Homeowners are beginning to expect their homes to be connected and are turning to builders and electricians to add intelligence. To deliver a truly “smart home” to a customer, builders must think ahead during renovations and new builds, adding smart home hubs and intelligent devices that communicate over the same protocol as the hub.

Before a builder can deliver on the smart home demand, it’s important to understand the components, benefits and risks involved with these connected homes.

What Makes a Home Smart?
The internet of things (IoT) is here: Smart technologies that help make our home’s appliances and core functions like lighting more convenient and increase security and energy efficiency. Take almost any device and add embedded intelligence, and that device can be a part of the internet of things.

Devices that were once “dumb” are becoming “smart.” A refrigerator is no longer just for keeping food fresh but also is helping homeowners keep track of their grocery lists by providing a live view of the fridge’s interior to a smartphone. Lights, door locks, security systems and more can be accessed, adjusted, opened or closed and turned on or off with a few taps of a device. Even washers and dryers are becoming smart, with embedded Wi-Fi that allows homeowners to monitor the wash or dry cycles and know immediately when it’s time to change the load.

These devices are just part of what makes a home smart. For a home to truly be considered smart, it not only needs to be connected to the internet with controllable intelligence embedded, but the devices must be networked together. These intelligent devices can then be controlled remotely through a touchpad, tablet, PC or mobile device – inside the home or remotely. With this enhanced technology comes a level of safety, security and convenience that consumers demand. A smart home isn’t just a trend – it’s becoming a more-cost effective and simpler way to deliver

Already, this growing consumer demand is having a big effect on the way we build and renovate homes. Smart homes collect a great deal of data, are dependent on software and software updates, and as more and more products are added to the smart home market, it’s important for builders to know the variance in product quality and capability, how to install and commission systems, and how to educate homeowners or buyers about their options.

What Do Builders Need to Know?
As smart homes become more prevalent and higher in demand, builders and electricians need to consider new practices in terms of smart device installation, troubleshooting and testing.

It is important to keep in mind there not any consistent standards governing smart devices, smart hubs or other smart home equipment. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and other agencies are starting to review, but there are no substantial guidelines at this point; which means that devices might not be designed to the highest standard a consumer might otherwise expect.

Similarly, while no standards govern smart devices, no standards govern the installation or commissioning of these devices either. It is important for builders to find qualified, knowledgeable subcontractors to install the devices and explain the features, benefits and security precautions to homeowners.

To provide the best service and product to homeowners, it is also important that builders educate themselves on the emerging technologies and products in this space. Whether as a direct or third-party offering, homeowners are expecting builders to be prepared to answer questions about and provide options for smart home installations. By working with product manufacturers, distributors and subcontractors familiar with smart home products, builders can create a network of experts to keep themselves and their customers at the forefront of smart home technology.

What to Consider Once Installation is Complete
Commissioning is the most obvious step once the physical product installation is complete. Particularly in new home builds or major renovations, it is important to look for hub products that allow for commissioning without an internet connection – otherwise, the homeowner would need to set up internet service before the devices can be fully commissioned and tested.

Educating the homeowner is key here as well. As smart devices proliferate homes, it is important to understand the cybersecurity aspects involving the installed devices. Can the system be hacked? How secure is the internet connection? Input from a builder or subcontractor on topics like password protection and the importance of multi-factor authentication can help reinforce key security steps to the homeowner to help avoid these cybersecurity risks.

Once all the devices are installed, other protections can be considered as well. The average home has approximately $15,000 worth of sensitive electronics and appliances. It only takes one electrical surge to do irreparable damage to those devices. As more and more smart – and expensive – devices are added to homes, builders and electricians need to educate homeowners on protecting this equipment through two-stage surge protection.

Though most homeowners use surge protection strips at the point of use to protect expensive electronics like computers and televisions, sometimes it’s not enough. And many appliances and personal devices – from smartphones to smart fridges – go without any protection at all. Two-stage protection gives homeowners peace of mind in knowing that their valued electronics are protected from electrical surges.

Stage One: Stage one protection is at the breaker box, rather than the point of use. In the case of an electrical surge, this stage can reduce surges to an acceptable level for surge strips and receptacles to handle.

Stage Two: Stage two protection is on the actual device, providing additional peace of mind for pricey electronics.

Surge protection can also be an important consideration in the event of severe weather. During a storm, lightning strikes that hit power lines or utilities can cause electrical surges. If the storm is severe enough to knock the power out, momentary surges during outages or as the power comes back on can also be damaging to sensitive electronics. Unplugging appliances – even though the power is out – can prevent surge damage, but surge protection is more reliable in case you cannot get to the appliances to unplug them, for example, if you have evacuated or parts of your home are flooded.

As the investment in smart technology within the home goes up, it’s important for homeowners and builders to understand and consider investment in surge protection options as well.
 

About the Author

Erik Drost is a product manager with Eaton’s Residential Wiring Devices Division in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With more than17 years of business experience, Drost currently specializes in residential surge protective devices. In addition, he has extended experience with telecommunications, networking and wireless routing.