Craig Bowen 
Among the many reasons home automation proponents encourage us to get on board is the idea that home automation simplifies our lives. At least, that’s the message presented by manufacturers, brands, and marketers. But does home automation live up to its promises? It is supposed to, anyway.
If you have invested in home automation, has it simplified your life? And if so, how? These are legitimate questions consumers thinking about getting into home automation need answers to. If technology doesn’t make life simpler, why invest in it? Home automation might still be worth the time and expense because it can make a house more efficient and secure.
Simplifying Life: Maybe
The answer to whether home automation simplifies life could go either way. Let us begin by looking on the bright side. Home automation does bring certain things to the table that, when working properly, can make life simpler. A good example is smart lighting.
It is a lot simpler to lock the front door and go to bed than walk around the house checking every room to ensure lights are off. Likewise, having the lights automatically adjust as you move through your home is much simpler than flipping switches.
There are tons of other possibilities:
- Smart locks are simpler to use than keyed locks
- Automated irrigation is simpler than manual irrigation
- Using a smart speaker is simpler than looking something up on your computer.
It is easy to make the case that home automation simplifies life. And if you utilize a company like Vivint Smart Home to install and set up your home automation system, things can’t get much simpler.
Simplifying Life: Maybe Not
You may find home automation is anything but simple if you are not tech minded. Professionally installed home automation systems can do a lot of great things. Still, they require at least a basic understanding of home automation principles. That is where you introduce the possibility of it not making your life simpler.
Remember the first-generation programmable thermostats of the 80s and 90s? Experts promised they would save homeowners tons of money by reducing energy bills. The problem was that they were too difficult to program. Many consumers gave up trying. They did not save a penny because they still manually adjusted their thermostats.
Modern home automation is easier to use thanks to mobile apps and touchscreens. But there is still that group of people who struggle with technology. It just isn’t their thing. They do not find home automation makes their life simpler because they cannot figure out how to make it work.
Home Automation Security and Efficiency
Making life simpler is just one reason for investing in home automation. But even among people who do not experience a simpler life, there are two other reasons to get on board: home automation can improve security and efficiency.
A smart thermostat makes heating and cooling a home more efficient. So even if you need to ask someone else to program your thermostat, you still get the dual benefits of energy efficiency and lower utility bills. Likewise, home automation makes a home more secure through security cameras, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and 24/7 monitoring.
Does home automation make life simpler? That depends on who you ask. For some, daily life is a lot simpler with devices like smart lighting and smart speakers. Others struggle with technology, finding that it makes their lives more complicated. It is to be expected with a technology concept that is still in development.
