In a world
full of smart homes --We can make yours a genius!
HOME AUTOMATION
What is Home Automation?...
Simply put, home automation takes ordinary,
everyday routines and automates them to make your home life more efficient,
convenient and enjoyable.
When a home is automated, electronic devices can operate with little or no human interaction. Lights and CD players can turn on automatically in the evening at a predefined time or when you disarm the security system. Heating and cooling systems can raise or lower the temperature of a specific room whenever someone enters it. The coffee maker, radio and towel warmer can switch on as soon as your alarm clock goes off to help ease you into your morning routine. Your home can even call you when out of town guests arrive or when the kids get home from school. Virtually any electronic device and any personal routine can be automated.
What's in a System?...
A home automation system is comprised of several components. The heart of the system is a central microprocessor or home controller. Whether it takes the form of home computer or a device specifically designed for home automation is a matter of choice. Various electronic devices in your home exchange information with the home controller. The home controller receives feedback from these electronic devices or from conditions like the time of day or temperature and responds by transmitting the appropriate signals to other devices. For example, upon receiving an "input" from voice command, a home controller might trigger an "output" that turns the hallway lights on and turns up the heat in the home. Of course, family members can take control via any of several user interfaces like, telephones, handheld remotes and even their own voices.
Why Automate?...
The convenience of having an intelligent home that heats the hot tub when you call from the airport or the ski slopes, that warms the room before you get out of bed, that welcomes you home with a pleasant voice, music and lights and watches the kids while you're out. Tailored expressly to your lifestyle and schedule, a home automation system can manage virtually every electronic device in the home for greater convenience, comfort, security, energy savings and enjoyment.
Time Saving Conveniences...
A home automation system can make hectic mornings and other fast paced times of the day considerably less hectic. Imagine... Promptly at 6 a.m., the system gets the house ready for your morning routine. While you do your morning stretches, the system wakes the kids by flashing their bedroom lights, warms up the waffle iron and whips through the bathrooms switching on showers and curling irons. Time saved: 10 minutes.
Downstairs, the TV tunes to your favorite news station, the security system disarms and the garage door opens. Time saved: 5 minutes.
As you run out the door, the system sweeps through the house, switching off the coffee maker, lights, TVs, radios and other devices you may have forgotten to shut off. Time saved: 5 minutes.
Just think what you could do with an extra 20 minutes in the morning. Maybe you could sit down for a real breakfast with the family.
Energy Savings and Comfort...
You can realize substantial energy savings through a home automation system. How many times have you left the lights on all-day or forgotten to the lower the thermostats at bedtime? A home automation system could be a significant factor in reducing your monthly energy bills by remembering to do these things for you. The system could be configured to turn off lights and AC or heat according to the family's routine or whenever a room is unoccupied. Energy efficiency and comfort are tightly integrated when managed by a home automation system. For example, maybe you like the hallway light dimly lit during the night or maybe the kids like their bedrooms a little warmer than yours. So rather than turn the hallway light all the way on or heat the entire house, you can do just what you want and save the expense.
Entertainment..
Home automation isn't only practical,
it's entertaining. One command from the system could turn on the entire
audio/visual cabinet for a movie at home, dimming certain lights to enhance the
ambiance for your home theater system. No more hunting through a
collection of remote controls to get everything working. Before your
guests arrive, the system could turn on special outside lighting to accent your
yard and turn on lighting scenes and music inside to accent your home.
The Future is Here...
Today, the advances in technology have
introduced numerous new products for the home that can overwhelm and confound
the homeowner. Many people wonder about the practicality of the advanced
electronic systems touted as terrific enhancements for the home. Home
automation systems and whole-house wiring networks, in particular, stir up a
host of questions among homeowners intrigued, yet baffled by the possibility of
having an integrated home. The future is here!
Value...
Homes prepared for the information age
are easier to sell than residences lingering in the Dark Ages. Prewiring is still a relatively new concept, so today there
are no firm figures on the resale value of a technologically adept home.
Although it is estimated that a prewired home has 5 -
15% more market value compared to a home without prewiring.
It's safe to assume that each new generation of homebuyers will demand greater
technological horsepower from their homesteads. When the home is
adequately prewired, you can upgrade to new
technologies as you see the need, without having to completely rewire the
home. Soon, any home that needs expensive retrofitting to satisfy the
requirements of its new owners will be difficult to sell.
Affordability...
A basic prewire
and home control package adds about $1 per square foot to the cost of building
a home. Most lending institutions allow new home builders to roll the
price of the system into the home mortgage.
Is it easy to use?
Absolutely.
