Integrate Home Automation That Never Stops Improving in Your Projects

If you’re a designer, architect, or builder, you know your trade, but you might not always know the latest and greatest in smart home automation. But, of course, you don't have to; that's why The Integrated Home is here to help with that. You want to know how to incorporate the smart home features your clients want within your projects seamlessly.

We are a Control4 dealer and integrator for a reason – it's a complete smart home platform that's been continuously upgraded and improved ever since its launch in 2004. When working with design and build professionals such as yourselves, we recommend Control4 as the system for bringing together all the functions of today's smart homes into one easy-to-use solution. With that in mind, we thought you might like to know of three new features recently added to Control4's repertoire that your clients in Charlotte, NC, would enjoy.

As spring transitions into summer, there’s often a few sporadic temperature changes—not to mention flooding and fog. It’s important to stay on top of your heating and cooling system at all times since it uses up the most energy. You want to stay comfortable all year long, but save money and energy too. Using a wireless thermostat is an easy way to keep track of your home’s temp at all times, and Control4’s smart thermostat is certainly top-of-the-line. As a Charlotte, NC –based, authorized Platinum Control4 Dealer, we not only have quality equipment, but also decades of experience installing Control4 systems. Continue reading this blog to discover how their smart thermostat can improve your home and lifestyle.

Imagine leaving work and stepping outside into the grueling heat. You start to sweat as you rapidly walk to your car so you can turn on the air conditioning. As you start your commute, your smart home turns on the cooling system. By the time you set foot inside, your residence is comfortable, cool and cozy so you can relax after a long day.

Control4 wireless thermostats give you this ability to create a heating and cooling schedule personalized to your lifestyle. So if you usually come home by 6 p.m., you can schedule the thermostat to change the temperature a half hour before so it’s created the perfect environment for you by the time you arrive. By putting your thermostat on a schedule, you also get to save energy and not have to think twice about managing the temperature. Because who wants to come home to a hot house?

The new user interface of the system was developed to make navigating the thermostat easier. Paul Williams, Vice President of lighting and comfort products for Control4 said, “We went back to the drawing board. People are often intimidated by thermostats. So we asked ourselves, ‘how do we simplify the experience?’” Thus, the OS 2.7 version was born.

SEE ALSO: How to Use a Home Energy Management System

The holidays can be both the most enjoyable and stressful times of the year. Whether you are hosting parties or attending them, these next few months can get quite hectic. But thankfully, smart home automation can help keep you organized and relaxed as you prepare. As a Control4 dealer in the Lake Norman, NC area, The Integrated Home has the advantage of customizing your home exactly as you like it. Once all of the home technology is in place, the only thing left to do is figure out how to use it to your advantage on a regular basis. Today we have some tips on how to use your Control4 system to enhance your holiday meal preparation, or entertain guests.

SEE ALSO: Partner with a Control4 Dealer to Build or Renovate Your New Home

Customize Your Kitchen Lighting

If you’re on turkey duty for Thanksgiving, or baking cookies for Christmas or Hanukah, then you definitely need a well-lit and equipped kitchen. A common problem for many homes is that the lighting isn’t evenly distributed. The lights are either placed in inconvenient areas causing some areas to be brighter than others, or the lighting fixtures aren’t capable of producing the type of lighting you need to see well. With Control4 lighting, you’ll not only get an even distribution of light, but you’ll also be able to control the lighting levels and quality by choosing LEDs over standard bulbs for example. You can also create “kitchen” or “cooking” scenes with your smart home system so that every feature in the kitchen creates an environment conducive to making a good meal. You can include music, a TV, or temperature in your scene so that all you have to do is press one button on your tablet, phone, or keypad on the wall and you’re ready to get working. For example, label your scene, “cooking” and pick a comfortable temperature so that the area doesn’t get overheated while the oven and stove top is going, a festive music playlist to get you in the mood, and then play the Food Network Channel so you can watch what the chef is going as you make your dish.

