What makes smart home technology run so efficiently? Smart sensors! Learn which types of smart sensors you need for your smart & savvy home today!

<p>An efficient smart home keeps everything running so smoothly you never need to worry about the little things. But what keeps your smart home tech efficient? Smart sensors!</p>
<p>With smart home sensors ranging from motion to weather sensors, you don't have to stay on top of every setting &mdash; it does it for you!</p>
<p>What do these sensors look like? Check it out!</p>
<h2>1. Motion Sensors</h2>
<p><img alt="Motion sensing lights turning on when person walks by" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_1.gif" title="CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_1.gif" width="700" /></p>
<p>Motion sensors are one of the most versatile sensors for any smart home. Motion sensors detect motion using infrared beams and temperature changes or ultrasonic waves and changes in position, but either way, these are a great asset to any smart home system. There are so many ways to apply motion sensors to your system, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Alerting you to unauthorized movement through your smart security system (most sensors can tell the difference between small animals and actual intruders).</li>
<li>Activating smart video cameras so you can see any movement near your home or in your geo-fencing setup.</li>
<li>Signifying whenever there's movement near a dangerous area like the pool, so you know the instant your pets or kids walk by.</li>
<li>Turning smart lights on or off whenever you walk by or arrive at your home &mdash; never arrive to complete darkness again!</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Tell what you want to happen in your home, and your custom integrator will know where to place and connect the sensors to make it happen!</p>
<h2>2. Temperature Sensors</h2>
<p>Keeping your space comfortable is vital for any smart home! Temperature sensors work with smart thermostats to adjust the temperature from room to room, which helps the thermostat do its job. But they don't work simply with your thermostat system; you can also use Wi-Fi temperature sensors to control the temperatures in your wine cellar or basement to keep your vintage collection and delicate items safe year-round.</p>
<p>Ask your custom integrators about humidity sensors to help keep your valuables safe!</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> You can also use temperature sensors outside to automate your sprinklers to come on at specific temperatures.</p>
<h2>3. Light/UV Sensors</h2>
<p><img alt="Shades opening when sunlight hits them so person greets the day with sun" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_2.gif" title="CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_2.gif" width="700" /></p>
<p>You might not think it, but light and UV sensors are necessary for your smart light bulbs and smart shades to adjust their settings. Sure, you can create automation based on timing or a routine schedule, but these sensors will remove the need to change your settings constantly!</p>
<ul>
<li>You can order your system to turn on the porch lights whenever dusk happens.</li>
<li>You can program your automation to turn off all the inside lights when it senses dawn to help you save energy (no more getting after the family for forgetting to turn their lights off!).</li>
<li>You can maximize the warmth in your home by setting it so that your smart shades open at the highest peak of sunlight during the day and close at dusk.</li>
<li>You can automatically bring down the shades when it gets too bright to reduce glare!</li>
<li>You can set it so your bedroom shades open in the morning when dawn breaks, so you wake up to sunlight!</li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Water Leak/Freeze Sensors</h2>
<p>Water leaks and frozen pipes can lead to costly water damage if not detected in time, but your smart home is ahead of the game. With smart water leak and freeze sensors, you can help stop costly repairs before they happen. These sensors have probes to detect water and temperature sensors to indicate when your pipes are in danger of freezing, so you can keep your home in top shape.</p>
<p>And if you combine these sensors with an automatic smart shutoff valve, you can stop leaks in their tracks &mdash; even if you're not home!</p>
<h2>5. Windows &amp; Door Sensors</h2>
<p><img alt="Door sensors placed on top, shows door opening and closing" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_3.gif" title="CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_3.gif" width="700" /></p>
<p>Also known as contact sensors, window and door sensors will let you know if either is opened with just one notification to your smart device. This way, you'll always be aware if an entry point has been breached! But these aren't only for your smart security; you can also use them to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Let you know if the garage door is left open.</li>
<li>Alert you if someone opens a sensitive cabinet like the liquor or medicine cabinet.</li>
<li>Keep an eye on that door that doesn't close all the way and is always causing drafts.</li>
<li>Get notifications whenever someone opens the mailbox &mdash; no more constantly checking the window to see if the mailman came by!</li>
<li>Always know if someone in the house is sneaking out through the window!</li>
<li>Have closet lights turn on automatically as soon as the door opens!</li>
<li>Keep an elderly relative safe by knowing if they've left the house without letting you know!</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Window and door sensors have many possible uses; discuss your options with a custom integrator first!</p>
<h2>6. Doorbell Sensors</h2>
<p>Another sensor you might not think about is doorbell sensors, which are typically built-in to your smart video doorbell. These sensors start recording whenever someone is by the door &mdash; before they ring the bell! You get a wide-angle HD live stream the second someone nears your door, which is immensely helpful for identifying and scaring off porch pirates, helping you stay clear of unwanted solicitors, or avoiding that neighbor who won't take the hint!</p>
<p>You can also connect your smart doorbell to your smart lights so they come on at night whenever there's a person by the door!</p>
<h2>7. Smart Smoke &amp; Co Sensors</h2>
<p>Your home's safety is more than just warding off intruders and keeping your home locked up tight; your environment needs to be safe, too. With smart smoke and CO sensors, you can monitor the air quality in your home for smoke, carbon monoxide, pollen, dust, and other particulates!</p>
<p>Some sensors can distinguish between burnt food and genuine house fire, so you can cancel that noisy alarm before it starts!</p>
<h2>Bonus: Weather Sensors</h2>
<p><img alt="Woman seeing weather notifications on smart mirror" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_4.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Sensors_4.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>While you can always check your local weather station to keep track of weather conditions, wouldn't it be easier if you could get tailored notifications for just your house? With smart weather sensors, you can! These weather stations measure indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, and rainfall &mdash; some systems will even monitor UV levels! These sensors let you:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get reliable rain forecasts and alerts for when there's an open window.</li>
<li>Receive notifications on your smart mirror TV telling you to wear sunscreen when the UV levels are high.</li>
<li>Automate your smart sprinklers to change watering schedules when there's a chance of rain!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Get Those Smarts!</h2>
<p>From smart security systems to smart thermostats, smart sensors are essential pieces of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/catalog/electronics-automation-control/" target="_blank">smart home tech</a></span> that make your home smarter and safer. So don't forget to add these smart home sensors to your must-have list when discussing your plans at Real AV!</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Give us a call</a></span> today to set up your consultation appointment to get started. Just tell us what you want your smart home to do, and we'll do the rest!</p>

