NOW THAT HOME AUTOMATION has hit the mainstream, you can find systems at your local big box electronics store, online at popular sites like Amazon.com, and from a variety of professional installation firms. Given the range of automation providers and the assortment of products available, you’ll have no problem finding a place to purchase a system. The question is, from whom or where you should buy? The answer will depend largely on your budget and your expectations. Here are the pros and cons of each shopping option:
Retail and Online Stores
While running errands, you can swing by Staples, Lowe’s, Best Buy, and other superstores and pick up a complete home automation system. You likely won’t spend more than a couple hundred dollars and will be able to take it home with you that day. According to these suppliers, you can have it up and running in your house in a couple of hours. And because most DIY systems are wireless, you won’t need to fish any cabling behind the walls or under the floor.
Automation systems available at retail stores offer DIY consumers a fun, affordable way to implement automation technology into their homes. Most DIY systems are modular, which means you can start with a few basic pieces, like a control “hub” and a couple of light switches, then visit the store or website again to buy additional components. You can tinker with the system to determine what you like and what else you might need, and know that you’ll be able to afford just about anything in the product lineup.
However, rarely is anything as easy as it seems. Although DIY automation systems are touted by retailers and manufacturers as being simple to set up and install, for some, the process could end up being more complicated and confusing than expected. Although most of these systems are wireless, which often simplifies the installation of the components, sometimes, the wireless technology itself presents challenges and issues. In order for the devices in a wireless automation system to function flawlessly, your home needs a rock-solid wireless networking system. Establishing this network can often be as difficult as pulling wire through a wall, not to mention unreliable.
Also, no matter how careful and diligent you were during set-up and installation, there may be times when a DIY automation system experiences difficulties, which may make it harder for you to control and enjoy. It’s not that the system is shoddy; it might just need more TLC and patience that you are willing to give to make it perform up to your standards.
Multi-Service Providers
You get your Internet service from them, possibly even your cable or satellite TV programming. It’s quite possible that this same company can bundle a home automation system into your service contract. With a phone call, you can have the automation system delivered to your doorstep and installed by a company technician. It’s a quick, convenient, and affordable way to add automation to your home. In a few hours, the system is usually up and running, and its cost is rolled into your monthly bill.
The downside to this model is that little thing called customer service. You’re probably all too familiar with the frustration that ensues when weaving your way through the maze of help line extension numbers to contact your service provider with a question or concern. You’ll likely get this same level of attention should you experience hiccups with your automation system. Although this may not be a deal breaker, the fact that systems sold through these channels are fairly basic in their capabilities might be. Don’t expect a high level of customization or personalization of a home automation system that comes from your service provider. Also, if you’re interested in controlling things beyond a few lights and thermostats, look elsewhere.
Security Companies
Security systems have matured tremendously over the past few years. In addition to providing reliable and robust home protection, manufacturers have engineered their systems to also control lights, thermostatsm and other electronic devices. In essence, residential security systems have morphed into a respectable contingency of home automation systems. At their core, these security-turned-automation systems still focus most of their smarts on keeping your home and family safe and secure. The automation features are nice perks that can enhance the level of home protection. For example, when the system is armed, not only will the door and window sensors activate, but the lights will turn off. Disarming the system can engage a completely new scene where lights illuminate a pathway from the garage to the front door and from the foyer to the kitchen. And where the partnership between lighting and security can really have an impact is in the event of an emergency. In this situation, lights can lead your family from their bedrooms to the front door and turn off the heating and cooling system to prevent the spread of smoke.
About the only feature missing from these types of systems is the ability to easily integrate audio and video equipment. And unless the security dealer is a superstar, you likely won’t be using this type of system to manage and control motorized window shades, swimming pool pumps, or some other electronic components. Moreover, with a security-based system, it’ll be tough to incorporate elaborate mood settings scenes—the kind that at a touch of the button fills a room with romantic music while the lights dim and the shades close. This level of integration and customization is only possible with home automation systems sold by professional home systems integrators.
Home Systems Integrators
Like an architect who coordinates the design and construction of a house, a home systems integrator creates and executes a plan for the installation of various low-voltage systems, including an automation system, in homes. The types of automation systems offered by home systems integrators are typically very sophisticated, can control a wide assortment of products, and can be programmed to do just about anything you want. You’ll pay a premium for the system’s extensive capabilities and the expertise of a professional to design and install the components, but it’s worth it if you want a home automation system that’s reliable, easy to use, and functions as a natural extension of your home.
In addition to offering top-quality automation systems, these professionals are known for offering a high level of customer service. They’ll guide you through the process of integrating a system into your home, will manage the work flow among other trades that might be involved, and ensure that your system functions exactly the way you expected it to. And if it doesn’t, a home systems professional will tweak it until you’re absolutely thrilled. Be advised: Depending on the scope of your system, the size and structure of your house, and the level of customization required, it may take a home systems professional a few weeks, or even months, to engineer, design, program, and install a home automation system, and at a cost that’s usually much higher than systems offered by other channels. —L.M.
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