Are you a homeowner considering DIY home automation? If you’re looking for the best smart home results, hiring home automation professionals is the answer over the DIY smart home route. A smart home should be a custom system designed to streamline your unique space and everyday life.
From low-grade smart products to not optimizing your space correctly, here are five reasons why you should hire home automation professionals over DIY home automation.
5 Reasons Why Homeowners Should Invest in Automation Professionals Over DIY Home Automation
Smart home technology is increasingly becoming the standard in homes and is now widely available on the consumer market. Although home automation can streamline your daily routine and improve your quality of life, homeowners should avoid going DIY and use home automation professionals instead – here’s why.
1. Not Following Best Home Automation Wiring Practices for Smart Devices Risks Electrical Fires
Faulty wiring is one of the leading causes of electrical fires and power surges in homes — and is the top reason why we recommend avoiding DIY home automation, even if you are DIY-savvy. Some dangerous smart home mistakes homeowners make with their DIY smart home wiring are leaving wires exposed, daisy chaining, and overloading outlets.
A safe, smart home system should be integrated by professional smart home installers to prevent electrical fires and safety hazards. At AIS, we offer hidden wiring systems for smart home integration to give homeowners peace of mind knowing they follow the best electrical safety practices.
2. Wireless Home Automation Has Less Secure Networking & Weaker Connections than Wired Setups
A disadvantage of do-it-yourself home automation systems is using a wireless setup. If your home has many smart devices connected to the same wireless network, it can slow your internet speed down because they compete for bandwidth on the same frequency.
Wi-Fi signals often have difficulty penetrating walls which can be more challenging for multi-story homes to receive strong internet connections. Additionally, wireless systems are more vulnerable to cyber hacks since they rely on radio signals that struggle with interceptions.
Some benefits of wired home automation systems include:
- Centralizes control for all smart home systems, devices, and equipment in one platform
- Hardwires smart devices that require higher bandwidth to create a dedicated network for them
- Future-proofs smart homes for easy compatibility and scalability on new home automation technologies
Homeowners who do a DIY home automation system may result in slower internet performance and weaker networking. For this reason, we always recommend using wired integrations from automation professionals instead.
3. Low-Quality Smart Products Are Now Widely Available
When it comes to smart home technology, not all are created equal. Home automation is becoming increasingly popular, which is why there’s a massive consumer market for smart products and devices. If you’re considering DIY home automation, understand that consumer-grade smart products are lower-quality than hiring home automation professionals who can recommend the best brands for you.
Consumer-grade smart products aren’t manufactured with the same strength and quality as leading automation brands. They typically have shorter lifespans, are less energy-efficient, and are more prone to hacking.
One of the most common consumer-grade automation products is smart bulbs. Skip do-it-yourself home automation with cheap smart bulbs and opt for low-voltage lighting for homes instead. They’re designed to use less voltage than the standard 120 volts, are energy-efficient, and are compatible with other home automation systems and devices.
At AIS, our integrators specialize in low-voltage lighting integration for smart homes. Our team will plan the wiring and best placement and recommend brands for the best possible results.
4. Not all Smart Devices Are Compatible with One Another
Another disadvantage of DIY smart home systems is incompatible smart devices. If your home has many smart devices that all use independent systems, managing them on multiple platforms becomes more challenging.
Remotely controlling your smart thermostat, lighting, and motorized shades in one touch panel or mobile app provides seamless smart home management.
5. Risks and Costs of a DIY Smart Home Failure are High
The last reason why you should choose smart home integrators over home automation DIY projects is the risks of costly repairs or replacement. Many homeowners inadvertently void warranties by incorrectly assembling, installing, or programming certain device parts during DIY smart home projects.
Some common mistakes we see in DIY home automation are:
- Smart home technology installation that distracts from the home design
- Incorrect speaker, lighting, and device placement
- Wrong quantities of speakers, lighting, and devices
- Devices plugged in the faulty outlets or circuits
- Smart home devices programmed incorrectly
- Poor home automation system assembly and installation
Home automation is an investment and should be installed and maintained by custom smart home integrators. Skip the risks of high repair or replacement costs from lack of warranty coverage due to DIY smart home automation that can be avoided with home automation professionals.
When homeowners choose an HTA-certified business to install their smart home systems, they don’t have to worry about integration, programming, and maintenance mistakes that could void equipment warranties.
Hire HTA-Certified Home Automation Integrators for the Best Smart Home Results
The main advantages of hiring home automation professionals are the service, customer support and privacy – which typically isn’t included in DIY home automation.
At AIS, we ensure that your home automation project is designed, installed, and programmed correctly for optimal privacy. Our team is also dedicated to providing high-quality after-care, continued service plans, and customer support.
Ready to start your smart home journey? Use our budget calculator to plan expenses, or contact us for smart home integration today!