Most automation systems are built with "set and forget"
features. Once the system is programmed by home systems professional, you
rarely need to interact with the system. The system adjusts lights,
thermostats and security sensors automatically at prescribed times of day or
based on Voice Commands that are preset. Additionally, home systems
installers can program a voice command to operate several devices
simultaneously. The command "Movie Time" for example, can dim
the lights, activate the audio/video equipment and draw the drapes. The
only thing you need to do to prepare a room for movie watching is pop the
videotape or laserdisc into the machine. As for adding a device to a
wiring network, all you need to do is plug the device into one of the "multiport" outlets that come with the wiring
system. A bedroom TV plugged into one of these ports, for example, can
receive video from a VCR in the family room.
Is it reliable?
Home automation,
despite its relative novelty among consumers, has been around for more than a
decade. Features like fail-safe software, self-duplicating data storage
systems and automatic system diagnostics ensure system reliability.
Battery back-ups, power supplies and surge suppressors help keep the system
operational at all times. Should the system require service, fix-its can
be accomplished via modem from the systems installer's office computer.
Moreover, new systems are covered by warranties, some as long as five years.
Well-designed home automation can be practically invisible. The brains of the system typically reside inside a dry, well-ventilated closet or utility room. Even the most conspicuous piece of a home control system, small, flat wall-mounted keypads, are designed to blend in with the wall surface. The standard off-white plates can be painted or covered with wallpaper to match the room, or custom faceplates can be ordered.
Getting Started...
Committing to a
smart home is a project you should be well prepared for. Think about the
array of electronic equipment that resides in your home now -- several TVs and
telephones, the stereo system, the computer and maybe a security system; each
system in its own place, doing its own thing. Now think about those
electronic devices working together and given intelligence to do a whole lot
more.
Is it for you?
Doors left
unlocked. Misbehaving window blinds. Wasted
electricity. Unruly remote controls.
All good reasons to add intelligent electronic systems to
your home. It's an interesting dichotomy - the more high-tech a
home is, the simpler life becomes. Think about
how much time you spend turning off the house at night; locking windows and
switching off lights as you leave for work; setting the stereo system for a
party; and scaling up and down stairs to check on the kids. Intelligent
electronic systems can eliminate these and other tedious, time-consuming
task. Tailored to your schedule, home automation systems can ready the
house for bedtime, work, parties and other occasions in a matter of seconds.
Ask yourself - do I like to entertain? do I have a
hectic schedule? do I crave more organization and free
time? do I abhor switches on walls and gizmos on
coffee tables? do I consider my home a sanctuary? do I frequently work at home? If so, then home automation is
for you.
Likewise and maybe even more importantly for the vacation homeowner is the peace of mind that comes from being able to access any system in your home from virtually any internet accessible pc. You can check your systems and see for yourself that all's well. Do you really need to hire the snow plow to come out before your weekend trip -- or has the sun and wind cleared your drive way sufficiently?
How to decide what you want...
Now that you've
decided to smarten up your home, the next step is to determine what kinds of
upgrades you want. There's no formula from which to derive your
decisions. The range of functions, choices and designs are simply too diverse.
However, by evaluating your lifestyle and budget, you can start to see which
features make the most sense. We offer a free consultation to help you determine
what features will make your system work for you and your family. 3E can
help you to:
- Define your
objectives
- Investigate the
options
- Set the budget
- Access the
atmosphere
- Get comfortable
- Think Ahead
WHAT CAN I AUTOMATE?
Entertainment
• direct broadcast satellite
system
• televisions
• whole-house music system
• speakers
• video sources (DVD player,
VCR, etc.)
• complete home theater system
Home Office
• telephone system
• fax machine
• personal computers
• broadband Internet access
• other computer peripherals
(scanners, printers, etc.)
Communications
• telephones
• Internet appliances
• additional computers, fax
machines and modems
• whole house intercom
Security
• doors and windows that you’d like armed with security sensors
• motion sensors (both inside
and outside the house)
• security keypads (for arming
and disarming the system)
• surveillance cameras
Lighting
• dimmers
• switches
• keypads for operating multiple
switches/dimmers simultaneously
Heating/Cooling
• thermostats
• temperature sensors
• hot tub
• heat tape
Control
• keypads/touchscreens
to simultaneously control multiple electronic devices in the house
Other
• central vacuum
• automated window coverings
The Custom Home...
If you are building a custom home, you need custom work — technology included. You can select precisely the brand of equipment you like, choose as many sensors as your specific home and life style warrants and expand at will. Choosing a customized system will require more work and involvement from you in the beginning, however the end result will be very satisfying. You’ll want to hire a systems installer like 3E, one that is reliable, experienced, and available. We can help you to create a technology package that meets your needs... today, tomorrow and for many smart years to come.