The practical approach to home automation

The trend towards controlling everything in your home from your smartphone continues to grow but the multitude of apps and products can leave the homeowner feeling more than a little bewildered. What is needed is a simplified approach, as Tom Lane, from Megaman explains.

Living your life on the move has never been easier thanks to the technology incorporated into smartphones which allow you not only to keep in touch with your friends but also to control your heating and other areas of your life – without even being at home.

But whilst for some this is a Godsend, for others it has just introduced an extra level of confusion because of the number of apps which are needed to keep track of your life. Of course it is good news that you can switch your lights on and off from your phone, and the ability to control your heating at the touch of a button will certainly help to reduce your energy bills, but a truly intelligent approach would make the technology far easier to digest.

This is perhaps one of the greatest selling points of LightwaveRF, a range of intelligent dimmers, radiator valves, sockets and sensors that are just that little bit smarter.

Let’s be smart

If you are not already familiar with the product range then you soon will be because Megaman has recently announced a new partnership with LightwaveRF which will bring the smart home within easy reach of everyone – even those that normally shy away from new technology!

So what can you expect from LightwaveRF? Well the first thing to note is that the entire range of intelligent dimmers, radiator valves, sockets and sensors are a revolution for those that are struggling with numerous apps, bulky products and installation nightmares because the products are the very latest in smart home technology.

For a start the installation process is easy and it does away with one of the main barriers which previous home automation products have faced – retrofitting. It is true that most people would love to have the latest technology controlling their homes but few were willing to accept the cost and inconvenience associated with major rewiring and the resultant decorating which was needed before you started to enjoy the benefits.

This issue has been addressed with LightwaveRF because the switches and sockets are standard back–box depth and as a result it is a simple job to remove and replace the old switches and sockets to achieve full remote home control. It also requires no extra wiring which makes it a far more appealing prospect both for the homeowner and the installer.

Another important factor for the success of home automation is the look and feel of the products because many early systems consisted of bulky control panels, which were difficult to use and, in many respects, served to turn the market off rather than get it excited. Thankfully things have changed and the range of intelligent dimmers, radiator valves, sockets and sensors that look exactly like ordinary dimmers, valves or sockets is testament to how far it has moved on.

But the look and feel of the products is where the similarities end because although they look like the traditional solutions, the technology inside is far from ordinary. The LightwaveRF heating range for example uses wireless thermostatic radiator valves in combination with a boiler switch and thermostat to achieve a fully remote controlled heating system at an incredibly low cost.

This new intelligent technology therefore allows the homeowner to take full control of the heating, lighting and power in their home using the dedicated smartphone or tablet app or manually as you would any ordinary switch or socket if they prefer.

As far as home automation is concerned these are all great features but many people would argue that there are a lot of new products on the market which all do essentially the same thing – which is a very valid point because the rise of the smartphone has also brought with an influx of new home automation technology.

The problem with a lot of this technology is that each product requires its own app, so one for the heating, one for the lights, one for the security system and so on. It’s all great technology but before long the homeowner becomes ‘app weary’ and reverts to using the on/off button when they enter the house which defeats the point of having it in the first place.

So perhaps one of the key selling points for LightwaveRF is the fact that you can operate every device from one app or remote control and the process of getting it to work via an internet connection from a smartphone, tablet or from a hand held remote control is so simple that even the ‘technophobes’ will find it fairly straightforward.

What’s in it for the wholesaler?

The benefits for the homeowner are clear but the benefits for the wholesaler are also fairly significant as a result of the fact that the technology is an easy retrofit solution. What this means in practice is that it is very affordable for the homeowner and a great solution for the installer looking to upsell because the system can be installed on a room by room basis allowing the installer to start off with one switch or socket and gradually working up to a whole house.

This approach makes it a very cost effective solution for the homeowner who is looking to achieve energy savings and as they realise its true potential they will be calling the installer back for more. For the wholesaler it is also a cost effective way to move into the home automation market – a move which will undoubtedly pay dividends in the longer term.

You only need to look at the vast array of smartphones on the market to see that this technology is the way forward and as people move with the times they will be expecting more and more from their homes. So now is the time to embrace home automation and this new range offers a sensible and cost effective approach which will ensure your customers keep coming back for more.

www.megamanuk.com