Why You Need a Savant Home Automation System in 2021

Home automation has become incredibly popular in the past decade. The market is estimated to grow by 13% year over year until 2025, with total market revenue of $46.80 billion USB in 2017. By using a combination of networking hardware, software, and electronic devices, home automation, or “the smart home”, is designed to make your life simpler and more convenient.

Home Automation in Practice

It’s the morning and your alarm goes off to indicate it’s time to wake up. At that exact moment:

  • Your shades in your bedroom rise to let the sunlight stream into the room
  • Your morning playlist starts, in sync, on various speakers throughout the house
  • Your coffee starts brewing
  • The news starts playing on your TV in the kitchen

All of this happens before you even get out of bed. That’s life with home automation.

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Why Savant?

Home automation isn’t about linking a bunch of gadgets to do complicated and random tasks – true home automation is about creating a seamless living experience to simplify your life. The devices are not pieced together haphazardly. They are integrated intelligently into your home and talk to each other to make sure they are all on the same page.

They can be displayed proudly throughout your home, or discreetly hidden so nobody would ever know they were there working hard behind the scenes.

Savant offers a wide variety of home automation products, including devices from other manufacturers that are considered part of the Smart Series. These products integrate nicely with Savant and can be completely controlled from within Savant’s ecosystem.

While Savant is generally on the higher-end when compared to other smart-home products such as Nest, Savant provides a higher tier of integration for a more cohesive and intelligent experience.

From home security to comfort to entertainment, home automation is a revolutionary new way to improve quality of life. It’s a new way of living.

Here are some of the ways that you can control your home at the touch of a button.

savant home automation

Security

Another scenario: you’ve left the house on a road trip and an hour into the drive you can’t remember whether you left the garage door open or not.

Conventionally, you may have to turn back or phone a neighbour to check on it.

With home automation, you can check right from your mobile device and close it remotely. Or better yet, you can have your house alert you when you leave a certain radius and close the garage door for you. Simple. Convenient.

Savant’s automation system integrates tightly with other elements of your home: your door locks, garage door, alarm system. All of these devices talk to each other and keep you informed of what’s going on at your home.

Some things you can do with a system like this:

  • Unlock your door from another city to let your family member in to check on your pets
  • Talk to a delivery driver and give them instructions on where to leave your package while you’re at work
  • Close your doors and window coverings, turn off your lights, and lock your doors with the push of one button
  • Use Savant’s lived-in setting to simulate someone living in your house while you’re away – turn on the lights and TV at random times

entry access

Comfort

Smart thermostats have been around for some time. They automatically adjust your room temperature to keep it consistent throughout the day.

But what if you wanted to take it a step further? What if you wanted your thermostat to adjust when you’re not home to conserve energy? Or you wanted your thermostat to control the temperature in a room only when it’s occupied?

With Savant, you can set up your home system to be tailored to your specific needs. It can also be controlled entirely from a mobile device, so you don’t even need to be home.

Improved bathroom technology also lets you control shower temperatures for different people in the household. The shower can be turned on remotely and the water set at the perfect temperature before you even get in.

climate

Entertainment

Preset scenes are arguably one of the most used features of home automation. Connecting your TV with your light and sound system to create a simple, automated experience is one of the highlights of the smart home. This includes condensing 17 remotes into one, easy-to-use remote control by Savant.

The “Movie Night” scene can recline your seats, dim your lights, and play the movie – all with one button press (or even voice command).

Multi-room audio is also a widely used feature, with many customers requesting music be played throughout the home on various speakers (either in-wall or in-ceiling). The music can even emanate from outside with garden-installed speakers.

savant lighting

Energy Saving

Unused electronic devices or climate control systems that don’t adapt to the environment are some of the biggest energy wasters. Whether you are looking to reduce energy consumption, manage your water use, or keep the house cool in the most efficient way, home automation products, and their ever-improving efficiency solutions will provide an incredibly eco-friendly experience.

