Home automation is booming. As a result, the number of protocols, brands and products are overwhelming for customers new to smart home automation. Out of all those options which is the best smart home automation protocol and why? Is it better to stick to the same brand for both the hub and the products? Which brand does Comfortica work with and why? Are you about to start your smart home automation journey? Make it a smooth one by reading this article.
Home automation protocols
There are multiple home automation protocols out there, most of which you are probably familiar with. The most well-known are:
- Click-on-click-off. Very cheap, but not so safe and it also doesn’t give feedback. So, you can’t see on your smartphone whether the connected device is switched on or off.
- Next comes Zigbee, used for instance by Philips Hue. It is well known and there are a lot of smart products working via Zigbee. On the downside: it uses the same frequency as your WiFi and therefore is more susceptible to disruptions. Zigbee is also slightly less standardized – so there might be a chance your high-tech toys can’t work together.
- Known from your smartphone and laptop: WiFi. Nowadays used for a whole lot of other products. Sounds like a good idea, but these types of products use up a lot of batteries. Not to mention the WiFi highway is often very busy. Big chance you end up in a “traffic jam”.
- Homekit probably rings a bell with Apple-fans. So yes, it is beautifully designed, but Apple products only like to play with… other Apple-products.
- Z-Wave. The oldest smart home automation protocol. Z-Wave has a proven track-record and is well standardized – meaning your Z-Wave controller and products excel in working with one another. Something that really comes in handy when you want to control all your smart products with only one hub and thus one app. Z-Wave is on a frequency where it is not bothered much by other products. Making it less likely you’ll run into glitches.
- Coming soon: Matter. The new IP-standard on which smart home products can communicate with each other. Many companies participate in this: Z-Wave, Google, Amazon, etc. This is very important, because it makes the integration of all your products a lot easier.
Best smart home automation protocol
For us at Comfortica it all comes down to usability. Smart, easy to operate, integrates well, reliable and without any discrepancies. That is why we have been installing Z-Wave home automation exclusively for more than five years now.
Best smart home automation brand
FIBARO is the best smart home automation brand, for both the smart home automation hub and products. FIBARO is market leader when it comes to components for smart home automation systems. It is also one of very few brands that has its own hub.
With this European brand you are assured of high quality, reliability, and solid design. That’s why Comfortica has been working exclusively with FIBARO for the past five years for both the business and consumer market. We are known as the FIBARO expert for the Netherlands and are regularly engaged by FIBARO itself for the installation and design of systems.
Benefits of a smart home
Great all those little facts, but why would you want a smart home in the first place? Simple: because of the comfort it brings to your daily life. If there is one thing that makes life easier, it is a house that automatically takes care of all mondain things. Imagine never ever having unnecessarily lights on; never having to come home in a unwelcoming dark and cold house; devices you can switch on without having to come of the couch; your gate and garage that open automatically when you drive up; garden lights that gradually turn it up a notch when it becomes darker outside, air-conditioning that automatically switches on while your curtains close when the outside temperature rises too much; all lights and devices turned off with the push of one button… life has never been so simple.
Tip for newbies
Behind all this comfort, however, is a lot of technique. Especially when you want to automize multiple things and integrate these with one another. Enjoy an epicurean lifestyle, love smart gadgets, but are not that crazy about programming? Let Comfortica install your smart home automation for you! It can save a lot of frustration and guarantees you get the most out of your smart home automation.
Think about what you would like to automize. Now and in the future. Especially if you are gearing up to building a new house or are about to renovate. This way you make sure your house is prepared for all your future demands, preventing you from rewiring or having to install new sockets.
Warning: smart home automation gets addictive! You’ll forget you must turn off the lights at “old-fashion” places before you know it ;).
The best smart home automation protocol for your home? Comfortica makes it possible.