Automate Your Entertainment

So you’ve purchased a new home or piece of property to build one, and you are excited about all of the possibilities. Your options are endless, but the key is that you have to make those important decisions now – in the beginning of the build or renovation process. Will you tear down some walls to create an open concept? Will you put in tile or wood floors? And the most important decision (in our opinion), will you make your new home smart? There are many things you should know about installing smart home automation in a new home. Here are some tips from your local Control4 dealer in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Why should I invest in smart home automation in my new home? 

According to a joint survey done by Coldwell Banker, 28 percent of Americans already own a smart home product, and 91 percent of people who own a smart home would recommend one to others. A survey of more than 500 sales associates affiliated with the Coldwell Banker® brand found that buyers are asking, "How smart is this home?" Nearly two in three (64 percent) of the sales associates surveyed agreed that buyers today are more interested in homes with smart home features and technology than they were two to five years ago. So not only are families and millennials adopting smart home technology products faster, but they are also more willing to invest in a smart home since they believe it will bring them greater benefits long-term.

The most popular features are as follows:

Security and Surveillance Systems: 65%

What if you could tell your home to turn off the lights and it would do it for you? Writers and TV producers have always imagined a future where we could control our homes with just our voice. For example, Captain Kirk in Star Trek asked the Enterprise computer for data during space voyages, and Marty McFly heard a “Welcome Home” from his smart home in Back to the Future 2 as he walked through the front door. Today, these imaginations have come to life, and now you can enjoy them in your own Lake Norman, NC home.

Amazon released Alexa this year, the voice control system that runs on the smart devices, the Echo, Dot, and Tap. Not only can it give you the weather report, turn the lights off, and order a pizza for you, it also works with your Control4 system to perform the same scenes you use every day—like Good Morning, Movie, and Goodnight. Keep reading this blog to learn more!

SEE ALSO: Top Audio Video Products from CEDIA 2016

Amazon’s smart home director, Charlie Kindel, says the inspiration for Alexa came from Star Trek. They wanted to create a computer in the cloud that is controlled entirely by your voice. You could ask it things, ask it to do things for you, and find things for you. Alexa started out as a DIY-type automation product that could play music and connect with other wireless smart home devices – such as smart thermostats, smart lighting and more. However, our partner Control4 has developed drivers to integrate the Alexa voice control system into your smart home. They are one of the first home automation companies to combine smart home scenes with Alexa.

In a press release on Control4.com, Control4 CEO Martin Plaehn said, "On average, our customers have over 40 connected devices in their homes that are orchestrated by Control4. And now, voice interaction with Amazon Alexa offers another convenient way to control all of them. This integration combines Control4’s automation power and extensive support for connected devices with the intuitive voice control from Amazon Alexa, reinforcing our shared vision to make life in a connected home ever-more personalized, comfortable, and hassle-free.”

Every year, it seems like the holidays arrive sooner than the year before! Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before you know it - are you ready for the busy season? Hosting parties, visiting family, and shopping for the holidays can be very stressful – especially if you add travel into the mix. Did you know that partnering with a local Charlotte, NC Control4 dealer can make your life easier this time of year? A smart home system will simplify your life, help manage schedules, and keep your property secure. Here are three main ways we can help out with home technology.

Check Your Security System

First of all, if you don’t have a security system, it’s important to have one—especially during the holidays. Did you know that robberies increase from Thanksgiving to New Year’s? You can have peace of mind by using a Control4 system to manage your security and surveillance.

Install cameras around your property and get alerts when a stranger approaches or enters your home. You can even keep tabs on which doors are locked or left open every day.

Have a pet? Monitor them while you are out shopping or away on vacation. Press one button called “Away” and the doors will lock, the security system will turn on and the whole house will go into energy-saving mode. Press “Welcome Home” and your smart home will wake up again and welcome you inside. Using automation is that simple.