Some examples of this might include:

  • Your system knowing that rain is in the forecast so it will skip turning on the sprinklers while it’s raining, conserving water
  • Your shades can automatically close during the brightest and hottest parts of the day, helping keep your home cool without making your air conditioning system work overtime
  • Lights in the house turn off when noone is present, conserving energy (and the life of the light bulb)
energy monitoring

Maintenance

Smart home technology is even built into modern appliances, such as washers, dryers, and ovens. These devices can alert you when they need some TLC or parts need servicing. This ensures you get the maximum life out of your expensive household items.

Insurance companies are also in favour of smart home technology, especially when you have leak and smoke detectors installed that proactively alert you of concerns within your home.

In Conclusion…

Smart home technology has improved dramatically over the past 10 years. With the emergence of new products, technology, and providers, the smart home will continue to revolutionize the way we view comfort and convenience in our day-to-day lives.

If you have any questions about how home automation can be included in your home, please contact us for more information!

View Royal House

A beautiful home in View Royal that features:

  • Automated lighting all over the property
  • Invisible in-wall speakers
  • Wall mounted touch screens
  • A media room
  • Automated power-shades
  • Multi-room audio

Control4 Neeo Remote

Powerful. Elegant. Simple.

Inspired and crafted by experts in Swiss design, Neeo meets the demand for beautiful products to complement the homes they live in. Neeo is a sleek, refined remote with a modern design and a mix of both tactile buttons and a high-resolution, graphical glass touchscreen interface. Neeo’s weight, balance, and texture were all meticulously considered to feel comfortable in the hand.

Intelligent Way to Watch

Neeo is dedicated to providing a more enjoyable watching experience. Switch between video sources, such as the Roku, AppleTV, Blu-ray, satellite, or even gaming consoles—effortlessly.

Favorites are front and center with familiar graphical navigation using one-touch icons for ESPN, Netflix, CNN, FOX, HBO, or any of the family’s favorite programs.

The graphical interface provides easy scrolling and a simple tap to select. Sculpted, tactile buttons provide the most-commonly used controls like volume and mute, while the OK button doubles as a play/pause.

Durable and Built for Use by the Whole Family

Built with families in mind, Neeo can withstand heavy usage and accidental drops. The machined aluminum body is rigid to minimize flex and the screen can survive falls of several feet.

Neeo’s software and hardware has been optimized for responsiveness and battery life. It will go to sleep when not in use and instantly wake when needed. The rechargeable battery works for up to five days without charging.

The elegant, dual-purpose charging and docking station gives the remote a home when not in use. It is perfectly weighted so the remote just snaps into place.

View our unboxing video at this link – https://youtu.be/AePH33XyjmE

5 Pro Tips for Choosing the Right Security System

So you’ve moved into a new home or just got the keys to your new business location? Depending on the area you live or the type of property you have, one of the most common items on any new property “to-do list” is install a security system.

There are many obvious advantages to a good security system. The basic features, such as alarms and motion sensors, do a great job of alerting you or your neighbours that there was an unauthorized attempt to enter your property. This, coupled with 24/7 monitoring, ensures that your property is guarded around the clock and the authorities will be automatically notified if they don’t receive the “false alarm” from you.

People also enhance their security system with cameras, virtual fences, intercoms, and a variety of other components to ensure their property and family is 100% secure.

Aside from security, there are other advantages to a reputable security system. Perks like lower insurance rates and integration into other intelligent-home features within the building can help you be more proactive in preventing loss from burglary or vandalism.

With the hundreds of security systems, companies and features available on the market, how do you decide what’s best for you? We’ve put together a short guide on some things to consider before you invest in your new system.

1. Cellular or Wired?

With the rapid movement towards wireless systems, many people will often opt for a wire-free approach when connecting their security system together. Most often, wi-fi is the most common way to link your systems to the internet.

The main advantages of this are simplicity and cost. You are already paying for your home internet connection, so adding additional items to it has very little impact (if at all) on your monthly bill. 

Most internet connections today are also high-speed, meaning there is very little latency between the communication of each device.

The one drawback to a wi-fi based system is that your internet connection is dependent on two things: the high-speed connection coming to your house and the power grid that supplies your power. Unless you have a generator to keep everything running during a power outage, this usually means your internet modem will be down as well – affecting the power to all of your security devices.

Bad weather or fallen trees can also impact the lines to the building, so if your security and alarm system is dependent on power and the internet, you’re in trouble.

