Popular Trends in Home Technology

As a former home automation installer and a former manufactures rep, I have observed many trends. The following items are certainly the hotest trends this year in home technology.

VoIP (pronounced Voice over IP) refers to making telephone calls using your high-speed internet connection. This technology is gaining ground very fast, as new users are discovering it is 50-75% cheaper the comparable standard telephone service and congress is standing behind the technology for now, no taxes or legislation to mess it up ? yet... The a catch? Several more variables in losing your dial tone: Power outages, internet downtime, and equipment failures are just a few problems you may encounter using VoIP. Also, If you are dropping the standard phone line, and you have a security system you will need a cellular or radio back up for safety reasons.

Retrofit home theaters. With the cost of movie tickets approaching $10, it makes it quite expensive for families to enjoy movies and snacks at the theater. There are new techniques and processes to install a home theater in your existing home. Many of the processes are for noise reduction, so you don't have harmonic vibrations in the home, or annoy your neighbors. Living in a townhouse, row house, or other multiplex homes, you can now "pump up the volume" with bothering others!

Security Cameras. Many cities now require visual verification prior to dispatching emergency services. Approximately 9 out of 10 alarms are false. Cameras in the home can quickly verify that the alarm is actually triggered by a burglary. In addition, many new parents are now installing cameras to check in on their children while they are away to ensure safety.

Home Offices. Today more and more people telecommute. The reasons may very- but the fact is home offices are now becoming a necessity for many homeowners. Proper planning can provide you with all the technology you need in either a new home or a remodel. If you are ready to start thinking about your custom workspace, keep the following in mind: your personal work style; essential services such as Internet & telephone; and office needs such as printing, wireless networks, file storage and audio distribution.

Lighting Controls. Reliable lighting control used to be reserved for the wealthy. The rest of us were reduced to live without lighting control or the unreliable X-10 technology. In the last few years two new technologies arose. UPB (Universal power line bus) and RF (Z-Wave). These new products have provided us with more selection, more reliability, and the best part-they cost about the same as the major branded X-10 products.

Energy Savings. Recent energy cost have us all looking for ways to reduce the utilities budget in the home. Home Automation is stepping up to the plate. Home automation can manage the thermostat (typically the largest load in the home) based on actual occupancy rather than when you think you will be home. Lighting is the second largest load, home automation will turn off the extra lights when they are not needed. Using motion sensing, occupancy sensing, and other types of lighting controls, home automation can shut the lights off behind you!

Did you enjoy this article? Receive other exclusive articles & stay on the cutting- edge of home automation & technology! Join "The EDGE" today-it's free! http://www.architechtronics.com/edge.html

Brett Griffin is co-founder of Architechtronics, Inc. He has 12 years of experience in the technology industry and strives to help builders, dealers, and homeowners "get to know home automation & technology." Visit http://www.architechtronics.com for more information.

©2005 Architechtronics, Inc. All rights reserved.

---

Planning Permission UK - Tactics if Appealing to the DOE for a Planning Refusal

Tactics of Appealing to the DOE - There will be times in any Design Agents career when a clients scheme will be refused Planning Permission. Fortunately, our... Read More

Use Ladders Safely

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that each year more than 511,000 people are treated for cuts, bruises and fractured bones from improper use of ladders. More... Read More

10 Quick Ways to Change Your Fire-less Fireplace from a Black Hole to a Worthy Focal Point

Everyone loves a fireplace aglow with a roaring fire or flickering embers. But your fireplace need not be a gaping empty hole--like a picture frame without a... Read More

Choosing a Home Construction or Remodeling Contractor

Choosing the right Contractor is the most important aspect of any home construction project. You must take your time and do your research to find a good... Read More

Single hung aluminum window glass repair

Let's talk about repairing broken glass in an aluminum frame single hung window. If it's the lower sash pane that is broken, it must be removed from... Read More

How to Select the Best Laminate Flooring for You

Hardwood flooring - its' traditional look is almost timeless, its' beauty is unmatchable. However, it's pretty hard to maintain a hardwood floor, not to mention the price... Read More

Work From Home and Make Money from On-line Rewards and Incentives Programs

You'll be amazed at how much free money you can make when you work from home answering surveys, accepting offers, and reading e-mails. Simple tasks like these... Read More

Deck Decorating

On my blog, I once wrote about life on the Veranda - a favorite Southern, summer pastime.Picture a Charleston side-porch house, facing the obligatory magnolia tree, refreshing... Read More

Types of Table Saws

A table saw is one of the most popular pieces of machinery used for woodworking. It consists of a circular saw powered by an electric motor that... Read More

Installing Drywall: Mudding and Taping

Installing Drywall, or hanging drywall as the professionals usually refer to the task, can be done by the homeowner. However, it is usually best done with two... Read More

Hardwood Floors: Beautiful, But a Pain to Keep Clean

Hardwood Floors are beautiful to look at and expensive to install. But keeping them clean is not necessarily the easiest thing to do. Growing up in a... Read More

A Look at Steel Building Kits

Steel building kits are a comprehensive set of all the parts required to assemble a steel building. They contain everything right from pre-drilled holes to the bolts... Read More

Light Up Your Life

A house or any particular room can be carefully planned, well thought out and perfectly executed but without the proper lighting it never really comes to life.... Read More

Interconnects for Your Audio/Video System - Choosing The Proper Cables

Research & Development I began designing audio and video interconnect cables in 1988. I was asked to develop custom interconnects for discriminating audio and videophiles, who wanted... Read More

Log Homes - Is a Log Home In Your Future?

Many people dream about a log home in their future but never get around to making their dream come true. Here's how to get past the hurdles... Read More

A Beginner?s Guide to Buying House Plans

Learn How to Select a House Plan That Will Result in The Home of Your DreamsBuilding a home for most people is one of the most adventurous... Read More

Seven Interior Design Psychology Ideas for Dining Pleasure

A separate dining room adds glamour, elegance, and excitement to a shared meal. Celebratory, sociable space, apart from the confusion of the kitchen, makes every dinner more... Read More

The Smart Way To Look At Home Improvements

What home improvements really pay off when the time comes to sell your house?That's an important question for any homeowner contemplating moving or remodeling. And the only... Read More

Remove Carpet Stains - The How To

Your short lesson on how to remove carpet stains: act fast. Carpets today (most) come with stain-resistant treatments, so spills can be removed if you get to... Read More

Remodeling Online

Remodeling PlansMaking remodeling plans for a house helps you to ensure that your home meets all your needs. It also adds value to your home in the... Read More

Helpful Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Functionality and aesthetics are the two main objectives of any kitchen remodeling plan. A kitchen must provide an efficient working place, even while it looks good.Most kitchen... Read More

Choosing the Right House Plan

Now that you have made that bold decision to build a home of your dream, it absolutely important to get the best home you can imagine. For... Read More

Research Concerning Color in Homes and Workplaces

Over the years, many studies have been done in countries around the world to try to discover how human color preferences affect the choices we make in... Read More

Picnic Tables for Casual Dining Fun

Picnic tables are the perfect solution for an afternoon or evening get together. They offer everything from different shapes of a picnic table, to ones that fold... Read More

Planning Permission Tips UK - Agricultural Plots of Land for Sale - The Latest Mug Punter Scam?

The first part of most years brings a flurry of trade shows aimed at the public & trade alike such as The Ideal Home Show, Interiors &... Read More

How Stained Glass Can Add Elegance To Your Home

If there is one way to throw a new light on your home, it's through the stained glass you put in your windows. Whether you want to... Read More