Inside a Smart Home — Home Automation Systems Overview Guide

An overview guide from Home Controls, Inc. covering the full range of smart home automation categories — lighting, security, entertainment, structured wiring, communications, comfort, and more — with numbered callouts illustrating a typical connected home.

Overview

Automating your home is limited only by your imagination. You can start out slowly, build onto your current system, or incorporate all of these systems into a new construction project. Home Controls, Inc. provides free technical support for product advice, system design, and troubleshooting — call 1-800-266-8765 weekdays 8:00am–5:00pm Pacific Time.

Home Automation

Automation Controllers

Your entire home can operate automatically with an intelligent controller acting as the "brains" of your smart home — controlling lighting, climate, entertainment, irrigation, and more. Once programmed, the system runs on its own, deciding what your home should do under various circumstances. You can also manually control it via keypads, touchscreens, a smartphone, or the Internet.

Lighting & Appliance Control

• Turn lights on/off and dim/brighten them from anywhere, inside or outside your home, without running new wires — using powerline or RF/wireless control.
• Program indoor and outdoor lights to turn on/off on a schedule or event.
• Program entire lighting scenes with one button push. For example, a keychain remote can trigger an "At Home" security mode and lighting scene, so you never drive up to a dark house. A "Home Theater" scene can dim lights, close drapes, turn on entertainment components, and start the popcorn maker.
• Control lights and appliances with light sensors — automatically turn on when it gets dark and off again a few hours later; also useful for turning on a coffee pot or hair curlers when it gets light.
• Sensors can turn on outdoor lights when someone approaches, or turn on house lights via keychain remote as you drive up.

Pool & Spa

Control your pool and spa functions from your spa, patio, home, car, or anywhere else — and automate cleaning, heating, and the filter pump.

Irrigation Systems

Program your irrigation system to run on a set schedule, by event, or a set time before dawn.

Home Security

Security

Security systems bring peace of mind with control panels, keypads, sensors, sirens, locks, lights, and access control, available as integrated wired systems or easy-to-install wireless systems.

• Control locks remotely or from your cell phone.
• Sirens scare away intruders and notify neighbors/authorities of burglary or fire.
• Advanced smoke detectors that talk to your security or automation system protect your family and home from fire.
• Perimeter sensors alert you when someone crosses your property line.
• Motion sensors can be installed on walls, ceilings, in light switches, outdoors, and more.
• Door and window sensors integrate with your security system and double as automation sensors when you're home.
• Glass break sensors alert your security system when a window is broken.
• Get alerted when people arrive.
• Light sensors know when it's light or dark, turning lights on/off automatically.
• Flood sensors detect washer or water heater leaks and can automatically shut off the water supply to prevent disaster.
• Driveway alerts notify you when visitors arrive.

Sensors

Sensors detect motion, temperature, light, and more — their uses in automation are nearly endless.

Video & Cameras

• Monitor your home with surveillance cameras — cameras that see in the dark, large and small cameras, bullet, dome, hooded, and hidden cameras, some wireless.
• View your home from any computer or smartphone over the Internet.
• Install a camera at the door to see who's knocking.
• Time-lapse and digital video recording keep a log of what happens around your home.
• Send wireless TV, VCR, and video surveillance signals.
• Monitors let you watch different areas of the house (like the pool area or nursery); simple modulators even let you view the video on your TV.

Structured Wiring

• Wire Management: Structured wiring systems connect all your home systems in one central location (a "connected home") — a control panel with high-quality wiring to multi-media outlets throughout your home. In-wall or in-ceiling wireless access points provide the greatest Wi-Fi coverage with pleasing aesthetics.
• A structured wiring system distributes the fastest, most reliable high-speed Internet throughout your home — hard-wired connections give you crystal-clear streaming video, hi-fi digital audio, reliable online gaming, and blazing internet.
• Powerline Conditioning & Surge Protection: Protect your computer, phone, fax, and cable line connections with suppression plug strips, or protect your entire house with whole-house surge suppressors. Fine-tune your X10 system with signal amplifiers, signal bridges, and noise blocks.

Entertainment

Audio/Music Distribution

• Distribute music from one location throughout your entire home with a whole-home distribution system.
• Control speaker volume in each room individually or all at the same time.
• Choose from in-wall speakers, ceiling speakers, surround sound, subwoofers, and outdoor speakers for outdoor entertainment.
• Wireless audio distribution systems are available for renters who can't run wires.
• Expand your home theater system with HDMI and IR distribution components.

Central Vacuum System

Central vacuum systems are the most efficient way to clean — a vacuum motor is installed in a convenient location (like the garage) with tubing running through the walls to wall inlets in each room. Just insert a lightweight hose into a nearby inlet and the system silently turns on.

Communications

Phones & Intercoms

• Transform your regular phone into a high-tech telecommunications system for your home.
• Easily integrate your cell phone with your home phone.
• Answer the door from any of your telephones, including cell phones.
• Install an intercom system to talk with family members in different parts of the house.

Comfort

Window & Drape Control

• Set drapes to automatically close on a schedule, by remote control, or automatically when the sun shines directly in — a great natural energy saver.
• Control windows by wall switch, remote control, or an automation system; automatically close them when it starts to rain — perfect for skylights that are hard to reach.

Environmental Control

Thermostats control everything from comfort to cost. Set thermostats by occupancy or a time schedule, enjoy multi-zone control, and control from a distance.