Perhaps you have been thinking about home automation for your Keller TX property.  You have been reading about simplifying your entertainment systems, intelligent ways to manage lighting, and video monitoring to stay abreast of what’s going on in your home. 

You may be wondering where to start.  Home automation technology is advancing rapidly, and it’s important to understand some of the basics so you have the right infrastructure in your home for your present and future needs. 

Some of the questions you might have are:

What are the differences in home automation vendors? What kind of wiring do I need? How do I make sure this is truly easy to use and not a tech nightmare?

For the answers to these questions – and many more – you will be best served by hiring a professional – like us – to handle your home automation needs. Read on to find out why.

Builders and designers in the Dallas area, you know your Westlake clients to be a discerning lot.  They want it all – the most up-to-date technology in their new home or remodel – but they want it discreetly integrated and not to overwhelm them.

When your clients think about audio, they want great music and sound for background listening, movie nights, game rooms, and outdoor relaxation and entertaining.  In the past, there used to be a tradeoff between aesthetics and audio quality – you could have one or the other, but not both. 

Not anymore.  You can have high-end audio that blends perfectly with a home’s style, indoors and out.  Read on to learn more.

SEE ALSO: What's New In High-End Audio

It’s likely your Westlake clients are telling you they want their music everywhere in their home.  They don’t want speakers to be visible – maybe even have it be really difficult to tell where the great music emanates from.  In a media or theater room, they are looking for that cinema-quality sound, but don’t want to draw attention to where it’s coming from. 

The month of May means that summer is around the corner. But in Southlake — or most anywhere in Texas — the summer heat has already arrived. Higher temperatures likely mean higher energy usage — and consequently the associated costs — when using your climate control system to cool down your home. But consider an alternative: motorized shades work easily to provide convenient energy efficiency.

You may already know that shades can add to a room’s aesthetic, create privacy, and more. But in this blog, we’ll discuss the unique energy-savings benefit of motorized shades. Read on to learn more.

See Also: Why Smart Window Shades Are a Great Addition to Any Space

Automate Shades to Work with Your Smart Home Control System

Use your smart automation system for full control of your technology and home. Set it to close the shades when it detects too much heat — that way your climate control system doesn’t kick in and use unnecessary energy. Instead, the shades will know when to close and block out the sun.

This is especially true with blackout shades, which completely block any sunlight — and thus heat — from entering the space at all.

In many blogs, you’ll read about the features and benefits of smart products or homes, but we say confidently that you should be just as informed about how to protect your Keller, TX home, and use home networking as a security tool.

In this blog, we will discuss how you can use home networking to ensure that your data is safe and without risk of being tapped into. Keep your property safe from cyber-attacks by reading more below.

See Also: The Essential Piece to Your Smart System

Network Name & Password: Don’t name your network after something obvious (family name, address). Moreover, create a password that won’t be easily-guessed by others; or, alternatively, randomly generate a string of letters, numbers, and symbols. All your devices are tied to the same network in your home, so taking this first step to protecting them is key.

Traffic-Encryption: When your network encrypts the traffic running through, it shuffles the messages sent through your network. Even if tapped into, they can’t decipher the info. Devices should have matching encryption to ensure that they can still communicate.

Are you looking to spice up your outdoor spaces?  With the warmer spring weather in Dallas, it could be the right time to add dramatic outdoor lighting to your pool, patio, and landscape.

According to a recent survey by the home design website Houzz, 45% of landscape design projects incorporate some outdoor lighting components.  Why? Outdoor lighting can extend your outdoor entertainment well into the warm Texas spring and summer evenings, and set just the right tone and mood for you and your guests.

Interested in hearing more?  Let’s explore how outdoor lighting and lighting control can make your outside time more fun in the seasonal months ahead.    

SEE ALSO: A Quick Guide to Outdoor Sound Systems

Accenting Your Outdoors

There are many ways to add flair to your outdoor spaces.  LED lights can illuminate pathways in your patio and through garden areas.  Up-lights can add a dramatic effect to parts of the home, in the front and back, and at the street level at stanchions or gates. They can also illuminate trees and bushes, drawing the eye to the view you want to stage when the sun goes down.