A remedy to this is choosing systems with built-in emergency batteries and dedicated cellular connections. Both of these systems turn your security devices into mini smartphone-like devices, allowing them to operate on portable power and connectivity for some time until your main power connection is restored.

A cellular connection is usually a marginal increase in your monthly monitoring expense, but worth it if you rely on your security system to protect you in all circumstances.

2. Integration into the Rest of the House

Another popular trend is the introduction of the “smart home” – or intelligent home, as we call it. The intelligent home uses a variety of devices to automate various aspects of your home or business and simplify your overall experience.

Some of these features include automated lighting and climate control, remote-controlled door locks, and interactive notifications sent to various mobile devices.

When selecting a security system, you may want to consider how your system integrates with other features of your home. When used together, all of these systems can be a powerful force in protecting your home from damage or intrusion.

Imagine a scenario where you have an automated HVAC system installed alongside your security system, which features moisture and smoke/CO detectors throughout your property. 

In the event of a fire, the smoke detection system triggers an alert which sends a notification to your phone and notifies the authorities. In the meantime, it turns off the HVAC system to prevent smoke from being distributed throughout the building.

If you had additional features such as automated lighting and door locks, the system can also trigger the lights to display a “path” to the nearest exit and unlock the doors to allow for easy escape.

Home automation systems work much better when they can “talk” to each other and work to not only add convenience to your daily routine but also protect you and your family in the event of an emergency.

3. Prompt (but not Overwhelming) Mobile Alerts

With the emergence of smartphones and widespread connectivity, the ability to monitor your home/business remotely is now easier than ever.

Being able to see and control your various systems is a gamechanger for home security and gives you an added advantage combined with conventional alarm monitoring services. You can proactively contact any family or occupants of the building to inform them of any emergencies before emergency services arrive. You can also detect false alarms and avoid fees or penalties for unnecessarily involving a third party.

With services like Alarm.com, you can receive customizable mobile alerts when certain systems are triggered. 

Imagine a motion sensor in your backyard is triggered. An alert is sent to your phone and you open your Control4 app and take a look at your backyard camera. You notice a squirrel or deer has entered your yard and innocently tripped your motion sensor. You can relax and continue on with your day knowing your home is safe.

Another example may be your kids coming home from school. Your security camera notifies you that something has been spotted on your front porch. You remotely access your camera and intercom, greet your kids, and remotely unlock your front door to let them in.

Despite getting dozens of notifications on your mobile device every day, being able to customize and control the number of alerts you get from your security system allows you to rest assured that you’re only notified when you need to be.

4. Monitoring & Response Times

Even though new technology has allowed for an easier self-monitoring experience, third-party monitoring services can still be essential and valuable in many situations.

Security systems that are installed and monitored by professional teams ensure that you are looked after 24/7/365 and emergency services are notified as fast as possible in the event of a bad situation.

Imagine your phone is on silent or you’re in an area with no cell reception. Any alerts from your system may go unnoticed, leaving your home or business vulnerable to a potential invader or emergency. By having a third-party service monitoring your system, you can relax and rest assured that you’re in good hands.

With an average response time of less than eight (8) seconds and competitive monthly monitoring fees, it’s very difficult to beat the security, convenience, and value of a third-party alarm monitoring service.

There are a variety of companies and services to choose from, so make sure to weigh up their value vs. reputation when considering which company to sign up with. Companies that have a good reputation and experience in the local community can sometimes be advantageous over national chains. 

See: OneTouch House Alarm Monitoring Services

5. Maintenance and Durability

Arguably the most important aspect of any security system is the durability of its components and the frequency in which they need to be maintained.

There are dozens of products available at consumer electronics stores that suit a variety of applications. However, the biggest drawback to these products is that they are very often “cookie-cutter” products that are used in different situations despite every customer’s requirements being unique.

Systems like Nest offer great flexibility and reliability for a reasonable price. For someone looking to add some DIY security features to their home or business, these products fit the bill quite well.

For customers who are looking for robust systems that communicate together and can be relied on 365 days out of the year, a professionally installed system is the only solution. 

