Plan for a system that can manage, control and automate the functions of your home

How many times have you driven away from your house and wondered if you remembered to lock the back door? When was the last time you actually got through the morning without feeling rushed? And at bedtime, have you ever felt too exhausted to walk downstairs to turn off the lights or to make sure the garage door was closed?

With hectic schedules, kids, work and endless errands, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to manage the daily routines that happen within their homes. When the clock is ticking, simple tasks like switching off the lights and lowering the thermostat before leaving for work become tedious and time-consuming chores that often get skipped to get us out of the house on time.

Managing a household shouldn't be this hard -- especially when there are technologies that can help. For example, there are timers that can turn groups of lights on and off at predetermined intervals and thermostats that can turn down the AC as soon as you head off to bed. There are remotes that can lower the window shades at the press of a button and touchscreens that can operate every component in your entertainment system.

Those individual gadgets are a good start toward gaining some semblance of control. But there's an even better way to take charge of your home: by using a home control system. This approach allows you to manage every system under one set of instructions.

The Controllers

There are a variety of different devices that can send instructions to a home control system which then signals the appropriate equipment. These control devices include keypads, touchscreens, handheld remote controls, cell phones an even PDAs. The types of control devices you select are very important to the functionality of the entire system. After all, if you can't work the controller, you'll never be able to enjoy all the benefits of the system.

Keypads are the most commonly used type of controller. They are fairly inexpensive, and, because they are usually installed into the wall, they take up no space. If fact, because keypads essentially do the job of light switches and thermostats, you'll end up using less wall space than you would otherwise. Keypads are physically wired to the home control system, so you'll need to decide where to put them while your house is under construction. Professional installers usually recommend planting a keypad near the doorway of each room. As you walk into the space, you can press a button to set the room lights, music and more.

Also be sure to place a keypad near at least one exterior doorway. The front door seems like an obvious choice, but you may want to put a keypad by the garage door entrance as well, since most families usually enter and exit the house through this door. Consider having a keypad installed near your bed, by the kitchen counter and other areas where a controller would be especially convenient. A bedside keypad, for example, would allow you to turn off all the lights and set the security system just before you go to sleep.

Although they are quite expensive, touchscreens complement keypads nicely. Touchscreens are not only able to issue a series of commands the way keypads do, but they can also display up-to-date information about your house. By glancing at the screen of a device, you might view a log of who disabled the security system and when, what lights are currently on and the temperature of the swimming pool. You might also use the touchscreen to create schedules for the lights, thermostats and other equipment and to surf the web. These controllers can be either mounted to the wall or situated on a tabletop. In a home theater, for example, you might position a keypad at the entrance to the room and keep a portable touchscreen near the seating area.

Most home control systems can also be operated from cell phones, PDAs and computers, but these devices are typically used for remote access to the system (see the "Remote Access" section on page 90). Should you go on vacation, for example, you could use your cell phone to hear a status report on the systems in your home and make any necessary changes.

The Wiring

High-grade communications cable is essential to a control system. Often called Category 5, 5e or Category 6, this type of wiring makes it possible to press a button at your bedside and control the lights, security and other systems at the other end of the house. These wires have the necessary space, or bandwidth, to enact complex scenes or modes as quickly and as seamlessly as possible.

This type of wire is often used in conjunction with high-grade video cable, called RG-6, and is run to each room you intend on connecting to a home control system. Professional installers recommend that every room, including outdoor areas, be prepared for a home control system. There's probably something in each room that you will want to be able to control remotely or to automate, whether it's the lights, the thermostat, the music or a pair of motorized draperies. The RG-6 and Cat 5 wire are often bundled together in what is referred to as a structured wiring package (see the "Structured Wiring" section on page 70).

The wiring all comes together at a central hub. Depending on the design of the hub, the home control processor might be mounted directly inside the hub or next to it. After receiving commands from the control devices, the hub relays the signals to the processor of the appropriate subsystem (lighting, security, whole-house music and others). The subsystem processors are also located near the wiring hub. Because a home control system can include many different processors, it's important to designate a space for them. A well-ventilated utility room in the basement is an ideal location, so be sure to mention this to your builder.

Automation

Pressing a button to control a host of electronic equipment is convenient, but most home control systems have the ability to make things happen automatically -- that is, without any human interaction at all. For example, lights can be activated automatically at certain times of the day, and the heating and cooling system can be programmed to adjust according to the temperature outside. Automation can only happen, however, if your home is fitted with the appropriate sensors. An occupancy sensor, for example, can trigger a series of commands when someone steps into a room. Temperature sensors and timers are other common trigger devices.

Placement is the key to any sensor's accuracy, so be sure your builder, landscaper and interior designer know where the sensors are located. They can make sure no obstructions like furniture, trees or parts of the house will interfere with the efficiency of the sensors.

Types of Systems

Most home control systems use a sophisticated processor to manage and control the functions of your home. This piece of equipment is typically stored in a well-ventilated, moisture-free utility area on a wall of the basement. There are basically two types of systems: those that communicate with devices via special cabling and those that use standard electrical wiring or radio-frequency airwaves to transmit commands. Naturally, a system with special wiring, called a hardwired system, must be installed before a home is finished. When the walls are exposed, a home systems installer can route the necessary cabling to keypad, touchscreen and sensor locations.

Some hardwired home control systems use the same cabling found in a networking system. The advantage of using this type of system is that you can pay for the network (i.e., wire) first (the infrastructure usually consists of two Category 5 [Ethernet wires] and two RG-6 coaxial cables], then beef up the system later as your budget allows. For around $500, for example, you can have your home completely wired to support a home control system. When you're ready, simply call the same firm that wired your home and ask them to add home control features to the network, an upgrade that will cost around $1,000, depending on the devices you want to control. In most cases, the addition simply involves connecting a home control system to the wiring infrastructure.

The newest twist in Cat 5–capable home control systems is using the Internet as a means of communication between devices. Basically, every device that's attached to the Cat 5 network gets its own Internet address just like computers on the web. Your house ends up having its own private Internet -- or, more accurately, its own intranet. One of the most compelling advantages of having an IP-enabled home control system is that it allows you to use any device that's embedded with a web browser, such as a PDA or web tablet, to control the house.

Another advantage is a quicker, easier installation of the system. Because IP-based systems use common Internet languages and wiring to communicate, they can be installed and programmed in less time than home control systems that utilize their own proprietary codes and cables.

Another popular type of home control system, a powerline-based control (PLC) system, utilizes standard electrical wiring to transmit commands to devices located throughout the home. Because no special wiring needs to be installed, these systems are very economical and can be easily modified. As with other types of home control setups, you will need to predetermine locations for keypads and sensors. Also consider which features are most important to you. PLC systems typically have one specialty, such as security. From there, you can add lighting and temperature control features.

Top Of Page