The Smart Home system for a country house: advanced devices for automatic control

Have you ever encountered the problem of the constant need to set up a heating, lighting, ventilation, alarm or video surveillance system? Setting up home communications requires not only a lot of time, but also makes the owner thoroughly study, delve into the work and the relationship of all home systems.

A competently installed Smart Home system for a country house will solve all the problems of managing household appliances and communications for you. We will tell you what components it consists of. We will show you what equipment is required to ensure the coordinated work of all components.

Automation Systems

A smart house is equipment for a country house and at the same time an effective system of centralized communications management in apartments and in any other premises. It includes many sensors, control mechanisms and devices that perform tasks in accordance with the settings specified during configuration.

Just as the human body functions efficiently with the good interaction of all its organs, the house in which all systems work smoothly and without interference will provide the most comfortable living conditions for its residents.

The photo shows a centralized automation system. In order to ensure the long and efficient functioning of all parts of the system, it is worth contacting professionals specializing in the installation of specific equipment. It will save your time, money and nerves.

Thanks to the use of smart equipment, you can coordinate all life support systems, exercise complete control and monitoring of the house via the Internet from a laptop or mobile phone, and program the communication of all important home systems.

The introduction of intelligent systems in everyday life allows you to customize the change in their parameters depending on your desire or other factors. For example, such as day or night, the level of humidity and many other parameters.

However, there are many options on the market. Smart Home systems. For the right choice, you need to know what types of systems exist, what you should pay attention to first of all when buying, and what parameters the system should have.

You should also familiarize yourself in detail with the advantages and disadvantages of specific manufacturers.

If you are a business person and often are absent in your house or apartment, then it is worth thinking about installing a smart video surveillance system. It allows you to monitor your property via the Internet directly from your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or computer.

We have conducted an analysis and are ready to talk about the general principles of the systems and about which systems can be automated. A comparative review of several systems of popular brands was also conducted.

For the successful installation of all components of the Smart Home system, it is first necessary to carry out design work. As a rule, this is the only stage of work in which the direct participation of the customer is necessary. After the correct, full-scale design and preparation of successful combinations of equipment, the installation directly follows

Almost all systems existing in home ownership lend themselves to automation and remote control.

This may include:

• Regulation heating system;
• Controlling access of persons to various rooms, managing the security and protection system from fires and fires;
• Settings ventilation and climate systems;
• Prevention of consequences in case of emergency, for example, a breakthrough of a gas or water pipe, a power outage;
• Video monitoring outside the home, both locally and remotely;
• Lighting control inside the house and on the territory of the property;
• Centralized management and integration of video and audio streams;
• Selection of a temperature range for floor heating, storm sewage;
• Limitation and distribution of loads of energy consumption;
• Management of additional power resources: generators, batteries;
• Remote and adaptive control of mechanisms controlled by an electric motor, i.e. pumping stations, systems of automatic watering of stands, barriers, gates, shutters;
• Management and monitoring of all the above systems through the Internet remotely or from home.

For a clearer view, the main systems that can be automated, their features and advantages, should be described.

Heating using the Smart Home system

Most owners do not independently configure and install the heating system. Most often, boilers, pumps and other necessary heating equipment are located in the basement or in a room specially designed for this purpose. boiler room.

Attention to themselves heating devices attract:

• during installation;
• carry out maintenance if necessary;
• in case of any malfunctions;
• when changing the season, when you need to manually manually adjust the appropriate temperature and other parameters.

Each time, it is necessary to spend time, nerves, and in some cases call a specialist at home and pay a decent amount for repairs and maintenance.

The Smart Home system differs from manual control and adjustment by the ability to automatically adjust the room temperature depending on the programmed parameters of the heating curve, which significantly reduces the need for human participation in the control processes.

It is heating that is the first industry in which engineers began to introduce the principles of “Smart Home”. Due to the fact that heating costs account for most of the costs associated with the operation of the premises, it became necessary to optimize the level of energy consumption and energy consumption. Thanks to the remote control, the owners have the opportunity to pre-set the desired temperature

At the same time, the minimum power consumption mode is respected. The cost of equipment and its installation is relatively small, and installation in an existing system is not a problem for experienced craftsmen.

