Smart Home Mistakes to Avoid

With the global smart home market set to reach a whopping $97.06 billion by 2028, it’s clear that smart home installation is a big deal. Syncing smart devices for the ultimate living experience is becoming increasingly popular, but special considerations need to be made to ensure everything runs smoothly. With this in mind, here are four common mistakes people make when planning their smart home – and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1 – Not Choosing the Latest Wi-Fi Standard

A connected home can greatly improve your living standards. From creating incredible audio experiences to personalising the lighting of each room, there’s not much that can’t be done. But for an impressive smart home to operate glitch-free, you need a Wi-Fi system that has what it takes to keep all devices connected. As Wi-Fi 5 was not designed with smart home demands in mind, connectivity issues might occur. Wi-Fi 6 on the other hand offers new and improved latency and bandwidth advantages. Wi-Fi 6 should be on your radar because:

  • Wi-Fi 6 routers divide a wireless channel into a large number of subchannels. Each of these subchannels carries data from a different device for seamless connectivity.
  • Wi-Fi 6 routers free up bandwidth by putting the Wi-Fi of inactive devices to sleep.
  • Wi-Fi 6 results in impressive latency speeds for a responsive home.

Mistake 2 – Blocking the Router Signal

Would you run through mud or jump over a huge stone wall if you didn’t have to? The answer is no – it would slow you down. So why would you place your Wi-Fi router behind heavy furniture or miles away from any connected devices? This simply forces your router to work harder and could interfere with the overall efficiency of your connected home. To avoid connectivity issues, simply place your new and updated Wi-Fi 6 router in an open space so that the signal can easily reach your smart devices.

Mistake 3 – Buying Too Much Too Fast

When it comes to smart home design, it can be easy to get carried away and buy too many smart devices too quickly before researching what you actually need. While it’s tempting to buy bulbs, light switches, track lighting, home assistants and more, you need to think about how these products will fit into your lifestyle, so they don’t end up in a drawer. It’s also worth speaking to an award-winning smart home specialist in Kent who can recommend products and solutions from a recommended range. These are more likely to work in harmony together than a system you’ve pieced together awkwardly bit by bit.

Mistake 4 – Being Short Sighted

While being over-keen won’t work in your favour, short sightedness isn’t great either. Essentially you need to think of any devices you may want to add going forward, as this could impact how the wiring is installed. Running extra wire to one or two extra zones in your house could prove beneficial in the long run should you wish to expand your smart living experience. This is something that smart home installers can help you with.