CONNECTIVITY IN THE HOME FOR BEGINNERS

It’s never too late to introduce home automation into your life. If you don’t have any smart home automation and want to know more about how it all works, read Somfy’s guide to a connected home below.

What is Home Automation?

Home automation is a system that monitors and adjusts certain aspects of the house including lighting, window coverings and air conditioning.

You may have also heard of the term Internet of Things (IoT). This refers to systems, from interior blinds to cars, that come with their own software to control them and connect with other systems via the Internet.

One way home automation can help you is by allowing you to create schedules that do all the hard work for you, so you can spend more time doing the things you love. For example, window coverings can be set on a schedule to open and close exactly when you want them to, or even fitted with weather sensors to adjust accordingly. We’ve explored some ways Somfy can help below.

Connexoon Window RTS

Staying connected to your home, even when you’re away, is simple with Somfy’s home automation solution Connexoon Window RTS. The solution gives you the ability to control your window coverings and lights right from your smartphone, wherever you are in the world.

For even easier control, you can set your window coverings and lights on schedules to open and close at pre-determined times of the day. Read on to discover the benefits of adding Connexoon Window RTS to your home.

Energy Efficiency

In the winter, you want to open up your blinds to capture that beautiful sunlight and naturally warm your home during the day, but by the time you get home from work, the sun has already set and your home is cold and dark.

By setting your blinds and curtains on schedules, you can program them to open during the day to let the heat in and close before the sun goes down to retain that warmth. You can do the reverse in summer to naturally cool your home by keeping the sun out during the hottest parts of the day and relieve the pressure on your air-conditioning system.

Effortless Privacy

When daylight savings ends, you find yourself coming home from work to a dark home with all the windows left bare, leaving you with little privacy from your neighbours.

With Connexoon Window RTS, you can program your blinds to close and your lights to turn on just before you arrive, so you are welcomed home to a private oasis.

Home Protection

Leaving your home dark and empty when you go away can make it a target for burglars. With Connexoon Window RTS, you can automate lights to turn on and off and window coverings to open and close during certain times of the day to simulate presence in your home, so you can enjoy peace of mind while on holiday!

Voice Control

You can’t enjoy the complete smart home experience without voice control!

When connecting your Somfy solutions to your Connexoon Window RTS, you can operate your window coverings and lights using simple voice commands with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

If you’ve ever come home from doing the groceries with your hands full and wished someone could turn on the lights and draw the curtains for you, then voice control compatibility is perfect for you. Simply say “Hey Google, I’m home” and your home will spring into action without you having to lift a finger.

Or if you’ve ever been in a rush to leave the house and haven’t had time to run around the entire home to close all the blinds and turn off the lights, simply ask Alexa to do it as you walk out the door. It’s that simple!

Sensors

As with all of Somfy’s connected solutions, sensors are designed to make life more convenient for you while improving the energy efficiency of your home and extending the lifespan of your window coverings. With a range of sensors to choose from including sun, temperature and wind sensors, all the hard work will be done for you.

Sun and temperature sensors will automatically close when the sunlight or external temperature reaches a certain threshold, keeping your home naturally cool and helping you save money on your energy bills.

Motorised awnings fitted with wind sensors will automatically retract the awning when a certain level of wind is detected so you won’t have to worry about remembering to close your awning again! The sensor will ensure your awning is protected from wind damage without you having to stress. Now that’s peace of mind.

Get in Touch with A Somfy Expert

If you’re interested in improving your home and reaping the benefits of home automation, speak to a Somfy Expert about our range of solutions today.