier. Just walk down to your nearest big-name store in Jacksonville, FL and you’ll find smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, smart door locks, and more sitting on the shelves at affordable prices.

This growing accessibility to smart home technology poses the question: Can homeowners install their own robust smart home automation systems without the help of a professional? If you think so, you may have left out some important considerations. Below, we list a few significant questions you should ask before diving into the world of DIY smart homes.

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Ask These Questions First

DIY solutions are great for starting small. If all you desire is a smart thermostat in the family room and smart lighting in the kitchen, you can find those solutions virtually anywhere. But what if you decide you want smart lighting control throughout your entire property? Or maybe you’ve decided you want your thermostat and lighting to work together to save energy. Don’t forget that every smart home device you purchase comes with a separate app and interface to navigate, too.

Think of the smart solutions you desire for your home, and then ask these questions before taking on the task yourself:

1. Do your smart home devices connect and work together with your preferred smart home ecosystem like Apple, Amazon, or Google?
2. Do your smart home devices have the capability to scale in order to serve expanded areas of your home?
3. Do your smart home devices offer robust security against cyber threats or other possible abuse?
4. Does your network offer enough bandwidth to handle these smart devices along with the other connected devices in your home?
5. Can you manage and monitor your devices from one centralized control, or will you be required to keep up with various apps and remotes?
6. Are your smart home devices easily manageable should you experience a technical issue, such as loss of connectivity?
7. As technology changes, can you easily update your smart home devices to keep up with new needs?
8. Can you create your ultimate dream home and lifestyle with these smart home devices?

Consider a Professional

If you’re just looking for one specified smart home solution, then devices sold on the shelves today will probably fit the bill. But a robust, integrated smart home brings together the power of all your smart home devices to work together at just the touch of a button. Achieving a smart home of that scale takes the expertise of a home automation professional.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by our above considerations, let our team at Alpha Dog make the process painless for you. We’ll ask you what your smart home goals are, design a solution that’s as simple or as complex as needed, and install everything for you before handing over the reins so you can customize your control system to work precisely as you desire.

Our service doesn’t stop there. We’ll also continue to proactively serve you as your technical support to ensure everything stays in tip-top shape.

Get started on your dream smart home by requesting a free consultation from our team at Alpha Dog. Call us at (904) 257-4295 today! We look forward to hearing from you.