Home Automation Controls and Projects

by Eva Martinez
(Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA)

It's always a typical situation when you arrive home from work. The lights are out, the house is dark, and it's cold even in the inside. For most people, this is a natural scene but for those who are tired of the same old thing and want to experience change, that's already possible.

With today's advanced technology, you don't have to come home in a dark and cold place anymore. All you lights, interior or exterior, will automatically turn on when you arrive from work.

Your home will welcome you with just the right temperature, even your garage door will open for you. Impossible?

Today, that is very much possible. Homes of the future, as many people prefer to call it, are now more affordable. Before when there were a few suppliers of home automation devices, the prices of these cool devices are rather expensive.

Only the well-to-do families can afford this luxury. But now, it's not just about luxury. In fact, time will come when home automation will be a necessity.

Why should you automate your home? The three good reasons are convenience, security, and savings.

Let's start with convenience. If you have an automated home, you can save lots of effort and time. Your routine activities can be done automatically like watering the plants/grass, thermostat settings, turning your lights on/off, and arming your security system at night.

And not only that, you can also have a wonderful theater time at home by having your television, DVD, and lights turned on automatically. And this includes the automatic phone mute, curtains close, etc. this technology is made possible with only one touch of a button.

In terms of security, you can benefit greatly from an automated home. Even if you're away on vacation or you're in your office, you will be alerted when something's wrong.

If you're asleep and there's a fire, you will be waken up. Or when there's a shut down of your ventilation system or the gas, the lights will be turned on automatically so that you can escape and the fire department will be notified instantly.

If you have an automated household, you can save a lot of energy. The house will take charge in all of its lighting operations, HVAC system, water heater, irrigation systems, appliances, entertainment components, and other devices.

Are you convinced now of how home automation can benefit you and your family? Perhaps you need to have a few ideas so that you'll know where to start.

Here are great home automation ideas for you:

- Pager system; if you have a family member with hearing difficulties, you can use this system; the person will be notified by a vibrating pager when someone opens your front door or gate, or when someone pushes the door bell. This system can alert anyone in a mile's range

- Link your computers to the cable/DSL modem

- Operate home electronics even when stored in cabinets or closets; some homeowners prefer to have their entertainment systems inside stylish cabinets or closets and through home automation, the entertainment system can be operated using a remote control; the command travels through IR Eye and into your cabinets/closets

- Install an intercom at your front door; you can use your existing phones at home

- Activate the light controls in your home by simply speaking

- Children will be protected if you have a system for door and pool alert; this can detect unsupervised access to the pool area or doorway; and this is especially helpful if you have little kids at home

- Install a security camera with recording capabilities and motion triggered; this is for the security of your family and home

- Have a door camera for your front door; when your door bell rings, you can have a clear view of your visitor

- Have wireless control of your UPB switches

These are just some of the excellent projects which you can incorporate in your home. If you can't have all these things done in one setting, you can do it one by one, as long as your budget permits.

Invest in home automation and you can get unlimited benefits of a home that will work for you.

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