The Features You Should Look for with Smart Security Technology

High-end homes in the Honolulu area are often the target of break-ins, making a smart home security system an excellent investment. But deciding on which features you would like in your security system can be difficult. With so many factors to consider, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed.

Below, we cover the top features that will take your security system to the next level, giving you the confidence that you’ve chosen a robust and user-friendly system that will protect your home and family.



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Features

A traditional security system might include little more than an alarm that trips when a window or door is broken, but smart technology enables security to go far beyond that. Within a smart home, all of the following features can be combined into one easy-to-use system you can control at the touch of a button.

1. Door Sensors: Beyond the front door (but certainly including that too), door sensors can keep track of whether any door on your property is open or closed. These sensors can be installed on medicine cabinets, wine cellar doors, and more.
2. Motion Sensors: Install motion sensors that identify if any unauthorized movement happens in key areas of your property, such as a person moving around in your backyard in the middle of the night.
3. Smoke/Heat Sensors: Get notified immediately if there is a health or fire hazard on your property. With a home monitoring service, the smoke and heat sensors can automatically contact emergency services to get assistance to your property as soon as possible.
4. Garage Door Sensors: Ever wondered if you left the garage door open? Simply pull out your smartphone and check the status of the sensor!
5. Water/Flood Sensors: Protect your property from flooding with water sensors that notify you as soon as water is detected somewhere it shouldn’t be.
6. Surveillance Cameras: Real-time, high-resolution cameras are installed around your property, giving you instant access to the camera views via a smartphone or tablet.
7. Smart Door Locks: Remotely lock or unlock doors throughout your property via your smartphone, allowing you to let someone into your home without you having to greet them at the front door.
8. Gate Interface Systems: The same cameras and door locks that protect your home can be extended to a gatehouse. Using a video intercom, you can converse with whoever is at the gate and remotely give them access, if you so choose.
9. Alarm System: Last but not least, your smart home security system can use a state-of-the-art alarm system to notify you of any issues however you see fit – audible alarm, flashing lights, notifications on the television screens, text message notifications, phone calls, and more.
10. Integration with Other Smart Technologies: Imagine having a security system that automatically lights up the pathway from the driveway to the front door whenever your front gate authorizes entry. Or how about a system that automatically locks all of the entryways on your property whenever you select a “Goodnight” smart scene that also turns out the lights, adjusts the thermostat, and powers down electronics? There’s no need to settle for just security or just lighting control or multi-room music. With smart home automation, you can have one system that does it all.

 
Don’t be afraid to go beyond the basics with smart home security. Today’s technologies are not only assisting in keeping Hawaii properties secure – they’re also assisting in making daily life more comfortable, convenient, and luxurious.

If you would like to learn more about which smart home security system features would make sense for your property, please contact us by calling 808-386-5963 or filling out this quick inquiry form.

 

Modern Convenience and Classic Style

Oahu is full of beautiful construction. It’s the perfect place to start building, but it’s also a place that should be preserved.

There’s no need to tear everything down and start again when you can renovate a classic building and bring it into the 21^st century.

In this blog, we’ll explore some of the smart ways you can revive old buildings with modern technology – from wireless solutions to whole building automation!

Want to learn more? Just click below.



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Building Network

The first step in any building revival is integrating a network. The network is like the backbone of all automation, so you can get the most out of anything you add later.

In most cases, a hardwired fiber-optic network will ensure the greatest success. Fiber-optics are high-bandwidth cables, which allow for high speeds and large signal transfer, which makes moving information like 4K video easy.

Other times, you can’t drill through a wall or otherwise modify the space, so a wireless network is essential. If that’s the case, building a mesh network will help give you the coverage you need.

Mesh networks don’t work like traditional wireless networks. In a normal network, one device – the router – broadcasts the signal throughout the space, potentially leading to dead spots.

A mesh network, on the other hand, consists of nodes placed throughout the space that generate their own signal, and strengthen the ones nearby.

That way, users won’t have any issue enjoying Wi-Fi access.

Essential Building Automation

In a renovated space, including essential pieces of technology will help the building manager keep costs low and run efficiently.

One major way to do that is through lighting. LED helps you enjoy energy-efficient lights that don’t need frequent replacing, LED use up to 80 percent of the energy used to light them – unlike incandescent bulbs that burn off most energy as heat.

That means they run cooler and last longer.

Additionally, HVAC control will help ensure the building manager isn’t cooling spaces they don’t need to. That will help keep energy costs down.

Energy management software helps keep track of all real-time energy expenditures, so it’s easy to make real-time adjustments to your system.