A smart heating system functions thanks to thermostatic heads and valves, temperature sensors, thermostats, radiators and programmers. Each element performs its function. According to the most common calculations, economical assembly options can reduce heating costs by about 20%.

Systems of the “Smart Home” category with new technological equipment for arranging country houses are controlled via the network via a mobile phone, which allows you to remotely control all the heating parameters.

Additional functionality of advanced systems includes a variety of settings, for example, automatic temperature reduction if there are no tenants in the house or the heating systems are turned off during ventilation.

Modern digital technologies ensure the economical use of resources. Thanks to weather-dependent regulation, heating starts or stops depending on the readings of sensors that read weather conditions outdoors. It is also possible to maintain room temperature within specified limits.

Often the owners are faced with constant malfunctions in the heating system. And even after the installation of Smart Home, many questions arise, and some owners are afraid for their home while they are away from it. However, for such cases, there are special remote monitoring services that track all the main parameters in your boiler room

The comfort of using smart heating systems is ensured by automatic control and the absence of the need for constant manual adjustment. Remote control allows you to remotely adjust the power of the heating equipment and prepare a warm room for the soon arrival of the owners directly from your smartphone.

Automated ventilation and air conditioning

Air conditioning using the Smart Home system is carried out through the installation of detailed settings for climate devices, sensors and a controller. Almost any climate equipment on the remote control can be installed in a smart system. Sensors of temperature, humidity and presence are very popular.

The principle of operation of the climate system is that all sensors that read environmental information, as well as air conditioners and other ventilation devices, are connected to the main controller.

By combining all the key links in a single control center in this way, you can set different scenarios and configure the operation of the equipment in accordance with the readout indicators.

The control panel, with which direct control is carried out, is most often installed at the entrance to the house or in any convenient place. The ability to remotely control via a smartphone or tablet significantly improves the usability of the system.

Specialists annually expand the list of recommendations according to which it is necessary to operate air exchange networks. The function of air exchange in the rooms is performed only by ventilation, since even modern air conditioners can not fully cope with the function of mixing fresh air

Installation of the Smart Home system for air conditioning gives the owner the following benefits:

• Thanks to the combination of all devices in a single center, there is no need to use remotes designed for individual air conditioners;
• Starting and stopping the operation of the equipment can be carried out from anywhere in the room within the reach of the signal, not only from the control panel, but also using software installed on a computer, laptop, tablet or phone;
• Scripting allows you to once set up the system no longer return to this issue. So, you can configure individual parameters for each individual device, set the automatic ventilation function;
• The air conditioning and ventilation system is easily combined with other elements of the Smart Home system - with heating, with lighting, with fire safety and others.

Thanks to sensors that read the parameters of the external environment, fully automatic operation of the entire complex of equipment is possible after adjusting the system response to the received information.

Modern smart ventilation systems not only provide fresh air, but also create the necessary microclimate in the room. Residents should not be afraid of drafts or germs, as the equipment is equipped with a specially cascaded cleaning system. Thanks to this, the air is not only supplied in parts, but also cleared of all unpleasant odors and small particles

Smart ventilation guarantees the owner of intelligent technology:

• Safety, which is provided by encryption and a password that restricts access to management;
• Timely warning and alarm about the occurrence of an emergency;
• Comfort, thanks to a variety of different settings, up to taking into account the amount of carbon dioxide in the room;
• Health, since the cleanliness and freshness of the air with a normal level of humidity guarantee good health when in this room;
• Cost-effectiveness it is possible to configure the equipment to work only at the time of the presence of a person, which eliminates the waste of energy when it is not needed.

The market offers smart ventilation with good functionality and various parameters. It is not difficult for the user to choose a suitable model for the interior of any house or apartment.

Water Supply Monitoring Systems

Many residential areas lack a good water system that meets standards. In addition, it often requires additional attention from the residents, which takes a lot of time.

So, for watering a personal plot, someone may simply not have enough time for the necessary procedure, and another person will fill the plot with water above the norm. In order to avoid these negative aspects, a smart water supply system is installed.

