Home automation is becoming popular in Australia as people recognise the benefits it offers to energy efficiency, security, and lifestyle. Imagine being able to create a house that works to reduce your power bills down, keep intruders out and makes entertaining easy.
What is home automation? We have a longer article that explains what home automation is in full, but for this article, we’ll simply say it’s the automatic and electric control of household features, activities and appliances. Houses with such automation are also called ‘smart’ or ‘connected’ homes.
Home automation is still developing as an industry here in Australia, but professionals are emerging – frequently they’re electricians, security experts or home entertainment specialists who have broadened their offerings to look after the whole home. These professionals are usually called integrators – occasionally they’ll be referred to as custom integrators.
While many tradies can claim to have expertise in one area – such as wiring lighting or designing a home audio system – integrators look after all the elements and assimilate them into one seamless system. Home automation is meant to make your life easier – which means it should work reliably every time.
To ensure you hire a professional, ask if the integrator is a CEDIA member or has certification from the relevant manufacturers.