 
Want to learn more about the essential technology necessary for renovating old Oahu buildings?

If you’re looking for an automation partner, or you have any questions regarding updating an old building with smart technology, just click here.

Find the Components that Work for You

 
If you’re a fan of music, you know there’s nothing better than the sound of a resonant, high-performance speaker in your Honolulu home.

But during the summer, you don’t want to stay cooped up inside, letting the sunshine go to waste.

The perfect solution is an outdoor sound system. You can enjoy your favorite tunes while basking in the warm air – without missing a beat.

Obviously, the components for an outdoor system aren’t going to be the same in an indoor system. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the differences between indoor and outdoor speakers.

Just keep reading for more.



 
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Bullet Speakers

In an indoor system, speakers are usually configured in pairs. A two-channel system is the perfect way to listen to music staged as if it were performed live.

But outside, there are other considerations: Ambient sound and lack of reflecting surfaces means you can’t count on the environment to help you out. And wood would likely rot when left too long in the elements.

Instead, bullet speakers are made from durable materials like brass or plastic. Their cabinets are long and slim, and they point in the direction you want to listen. Plus, they’re usually configured with four or more units throughout your yard, facing in toward the listening zone, so you can listen at a comfortable volume without disturbing the neighbors.

 

360-Degree Speakers

On the other hand, there are also semi-buried 360-degree posts. These components play loud and reach every corner of your space.

Most common in commercial applications, these are large units that are designed to draw attention. However, some manufacturers disguise them as elegant art pieces or as art of the stonework layout, so you can get the most out of the sound without looking at clunky components.

 

Wall-Mounted Speakers

Wall-mounted speakers are perfect for a deck or patio space. As the name implies, they hang off a wall and offer great sound for movies and music around a sitting space.

They typically offer bigger cabinets than bullet speakers. Otherwise, they look very similar to indoor bookshelf units.

 

Underground Sub

Perhaps the single most important speaker you can find is an underground subwoofer. Subs help deep bass notes resonate, giving your music a much higher impact.

Of course, on the island, you probably aren’t going to bury anything too deeply. In those cases, the sub can be placed below your deck to hide it.

If that’s not an option, you can select a semi-buried style that will help protect the device but won’t completely cover it. The above-ground part is designed to be aesthetically pleasing, so you won’t have to worry about it disrupting your landscaping.

 
Want to learn more about what you can get out of your outdoor sound system? Just click here for more info!

 

Enhance the Beauty of Your Oahu Property with Smart Lighting

 
While the islands aren’t known for their big seasonal climate shifts, summer is still the perfect time to get out and enjoy all the natural beauty Hawaii has to offer.

Getting out and spending some time in the sun is a blast – but the fun doesn’t have to end when it sets.

Instead, why not make your summer nights special with outdoor cookouts, movies under the stars, and quality time with your property’s backyard and pool areas.

To make it all possible, it may be time to invest in advanced landscape lighting technology. Want to find out more? Keep reading.



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Types of Fixtures

Landscape lighting is designed to work within a space, not dominate it with clunky components. That’s why many outdoor lighting fixtures are discreet and easily hidden within the natural foliage.

Many systems feature simple, directional lighting that help highlight the areas that you want to showcase. Some can be installed under stairs or along walkways to accent the existing look of your perfectly maintained backyard.

You can also install fixtures within your pool for added safety and beauty.

 

Connecting to Your System

Landscape lighting may exist in the backyard, but that doesn’t mean you have to re-learn how to control everything.

Most systems integrate seamlessly into your current smart home control ecosystem, allowing one-touch commands for every fixture – indoor and out.

Plus, when you integrate with a smart home system, you can set timers, combine controls, install sensors and other smart features that make using your lights a breeze.

 

Environmentally Friendly

Most modern outdoor lighting fixtures feature LED illumination. Those are beneficial for many reasons.

First LED are much more energy-efficient than their incandescent or fluorescent counterparts. They use up to 80 percent of the energy used to light them – unlike the other two which burn off most of the energy as heat.

Due to this, LED can last up to 11 years under normal use. Plus, LED lamps’ less frequent replacement  and recyclable materials means you won’t have to worry about your system’s environmental friendliness.

Exploring the Capabilities

When you add landscape lighting, you don’t just enjoy more lights. You can get the most out of your property and craft a uniquely beautiful look.

From arranging the lights in a beautiful, layered way that accentuates the parts of your yard you love, to adjusting the hue of your LED fixtures for a simple splash of color, there’s plenty to love about learning to use your system.

 
Want to learn more about landscape lighting? Reach out to us here, or just click the button at the bottom of your screen to chat with a real person right now!