DIY Security Systems
Experience a better living and a more convenient home using a smart plug. This device is an innovative piece of technology that has pushed society more into a futuristic setting. With the smart plug, you can turn your everyday devices on and off with voice commands or use your phone as a universal remote control. In this article, we will discuss how to setup smart plug devices around your house so you can take advantage of this excellent piece of technology on every corner!
The smart plug is a small and compact device that has gained popularity these days. Chances are, you’ve gotten one as a gift from a tech-savvy friend or family member. At first, it would look like any standard adapter, but the smart plug is far more useful than it appears. How does it work?
How A Smart Plug Works
If you’re not fond of technology, you don’t have to worry. The smart plug is straightforward and easy to work with. It is one of the most manageable smart devices to operate. Mainly, the smart plug works by plugging into a wall outlet before filling in any other electronic device, like a television, coffee maker, or a lamp.
A smart plug has two ways of going about its connection. It works by either connecting to the Wi-Fi together with smart devices or through a direct Bluetooth network. But heed my warning, having the smart plug paired through Bluetooth will limit your control when you are next to the plug. Having a solid and stable Wi-Fi connection is crucial when you plan on using smart plugs for your household.
Setting Up A Smart Plug: A Step by Step Procedure
To know how to setup smart plug devices around your house, I will provide you with a few steps to follow.
- STEP 1: The first step to do is deciding on which electronic device or appliance you would want to automate. The smart plug works better with electronics or appliances that don’t need to be manually adjusted. But if you’re going to use a smart plug with these types of electronics, make sure you’ve already set the appliances manually to the desired settings.
- STEP 2: What you want to do next is pair up your smart plug with any smart device you have. This device could be your phone, your computer, or a voice assistant, like Siri and Amazon Alexa. The advantage of pairing this with a voice assistant is the ability for no-hands operation. You will be able to turn your devices on and off using only voice commands that the voice assistant will recognize.
- STEP 3: The last step to knowing how to setup smart plug devices around the house is by checking on the application that should already come with the plug. Check for device connectivity and operation. Try to toggle the devices on and off to see if they are working correctly. Once you’ve done this, you already how to setup smart plug devices in your home!
Important Features Of A Smart Plug
Now that you know how to setup smart plug devices in your household, let’s talk about key features you can use. These features will boost your utilization of the smart plug sufficiently, garner productivity in your routine, and provide you an easier time in everyday life. The features are scheduling, utilizing away mode, and metering.
- Scheduling – Scheduling is when you can set your devices to power on and off when using a smart plug. This will save you a lot of time spent on mundane tasks and improve your productivity on so many levels. You can then spend your time on more important matters during the day. Take, for example, your morning coffee. By having a smart plug paired with your coffee maker, you can set it to brew at precisely at 7 am. By the time you wake up, your coffee will be ready, and you can focus on reading the stock markets rather than making that coffee. You can even set the coffee maker to turn off at precisely 1 hour after it finishes brewing.
- Away Mode Utilization – Utilizing away mode is perfect for going on long weekend trips or even a full vacation. You can have your lights turn on and off at random hours, especially during at night, it provides the impression that someone is in the house. This, in turn, will deter thieves and trespassers away from your household. Away mode can also be utilized when plugging in electronics that can overheat and cause a fire. Items like an electric oven or hair iron can easily be forgotten when going out of the house. Having your smart plugs on these devices will allow you to turn them off when you’re away from home.
- Metering – This feature is much overlooked but can save you some money. Some smart plugs allow you to measure the electric consumption of each appliance and will input that data on its application. Having an awareness of your power consumption can help you in regulating usage for these appliances accordingly. You can also set machines to automatically shut off when it reaches a specific amount of the supplied electric current.
Some Creative Ways Of Utilizing The Smart Plug
- Schedule the TV to turn off when it’s time to do homework.
- Schedule your air conditioner to turn on and cool down the house before arriving home from work.
- Remotely turn off any appliance within the house after they have performed the tasks needed.
- Have your lights paired with voice assistants and use the “clap” to trigger when they should turn on and off.
- For those who have pets, start investing in an electric feeder to feed your pet even when you’re not home.
Conclusion
The smart plug is a breakthrough when you talk about automation. It turns any manual electronic system into something controllable. The smart plug will help boost productivity and eliminate the need to perform mundane tasks in your daily routine.
I hope knowing how to setup smart plug devices around the house has expanded the knowledge of your home improvement skills. The future is just around the corner, and it is packed with useful tools, just like this one. Here’s how to learn more about Smart Plugs.