What is an Integrator?

Smart home integrators are sub-contractors that are experts in the field of smart home automation. Smart-home integrators are required in order to create a smart-home system that can match a homeowner’s expectations for technology that works consistently and without constant adjusting. You can pay an integrator to design and install smart-home systems that take a house to the next level of technology, much like you can hire an electrician to wire your home or an HVAC specialist to design and install heating and cooling systems. The right integrator will help you map out all your needs and align them with all the stakeholders’ goals like an architect, interior designer, electrical consultant, etc.

Enhanced Network Security

Each gadget you add to your house, particularly those with remote access, creates a new network port. Integrators not only strengthen your overall network security by including firewalls and encryption solutions during your automation installation, but they also collaborate with trusted manufacturers who have proven security protocols. They will also be able to consolidate remote features onto a single system, reducing the number of access points for cyber-attacks.

Some professional integrators even offer remote monitoring software to help maintain your home’s network health and performance. If a glitch in the network or a security breach is identified, your smart home professional can notify you of the issue, and they can often fix the issue remotely before you even notice there is a problem or any of your data has been compromised.

More Efficiency

If you simply want one aspect of a smart home system like whole-house audio, installing that project on your own could take a really long time. Trying to do a more comprehensive, personalized system that includes security cameras, motorized shades, outdoor entertainment, climate control, and lighting will be a multi-month DIY project. On the other hand, a professional integrator knows how to build your smart home more quickly and precisely. They’ll do it right the first time, and you’ll be pleased you’re not flicking through an instruction booklet in annoyance. They’ll also ensure that you don’t have too many problems down the line – and if you do, they’ll be on call to come back and help out. When you work with a qualified professional, you’re never left on your own.

Automation Expertise

An integrator’s benefits don’t just stop in the home. They can also help set up your office building’s automation better than your IT department could. Much like in the connected home space, office technology is ideal for serving as the core for your business and building systems. An integrator can help program your system to know when the building is occupied, who is in the building, and control lighting and door access, among other items. And if security is a concern, your integrator can work with your IT to setup up a secured network that can be accessed by your staff yet is still serviceable by the integrator for possible future updates.

Self-Monitoring vs. Professional Monitoring

Before we dive into why you should get a home security system, first, you'll need to decide whether you want to monitor the system yourself or pay extra for a professional service. While self-monitoring is cheaper, you won't be able to monitor your system 24 hours a day actively — it's too easy to miss something, especially if you're sleeping.

With professional monitoring, the service works round the clock and constantly keeps track of your home's alerts. If an emergency does occur, these trained professionals know exactly how to respond, including which emergency service to contact. And since these alerts come from a professional source, the emergency response times are faster.

Bye Bye, Burglars

Of course, one of the main reasons to get a home security system is if you're worried about a burglary. But did you know that burglars are less likely to invade your home when there are obvious signs of a security system, like yard signs, outdoor cameras, etc.?

Eighty-three percent of burglars look for signs you have an alarm, and over half say they will give up their plans when they see one. And if they do attempt to enter your home, with security motion sensors on the windows and doors, you'll know the instant someone tries.

Pro Tip: For an even more significant burglary deterrent, tie in bright lights and loud alarms whenever a security alert goes off.

1. Begin with a Consult

The first step towards your custom solution is a consult outlining the scope of your project. This is where you discuss what you want out of your smart home. Do you want the lights to be location or motion activated? Do you want never to have to worry about locking your front door?

During this process, you'll figure out how many rooms to include in your custom solution, what technology you'll need, and which smart home solution is ideal for your family and budget.

2. Designing the System

Once your custom installers have an idea of what you want out of your smart home, that's when the real work starts with professional designers and engineers. They come together to formulate a system that includes the technology you want with budget and time frames.

Every custom solution needs a well-thought-out design and plan as it makes the rest of the process easier. This plan includes the wiring infrastructure, hardware location, user interface management, and how to blend the equipment with your home design.

3. Managing the Project

With the initial plan in place, the next step is probably one of the more important ones: managing the project. This involves setting clearly defined parameters for all those involved in your custom solution, such as architects, engineers, designers, and contractors. That's a lot of people and components to keep track of!

Lifestyle & Goals

One way to start thinking about what you need in your smart home is to consider your overall lifestyle and goals. Walk through your house, take notes about your daily routine and figure out what can be automated. It will give you a better sense of what your home can look like, fully automated. Do you want to never have to worry about house keys or codes? Do you want your home's thermostat to always be optimized? Have complete surveillance both in and out of your home? You may want all of those things. However, just because there are dozens of options for automation doesn't mean you'll need or want to use them all right away.

Rather than starting with a whole system, you can start with one that controls only a specific home feature like your security, entertainment, thermostats, etc. And that way, you can get scalable home automation systems that let you expand on the system when you want to. But, identifying your overall goal will guide you in effectively selecting your home automation system. This is also the time to establish your budgets.

Functions & Controls

Next, you'll want to choose a home automation setup with controls that are suitable for you. Hardware-based, software-based, or a combination of the two are the three primary types of home automation control centers.

• Software is designed for people with more complex home automation needs.
• Hardware is best for simple systems with manual controls.
• Hybrid systems are ideal if you want to utilize triggers to automate events such as motion-activated sensors and conditional events such as a thermostat that sets a room temperature at a specific time of day.

From there, you can pick a system that has the new innovative functions and includes all of the exciting, high-tech features, such as remote control, smartphone app, and voice control, among other things. If a system requires an app, you should also check if it is compatible with your devices.

After finding a compatible system, double-check that it has all of the features that assure ease of use and efficiency.