Over the past couple years, the concept of what makes up a smart home has evolved as technologies like Amazon Echo and Nest have brought a new, more gadget oriented dimension to the fold. As CEDIA professionals, our vision of what constitutes a smart home is more sophisticated than what the normal homeowner might think of. But, with all the buzz that’s building around home control and automation, there’s potential to expand people’s minds even further when it comes to defining the best “smart home” technology based on the needs of different customers.
As technology experts, we are often called upon to help homeowners navigate what can be a costly and confusing process. Whether it is a whole-home automation and AV system or just a family home theater, our expertise is often the final word in helping customers get to their happy place. For this reason, the power of suggestion can work exceptionally well, especially in situations where multiple rooms are being outfitted with networking, AV and control equipment.
One solution that would complement any smart home system, and add valuable add-on revenue to any project, is a central vacuum system. When you think about it, the value proposition of a central vacuum system is directly in line with the perceived benefits of smart home technology. For one, there’s convenience. The ease of having wall units, dust pans and more compact, quick-clean vacuum solutions for high traffic areas can provide a significant advantage in a large house.
Beyond convenience, H-P Products and Vacuflo central vacuum systems require significantly less upkeep since the canisters only need to be emptied a few times a year. With power units installed out of site, there’s less noise pollution, and because they motors are larger than a traditional version, central vacuums offer greater cleaning power without exhausting fine particles, which improves air quality inside the house. Less upkeep, less noise, and less particles in the air, that’s certainly a recipe for a smarter home.
Clearly, the realities of the “Jetson’s” are fast approaching, and it’s time we embrace the smart home concept on all levels, whether it’s a custom installed 25-room automation system or a thermostat and a couple light bulbs sold over the counter. The idea of what a smart home can be is ever-expanding, but it’s up to the experts like us to paint a picture of all the possibilities.
