With the growing availability of digital devices such as smartphones and laptop computers, it’s only natural that such technology would become an integral part of our everyday life.
The Internet of Things (IoT) industry has thus focused its efforts to ensure that homeowners and families have access to a number of useful, utilitarian devices such as alarm systems and temperature control interfaces for their convenience.
According to Tech Jury, 87% of healthcare institutions already use IoT devices extensively in 2019, with 79% of retail businesses also adopting the technology to ensure better customer servicing and experience.
Similarly, Finances Online reports that 75% of cars will include IoT device connectivity and support by 2020, with 66% of US cities investing heavily in IoT technologies to create smart cities in the near future.
However, with all the benefits IoT devices can bring to your home, their usefulness comes down to how well you’ve set them up and how secure you’ve made your devices from potential malfunctions or illicit access.
Security breaches, malware intrusions and malfunctions related to outdated software and poor password protection all require careful IoT home appliances installation.
That being said, let’s take a look at some of the most important factors to consider when you decide to install IoT home appliances into your living space.
Calibrate your Devices with the Retailer
While you may be able to install your IoT devices without any assistance, calibrating them to function as intended will require some finesse.
You can either ask for your retailer to send a tech support agent to your home or call their support line and ask for remote assistance in doing just that.
Once your devices are properly installed, calibrated and tested, you can make it a habit to check their settings from time to time to ensure that all IoT installations are working as they did on day one.
Custom IoT Device Names/Passwords
When it comes to security and remote access restrictions, IoT home appliances are notorious for their lack of protection for various reasons.
Devices such as smart wristbands or air conditioning systems are inherently simple by design, making additional antivirus or anti-tampering software too complex to add on top.
In order to amend for that shortcoming, you can set up custom names and passwords for each of the IoT home appliances, especially when it comes to Wi-Fi networks, home security systems, computers, and smartphones.
Use IoT Features Selectively
Different IoT devices will come equipped with a plethora of features and capabilities for your convenience – meaning, not all of them will be inherently useful for your home.
In order to conserve on power and increase your IoT network’s general security, you should disable any functions which you are not interested in at the moment.
Selective IoT home appliance functionality will also allow you to take full advantage of each device and familiarize yourself with its capabilities by enabling/disabling each as you see fit.
Keep the Customer Support Contact Nearby
Even though your IoT devices may function as intended on day one, they may experience issues or malfunctions down the road which will require technical support or even repairs and servicing.
Make sure that you have your customer support contacts written down and that your receipts and IoT home appliances’ warranties are on standby at any moment.
Depending on the type of support your devices’ manufacturers offer, you may have to write an email or a detailed message to them rather than call and speak directly, in which case, checking out writing websites reviews might be useful for your convenience.
Check your Devices Post-Outage
Speaking of malfunctions, IoT home appliances, while sturdy and long-lasting, are prone to power outage issues.
If you live in a rural area or areas which have varying power levels and often fluctuate between voltages, you should make it a habit to check your devices frequently.
Power outage malfunctions typically fall under warranty coverage and you are bound to receive support from your retailer if you notice problems with the IoT device on time.
Scheduled Software Updates
One of the biggest reasons for public apprehension or distrust in IoT home appliances is caused by security concerns.
As such, the easiest and most accessible way to ensure that your IoT devices are safe and function, as intended, is to perform scheduled updates of their software.
Simply connecting your device to a Wi-Fi network and allowing it to contact its manufacturer’s GPU high performance servers in order to check for firmware updates will help your home network’s security and functionality immensely.
Inquire About New IoT Device Models
Lastly, IoT home appliances become obsolete and outdated over time, just like any other smart device out there.
If you are comfortable with using IoT devices in your home for the sake of convenience and comfort, you can keep an eye out for new models of the units you have around the house.
New models of existing IoT devices often come equipped with improved performance, expanded functionality, as well as better security measures from the get-go, making your enjoyment of these devices even greater as a result.
IoT Home Appliances to Consider
Now that we have a better idea of how you can install and maintain your IoT home appliances network, let’s take a look at some of the devices available to you.
As we’ve mentioned previously, IoT devices should be used in a utilitarian manner, meaning, no device should be bought, installed and constantly active if you don’t need it.
This will further enhance your network’s security and ensure that your power consumption remains in the green. With that in mind, some of the most common and helpful IoT home appliances you can install include:
- Kitchen appliances – devices such as coffee makers, blenders, smoke detectors or refrigerators
- Living space appliances – voice control units, thermostats, TV and sound systems, security sensors
- Home security appliances – cameras, motion trackers, door locks
- Quality of life appliances – smart wristbands, baby monitors, workout devices
In Summary
Whether you live in a house with its own yard and driveway or in an apartment complex surrounded by neighbors, IoT home appliances can greatly improve your living conditions if set up properly.
Make sure that the devices you choose to install correspond with each other and don’t negate each other’s functionality (such as voice-enabled control of multiple IoT devices at the same time).
Once you find the perfect combination of devices that suit your lifestyle, you will have a more comfortable living space to come back to as a result of newly-discovered convenience.
Author’s bio:
Daniela McVicker is a well-known writer and blogger. Her primary fields of interest include business communication, leadership, and management. On her Twitter page, she often shares her insights about leadership presence and building the relationship between a leader and employees.