Professional-grade systems very often require installation by trained technicians who can tailor the solution to your specific requirements. They understand the products inside and out and will ensure they are installed to maximize effectiveness and reliability. Building a relationship with a professional installer also ensures that you are proactively notified when systems require maintenance to avoid failure in critical circumstances.

If a security system doesn’t work properly when you need it the most, is it really a “security” system?

In conclusion, security and alarm solutions are available with a variety of products and features and can be custom tailored to meet your specific needs. The most robust and effective systems used technology and services that not only ensures their reliability but also simplifies your experience so you feel confident that your property is being looked after properly.

To learn more about OneTouch House’s Alarm Monitoring services, visit this page.

The 4 Greatest Features of Intercom Anywhere

There are several video doorbell options available in the market. With the rapid increase in popularity of home automation or “smart home” devices, there is no shortage of ways to use the technology to increase the security and convenience of your home.

So what makes Control 4’s new Intercom Anywhere, powered with 4Sight, any different? 

For starters, it integrates fully with your existing Control4 system and 4Sight subscription. Control4 is a high-end home automation system that ties all of your devices together to create a truly intelligent and integrated experience. This is far more powerful than Google Home or HomeKit-style home automation, and is designed for more than the home automation hobbyist.

We’ll explore some of the other features of Intercom Anywhere and why they are a great addition to an existing Control4 system.

1. The Screen Looks Beautiful

Your home is likely one of the biggest assets you own. When you invest money in furniture, flooring, lighting and other decorations, the last thing you want to see is a bulky and out-of-place technological addition to your decor.

Thankfully, the Intercom Anywhere touch screen/video doorbell is sleek, modern, and importantly (for some) low-profile.

The interface is well-designed and easy to navigate and it gives your home a 21st century feel without screaming Star-Trek.

The doorbell system is also well-designed and complementary to the exterior of your front entrance or gate system. It features a microphone, hi-res camera, and connects to your 4Sight system.

2. Set Programmable Routines for Different Scenarios

The main allure of home automation is the ability to link multiple actions together in order to simplify repetitive tasks. Intercom Anywhere goes a step further and lets you program different routines based on what you want your home to do based on the type of visitor at your front door.

For example, assume you have a delivery from Amazon while you’re away from the house. The courier can ring your doorbell, which sends a notification to your phone. You can answer the doorbell and press the “Delivery” preset.

The action will disable your alarm, unlock your door, and turn on your entrance light. Once the package is placed inside and the door closed, the house will turn off the light, lock the door, and re-enable your alarm – all with one tap.

The feature will also work on any of the touchscreens inside your home so you never miss a house call, wherever you are.

3. Communicate with Your Guest From Anywhere in Your Home

Have you ever had to experience running from the other side of your home when the doorbell rings? You have to stop what you’re doing and bolt across the house while your visitor continues to impatiently push the doorbell button until you show up at the door.

Intercom Anywhere solves that problem.

Using your phone or the conveniently placed Control4 touchscreens, you can hear your doorbell ring from any room in the house. The camera on the Control4 door station will show you who’s calling so you can decide to answer (or not). 

Once you answer, hi-res video and crystal-clear audio will be transmitted between you and the visitor so you can communicate with them. You can also choose from a set of predetermined actions depending on who your guest is.

4. Two-Way Connection to Different Devices/Areas in The House

Intercom Anywhere lets you stay connected quickly and conveniently from anywhere – inside or outside of the home.

Let’s assume you’re away from your home on a night out and the babysitter hasn’t checked in for a while. Using the Control4 app on your phone, you can call a specific room in the house for a direct line to a specific person. No more calling phones and hoping the person picks up on the other end.

You can also use the service to broadcast that dinner is ready to the whole house. You can even call your phone from the touchscreen if you’ve misplaced it.

In Summary…

Home automation systems are designed to make your life easier. Complicated technology and hard-to-use interfaces don’t accomplish that simple goal. Control4’s entire suite of automation systems are designed to create a truly integrated experience and turn your house into and intelligent home.

Intercom Anywhere is a welcome addition to home automation and does a great job at combining ease of communication, security, and peace of mind for you and your family. 

OneTouch House

OneTouch House is a Platinum Control4 Authorized Dealer and Installer. If you have questions about how Intercom Anywhere can be integrated into your home, don’t hesitate to contact us!

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