How Smart Blinds Make Your Home Smarter: Exploring the Benefits of Automated Window Coverings

 Our picks include the best Smart Blinds  to add convenience and security to your home, plus help save energy. The motors in these smart window treatments communicate with your smartphone or smart home app via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or another standard (like a Z-Wave chip). They can also work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant and integrate into smart home automation systems so they can open and close as part of a "Good Morning" routine or with the press of a button. Some even offer built-in light sensors and timers that can automatically raise or lower your shades throughout the day, so you don't have to remember to do it yourself.



Motorized blinds use a wired connection

Some motorized blinds use a wired connection that requires professional installation, so you'll have to decide whether this is something you want to take on. Others use a battery or solar power for operation, which means you can get the benefits of smart blinds without the upfront cost and complexity of wiring.

Smart blinds can be a great way to automate

Smart blinds can be a great way to automate and add privacy to your home, but you'll still need to make sure they're installed correctly. They should be mounted to the inside of your window frame, rather than above or below it, for best results. They should also be securely fastened so they don't come loose or move in the breeze.

Greater speed and reliability

You'll also need a compatible smart hub or home automation system to operate these smart blinds. Most rely on a standard communication protocol, such as Z-Wave for Graber's Virtual Cord motorized blinds or Lutron's Clear Connect RF specification for Serena by Lutron Smart Blinds  and shades. Others, such as the Powershades electric blinds, use an ethernet connection for greater speed and reliability.

Smart blind companies offer retrofit kits

A few smart blind companies offer retrofit kits that you can use to add smart capabilities to your existing blinds. The SwitchBot Blind Tilt, for example, works with most types of plastic or metal blinds by replacing their existing tilt wand. It has a 2,000mAh battery that can be charged via USB and connects to your smartphone over BLE 5.0 for control and setting schedules. It works with voice assistants, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and can be incorporated into smart home automation routines and Siri Shortcuts. It can also be used with IFTTT recipes to open and close your blinds based on geolocation, sunrise/sunset or motion detection.

Conclusion

Ikea offers a similar option in its Fyrtur and Tredansen motorized blind pairs, which you can pair with the Ikea Home app and Tradfri gateway to sync with your other smart home devices. Both work with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant and have a 3.5-month battery life. They're available in a wide range of colors and materials, with some models featuring blackout fabric to keep your bedroom dark even on bright days. A few of them even have a solar panel to charge the rechargeable battery continuously, so you'll never run out of juice.

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