Showing posts with label Home automation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home automation. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Four Ways to Prevent a Home Break-in from Happening

Suffering a home break-in is a horrible occurrence. The feeling of violation is one that it takes a long time to get over. Luckily, home break-ins can almost always be prevented with careful thought and planning. Using these four simple techniques, homeowners can protect their families and valuables from the ravages of a home theft.

1. Get a Dog


One of the cheapest and easiest ways to instantly upgrade your home security is to buy the oldest burglar alarm of all, the family dog. A dog that lives inside a home will always let you know if someone is trying to enter your home unawares. Just the sound of a dog barking is enough to immediately send prowlers running for the hills.

2. Alarm System


Of course, in the 21st century, there are now high tech solutions to keeping your home safe. Vivint in Tampa, FL is a home security firm that installs alarms, cameras and monitoring equipment that make it possible for homeowners to keep an eye on their property at all times. The live Internet video feeds that these modern home security firms can provide their customers are fantastic. Homeowners can check with a Laredo home security company to install a first-rate alarm system that will give them peace of mind whether they are at home or halfway across the world.

3. Protect Your Entrances


One of the smartest ways to protect your home from break-ins is to always keep your entrances secure. Thieves have to have a way in to violate your home, and you can deny this to them if you are smart. This means always protecting yourself by locking windows and doors when you leave. Make sure to protect the garage door as well. It is very easy for smart thieves to open a garage door. Make sure that the door from the garage leading into your house is locked to deny thieves entry if they manage to open your garage door.

4. Be Vacation Smart


Never let thieves know that you are away from home. Tell your neighbors you will be gone and ask them to keep an eye on your place when you leave town. Make sure to stop the mail and newspapers to keep them from piling up, which is a dead giveaway to thieves that you are on vacation. Also, use timers or a home automation system to turn lights and the TV or radio on at night while you are gone.


Friday, May 24, 2013

4 Ways to Have a Home from the Future Right Now

Everybody wants to be ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest household furnishings and home goods. But, when trading contemporary style for trends of the not-so-distant future, there are certain elements every homeowner should keep in mind. Here are just a few ways homeowners can integrate the future into their furnishings without waiting for the next millennium. 

1. Furniture Ahead of the Times


In terms of futuristic furniture, items don't necessarily have to be light years ahead to function like they're from the future. Modular designs can make a tired living room look like the next interior design movement. Mod furniture, like two-in-one table fridges are space conscious and stylishly advanced.

And truly futuristic furniture that's both aesthetically pleasing and technically advanced is available for the modern times. Tech-savvy "smart beds" not only automatically adjust firmness by sensing pressure points in the body, they can also adjust room temperature depending on a person's resting body temperature. 

2. Artificial Intelligence for the Home


Homeowners looking for futuristic elements throughout the home should look no further than smart home systems. A smart home allows the homeowner to control everything from room temperature to the adjusting of drapery and window blinds to the drawing of a hot bath all from a handheld tablet or smart phone.

As an added benefit, smart home systems can even integrate security into a home's intelligence. Intuitive security features such as remote security system arming, lights that turn on automatically from room to room, and advanced security cameras that can tell the difference between trespassers and guests are all on the market now. 

3. Advanced Appliances


A home is only as futuristic as the appliances within it. So it's no surprise there are more and more appliances coming out every day that seem to outsmart their users. Take, for instance, ovens that automatically bake meals to perfection just based on food type. Not only that, but meal presets are available to achieve that same great taste every time.

What about a refrigerator that reminds people when it's time to pick up more eggs or that the milk has reached its expiration date? Well, grocery-list-savvy fridges are available today, and they're ready to keep you in the know about your dairy. 

4. Home Efficiency


Alternative energy is going to play an important role in the future, so why not have an energy-efficient house now? Solar panel shingles and auto-darkening windows that adjust to sunlight intensity are just the beginning of energy-conscious homes.

Also, on the market this very moment are heating and cooling systems that are aware of the seasons. In other words, a home's temperature can adjust according to outdoor temperatures, while the homeowner is at work or out-of-town. So now the homeowner can save the planet while saving money on heating and cooling.

From beds that have the homeowner's comfort in mind to houses that run off tablets, it's possible for your future home to take place in the present.



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