How To Plan Your Smart Home - And Weigh Privacy Risks

You might have heard of lights that turn off with an app or voice command. Or window shades that magically rise every morning.

Technology companies are pushing the “smart home” hard, selling appliances and gadgets that offer internet-connected conveniences you didn’t know you needed. But before you succumb to the temptation — for yourself or others — consider that these devices might also give companies and hackers a key to your homes.

Here’s how to get started on your smart home and what to worry about along the way.

STARTING THAT SMART HOME

A smart home can encompass features as simple as remote-controlled lamps and as sophisticated as thermostats that know when you’re home and turn up the heat automatically. Down the line, you may want to mix and match these tasks into routines, such as a wake-up ritual that automatically starts the coffee maker, lifts the window shades and plays the news.

With the right tools, you can check remotely whether you remembered to lock the doors — and lock them if you forgot. Some systems can also create temporary digital keys for guests and contractors.

Many people start thinking about a smart home when they get a voice-activated speaker such as Amazon’s Echo or Google Home, although such gadgets aren’t strictly necessary. Nor do you even need actual smart lights and appliances, as you can buy smart plugs, adapters that control existing lights or whatever you plug into them.

If you catch the smart-home bug, you can add appliances with the smarts already built in as you replace your existing ones. Major remodels also offer an opportunity to make bigger smart home plans. You probably wouldn’t want to get new window shades now only to replace them with smart ones a year later.