Humidification of the soil to supply water to cultivated plants can be fully automated in accordance with a given scenario. The humidity sensor measures its level in the fertile layer of the earth, and in case of insufficient moisture the system releases water.

Watering can be adjusted depending on the time of day, day of the week and other parameters. An automated irrigation system is often protected by manufacturers from subzero temperatures. Therefore, she does not face freezing in the winter season.

Sensitive leakage sensors instantly detect the occurrence of water on the floor in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in other places, and special valves turn off the water supply, which prevents the negative consequences of leakage.

In this case, the owner is instantly sent a notification to the application on the smartphone or tablet. The same notifications come about changing filters.

The controller shown in the photo receives sensor signals and, in the event of a leak and other unexpected situations, shuts off hot or cold water.To properly configure the sensors, controller and their installation, you should contact a company specializing in the installation of smart water supply systems

If you like to take a bath or bask in the jacuzzi after a hard working day, but want to do it immediately after arrival or after dinner, then in this situation a smart water supply system will be useful. It is enough to set the scenarios and the algorithm for recruiting water.

For example, filling by the hour, upon arrival or with several parameters at once. In the same way, you can fill any containers with water.

The water supply complex regulates the water supply system in the following main parameters:

• Water purity;
• The presence of leaks;
• Water temperature;
• System pressure;
• Power consumption.

The system provides users with savings, rationality and comfort. Sensors that measure various parameters of the water supply system, identify all discrepancies with the required value and promptly signal to the owner about the need to replace filters or other elements.

So, if the cold water supply is interrupted, and the hot temperature is too high for a person to bathe, the system turns off the water to protect the user from adverse effects.

The first frontier of home security

An access control system is the first defense of your home from third parties.

Access control "Smart Home" includes the following elements:

• Mechanical or magnetic electric locks that can be opened remotely;
• Sensors and sensors for the use of contact and contactless keys, as well as contactless magnetic cards for access to the premises;
• Systems designed to account for time spent at the workplace;
• On-door speakerphones and video on-door speakerphones of various configurations;
• Automatically opening gates and barriers.

A magnetic lock is cheaper than an electromechanical one, it has a simpler and more reliable device. For operation, a continuous supply of 12 volts is required. It is advisable to purchase an additional uninterruptible power supply, as in the event of a power outage, the lock will stop working.

Due to its resistance to low temperatures and high humidity, it is recommended to install a magnetic lock on street doors.

The electromechanical lock is also not bad. It is activated by applying an electrical impulse and can be opened mechanically using a key. However, at low temperatures, its mechanisms often harden and require additional care.

A biometric sensor is an innovative technology that identifies access rights. Thanks to the reader, the entrance to the room is possible only after identification by fingerprint. In addition, this type of lock can be installed on almost any type of entrance door. Owners can also configure login settings for multiple individuals, thus restricting access to unauthorized persons.

To use contact and contactless keys, a key reader is installed on one side, and another reader or exit button on the other.

Time tracking is usually required in enterprises and large organizations. A special controller reads the information and transfers it to the computer's memory card. Thus, it is easy to track how many times people entered and exited through the door and determined how much time the employee spent at his workplace.

When choosing a doorphone, you should pay attention to the quality of the transmitted video and audio. Also, when installing the intercom on a street door, it is worth asking the seller if there is anti-vandal protection, protection against moisture and cold

Intercoms with audio and video transmission systems are installed on the front doors. After the bell, the owner can open the door by pressing one button on the control panel. Various models differ not only in design, but also in the quality of the transmitted audio and video information.

Automation of the opening and closing of gates, as well as the raising and lowering of barriers is popular with the owners of large country houses and enterprises. Automatic gates are sliding, swinging and lifting-sectional.

Automatic lighting system

Management and control of lighting is a very popular feature. Thanks to the Smart Home lighting system, many functions become available: turning on the light according to a schedule, from voice or remotely.

All these functions have become available thanks to bus technology, which has won recognition in European countries and combines all the switches at home through a single trunk line.

There are five types of smart lighting:

• Local managementcarried out by applying the keys of the switch;
• Scheduled Lighting Control, that is, it is included in predetermined time intervals;
• The use of motion sensorsupon detection of changes in the serviced space motion sensors give a signal to turn on the light;
• Remote controlwhen a user can turn on the light using the application through a mobile device without even being in the house;
• Event lighting, turns on the light when a programmed event occurs.

