Dos and Don’ts for Giving Your Home a Tech Upgrade

You want to upgrade your home using all the exciting new tech that’s around today. You’re a tech-friendly type, so what could go wrong? The answer is a lot, but it’s not the fault of the tech itself–usually. It’s more a matter of user error. If you fail to think long-term or consider exactly what it is your home needs and will use, you may end up disappointed. Avoid that disappointment by taking the following into consideration.

Do Consider Your Family’s Habits

A home theater might sound like a dream, but slow down. Do you and your family really watch that many movies at home? If you do, do you tend to gather in one place to do it, or is it everyone off on their own little devices? If whatever you have in mind isn’t something everyone already enjoys, you’re not any more likely to embrace it after spending a lot of money on it. Be realistic about your lifestyle and that of your family, and make choices that will enhance everyone’s enjoyment.

Don’t Cut Corners Where It Matters

You don’t have to spend top dollar on everything but be smart about where you do decide to go with the more frugal option. Think about what devices would really leave you in a bad place if they failed, such as security cameras or smart locks. Do your research and find out what people say about the reliability of various companies and their products.

Do Think Outside the Box

Tech upgrades are not just about creating a smart home with lighting, music, and temperature on voice command. There are plenty of exciting other things you could include, such as a workout mirror that you can use to access classes live or on demand. There are super modern home elevators as another option, a terrific addition for anyone who has mobility issues or is simply tired of going up and down stairs a couple of dozen times a day. These elevators can be installed in most types of homes, so don’t count them out before looking into the specifications.

Don’t Be Over-Reliant on Wi-Fi

If you’re a smart home novice, or even if you are one of the biggest users of smart technology for your home, you might assume that the whole thing runs over wireless, but another option is a smart home hub that helps keeps all of your devices in communication with one another. If you just want one or two devices, Wi-Fi may be sufficient, but a hub gives you far more options and flexibility.

Do Take Futureproofing into Account

The above-mentioned hubs have another advantage, which is that they set you up better for future upgrades and integration. There are probably innovations coming to our homes in another decade or two that we can’t currently imagine, but talking to tech service providers and others in the know about the best way to ensure that you can keep upgrading for as long as possible instead of having to do a total overhaul can be helpful. One example is that if you are doing a home remodel, think about where you might want to run cables in the future.