Featured Articles
Enhance Outdoor Parties with Home Automation
When the weather is perfect and you're ready to bring friends and family together, your outdoor living space needs to be as comfortable and entertaining as the interior of your home. With the right outdoor smart home setup, you can turn a simple backyard gathering into a great outdoor party that includes colorful lights for a fun atmosphere, great sound from wireless and wired outdoor speakers, hands-off access control for gates and doors, and outdoor power that provides remote control for connected devices. All of these elements can come together with home automation by setting up the ultimate outdoor party scene built with some of the best outdoor automation and audio solutions that are available today.
Smart Locks for Home Security and Automation
Home Controls has put together this guide to explain the benefits, features, and various models of smart locks available on our webstore to help you find the perfect upgrade for your front door.
Lithe Audio Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Speakers
As a leader in the home audio entertainment market, Lithe Audio creates innovative wireless streaming speakers and audio devices that combine a premium design and multiple connectivity options including Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, Optical, HDMI, PoE, and more to enable users to listen to audio content from virtually any wired or wireless source at the best possible quality.
Home Controls 2024 Guide to Smart Home Hubs
Home Controls is here to help with its updated guide to find the right smart home hub for your home.
More Articles
Why Smart Thermostats are the Most Popular Smart Home Devices
Smart thermostats sell like hotcakes, and they are in fact the most popular “smart home” devices purchased by renovating homeowners. This is according to the recently released September 2016 Houzz study on smart home trends in the United States: “Among all the devices with smart capabilities installed by renovating homeowners, smart thermostats are the most popular, installed by 12% of renovating homeowners.”
How to Upgrade From Analog to IP Surveillance
Surveillance systems made up of IP cameras and networked recording equipment are rapidly growing in popularity over analog surveillance systems for numerous reasons. As such, homeowners who have traditional analog systems are wondering how they can make the upgrade from analog to IP.
SkylinkNet Now Works with IFTTT! Get 5 Starter Recipes
That’s right, the do-it-yourself SkylinkNet wireless alarm system just got a lot cooler — it now works with IFTTT. Anyone who has the SkylinkNet Internet Hub can automate connected devices using custom IFTTT recipes, so not only do you get expanded automation options for your Skylink devices, you can also integrate third-party devices into your system. Check out the video for a quick synopsis, or scroll down for more info.
Yale Digital Locks Make Keyless Entry Easy
Expanding our selection of top-quality electronic door locks, Home Controls is proud to announce that we now offer the latest Z-Wave deadbolts and leversets from Yale Security. As part of the Yale Real Living product line, these residential locks bring over a century of innovation to the modern, connected home.
Smoke Alarm Safety Tips for the Holidays
Smoke alarms save lives. Nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to tell you when to get to safety.
Add Smoke Detection to Your Z-Wave Smart Home with First Alert
Home Controls has expanded our collection of First Alert products with the First Alert Z-Wave Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector. Now you can receive notifications for smoke and CO alarms through your Z-Wave system.
NuTone’s New Central Vacuum Motor Series is PurePower
NuTone has released a major improvement to their collection of central vacuum systems with three new PurePower series motors. If you have been considering equipping your home with the convenience of a central vac, then one of these new motors should be on the top of your shopping list.
How Many Wires Are In Your Old NuTone or M&S Intercom System?
Is your NuTone or M&S home intercom system old and out of date? Is it time to upgrade your system with a contemporary and stylish new home intercom, complete with modern features and the latest technology? The great news is that you don’t need to completely replace everything; you can still use the wires from your existing system. This means you don’t have to run new wires which saves you the need to call an electrician. A great money and time saver!
How Many Wires Are In Your Old NuTone or M&S Intercom System?
Is your NuTone or M&S home intercom system old and out of date? Is it time to upgrade your system with a contemporary and stylish new home intercom, complete with modern features and the latest technology? The great news is that you don’t need to completely replace everything; you can still use the wires from your existing system. This means you don’t have to run new wires which saves you the need to call an electrician. A great money and time saver!
Fibaro Comes To Home Controls
Several innovative and select Fibaro Z-Wave Sensors and controllers are now available at Home Controls. With multiple award-winning products, Fibaro has become one of the leading Z-Wave manufacturers in the home automation and security industries. The company has been lauded time and time again for bringing uniquely innovative Z-Wave solutions to people across the globe. Introduce your home to your imagination through Fibaro.
Flooded? How to Prevent Water Damage with Leak Detection Systems
A few years ago, my mother came home from a vacation to find water pouring out of her front door. While she was gone, the pipes to her washer had burst and flooded the entire house. She had been gone for days, so the damage to her home and all her belongings was extensive. If something like this has ever happened to you, then you know how devastating a home flood or water damage can be. If this has not happened to you, then you should take every precaution to protect yourself. In this blog entry, I’ll show you some ways to prevent a home flood – both low tech and high tech solutions.
Chicken Coop Motor Is An Egg-cellent Product!
About a year ago, Add-a-Motor found a hidden market with literally millions of potential customers. They discovered that in the USA alone, there are tens of millions of chicken coops, and many millions more around the globe. Most are family owned with 10 to 20 chickens raised for fresh eggs and meat. Add-A-Motor also learned that chicken coop owners have the same problem - early every morning without fail. They must open the coop door to let their chickens out to feed. In the evening, when chickens automatically re-enter the coop, the door must be closed to protect them from predators and the elements. No matter the weather conditions or personal situation, these morning and evening chores can not be missed. For a busy family, it’s a challenge to keep up this routine 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Never Crank A Window Again
Would you buy a car today where you had to crank the window open? Or would you opt for powered windows?
How To Connect A 4-Wire Smoke Detector
I’ve received a few calls on how to connect 4-wire smoke detectors so I thought it might be a good idea to share what I know about these smoke sensors.
Getting to Know Your Circuit-Breaker Panel
With the popularity of using the powerline for lighting control such as UPB and X10, the time will come when things don’t work and troubleshooting will be due. An example would be where devices work in one part of the house, while others in a different location don’t work at all. This problem usually means a lack of signal in one part of the house.