Remote control is especially popular. It is carried out in several ways.

When installing a smart lighting system, the user receives a number of advantages, starting with the fact that the system can simulate the presence of a person or automatically reduce the brightness when you turn on the TV, ending with the ability to control the light using voice

First option - This is the installation of a special application on a computer located in the illuminated area. With this application, you can adjust the brightness of the light, turn it on and off.

Second way - use of the remote control. It has almost the same functionality as a computer application. There are buttons for controlling groups of switches.

Third way - Lighting control using mobile systems Android and iPhone. You can download special applications on the breeder's website or on special sites.

Using proprietary applications, you can control the lighting system remotely via the Internet. This allows the user to relax and comfortably rest from the constant need to turn off the light manually

Fourth way - It is controlled by a wall controller that is battery powered and easy to install.

Popular brands of Smart Home systems

The Smart Home technology is in great demand due to its affordable cost, ease of installation and undeniable comfort in use. The market is crowded with many manufacturers offering various versions of smart systems with the inherent features and disadvantages of these organizations.

Often the price differences of high-tech products lead buyers into doubt. We have chosen three, in our opinion, the best brands offering smart systems at a reasonable price.

Xiomi Smart Home

Xiomi is one of the most famous companies offering high-tech solutions. The related equipment is of good quality, together with reasonable prices. In addition to the basic sets, a lot of independent devices are available for the buyer to choose from, which can significantly expand the standard set.

Using the gateway, it becomes possible to combine many devices using the ZigBee protocol into a single network, set each individual device to its own personal scenario, automate and manage them through a smartphone

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Home Multifunctional Gateway device is the main connecting link of all system devices: motion sensors, sensors for doors and windows, sensors for measuring temperature and humidity.In addition, as additional devices, they often acquire lighting systems, video surveillance systems and much more.

"Smart home" from Rostelecom

Rostelecom is one of the most famous manufacturers of domestic high-tech systems. The main goal of the company is to ensure the safety of users. The company offers complete sets of basic and advanced versions. Despite its cost, Rostelecom products are of high quality and durability.

The basic kit includes a controller that works according to the Z-Wave Plus protocol, motion sensors, opening / closing, lighting and temperature. Smoke and leak sensors are added to the special kit, there is also the opportunity to buy a Wi-Fi camera.

It is worth noting that promotions are often held on the official website and there is the opportunity to purchase sets at a bargain price. The main advantage of the system is the ease of development and operation, as well as script settings.

Google Home System

Google is developing smart assistants that can be controlled not only through a mobile application, but also through voice commands. To do this, start the system by saying the phrase “About^,Kay, Google. ” After you need to be asked to complete a task.

For example, you can ask to turn on the TV or radio, a musical composition or a documentary film, set the alarm for the right time or turn off the light in the hallway. Google's speaker is less demanding on pronunciation than Amazon Alexa.

Music lovers will surely like Google’s “Smart Home” technology, as the music column acts as the central link in managing the entire Google Home system.

A feature of Google’s development is that the only element of the Smart Home from the company is the control column. Many other devices are developed by other manufacturers and purchased separately. Therefore, the buyer will have to be patient and buy the development of other brands.

This device, costing only about $ 100, will allow users to control their Smart Home system using voice and synchronize with gadgets of a wide variety of manufacturers

However, this device is compatible with a large number of equipment, which will allow the buyer to choose only the devices he likes from a suitable price range.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The video will demonstrate the capabilities of the Smart Home system:

Do-it-yourself wizard for installing intelligent equipment will tell you about installing the Smart Home system yourself:

The article examined the features of the modern high-tech Smart Home system. Among the main communications, amenable to automation, a heating, lighting, water supply and access control system is distinguished.

Of course, other systems also deserve attention. So, smart video surveillance requires a closer look, because every year more and more consumers use this service.

Want to talk about your own experience in arranging your own home with intelligent equipment? Do you have useful information on the topic of the article, which may be useful to site visitors? Please write comments in the block below, ask questions and post thematic photos.