Automation is the ability to plan and schedule what you want your appliances and devices to do, and when to do it. This may entail time-specific commands; as opening and closing your shades at certain times, turning the lights on at sunset and switching them off at sunrise, or even controlling their intensity, and determining when your security system is set off.

You can also control your home thermostat or air conditioning through adjusting the temperature according to the time of day and season of the year. For example, you can adjust the temperature when you are on your way back home according to the weather, to save energy and reduce your electricity bill.

Moreover, you can remotely control a good home automation system via monitoring apps through home networks where these devices are connected to the Internet; you can check your security cameras’ live feeds and whether your door is locked. You will be able to program the security system to send you a message or
E-mail if any security concerns arise; such as fire alarms, motion detectors, etc. You can also receive notifications for ordinary stuff, as programming your front door to notify you when your children are back from school, or program it to unlock at a certain time to allow your pet walkers in to take your pet out for a walk.

Furthermore, you can set a timer to make your coffee or tea, cook your food, and feed your pets; you can program the equipment remotely via an Internet connection wherever you are. You can also switch on your water heater to be able to take a bath or shower when you come back home and switch it off to save electricity when you are out.

Automation enables you to control the sprinkler systems of your garden by having different programs for different seasons and times, as the weekends and holidays. An additional luxury is having a robot vacuum cleaner that cleans your house. It makes cleaning much easier and more fun that even your kids will want to do it as they get to control the robot.

Your TV can record your favorite shows or matches to be able to watch them whenever you want after you return from work or a night out. You can control everything from the channels, to the sound and brightness; you can then turn it off again after you are done to save energy instead of leaving everything on to record your programs.

After going through some of the many examples of turning your house into a smart one, one can see the appeal of home automation as it simplifies many chores and saves energy and reduces one’s electricity bills.

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