7 Vital Smart Sensors You Need for Your Smart Home [+1 Bonus!]

Do you ever wish there was a way to make your work go smoother? You can with smart automation! Find out how smart office solutions can benefit you today!

<p>Wouldn't it be nice if you could automate more things in your life &mdash; like your work life? Actually, you can! There are plenty of smart office solutions that make each day more efficient, so you have less work stress!</p>
<p>But what is a smart office? It's a high-tech hybrid workplace with automated services that improve productivity. And the beauty of it is that it doesn't matter if you work from home or in the office &mdash; smart office solutions can benefit anyone!</p>
<p>What type of smart office solutions can help you? Let's take a look!</p>
<h2>Benefits of Smart Office Solutions</h2>
<p><img alt="Luxury home office space" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_1.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_1.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Before we go into the types of smart office solutions, knowing how you'll benefit from them is essential. When you work from home, automating your workspace makes it easier to tailor your work area to your exact needs so that you can be more productive. In the office, smart office solutions can:</p>
<ul>
<li>Improve efficiency and productivity.</li>
<li>Make tasks more efficient.</li>
<li>Create a better collaborative environment.</li>
<li>Increase security with WiFi sensors and video monitoring.</li>
<li>Save time when scheduling meetings, managing meeting rooms, and overseeing calendars.</li>
<li>Sharing and accessing data is more straightforward, which makes collaborating a breeze.</li>
<li>Reduce operation costs by controlling the lighting, temperature, and more.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Video Monitoring</h2>
<p>Now that you know the benefits of automating your office, let's review some key solutions you can't pass up. Smart video monitoring is a must at home or in the office. You can help prevent theft, monitor different locations from a single source, and more with video monitoring.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>In Office:</strong> Video monitoring provides general security and analysis of your work environment, making it easier to see areas of improvement.</li>
<li><strong>At Home:</strong> You'll have a better overview of what's happening at home while you're working, like if the kiddos are doing their homework if the pets are behaving, or see when you get deliveries.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Combine video monitoring with a smart security system to increase your security and have the option of professional monitoring services!</p>
<h2>Smart Climate Control</h2>
<p>Comfort is essential for working environments &mdash; and smart climate control systems provide just that! By automating temperature regulation, you can maintain a comfortable temperature in your office or home, which will only benefit your productivity.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>In Office:</strong> Smart climate control detects people's preferences and usage patterns to regulate temperature and keep battles over the thermostat to a minimum (especially if each work zone has its own climate-controlled system!).</li>
<li><strong>At Home:</strong> Keep your home office temperature comfy to your specific needs. And if you're the only one at home, you can adjust it, so the climate control is focused on your office space and not the entire house, so you can save energy!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Lighting Control</h2>
<p><img alt="Smart office with darkened lights to mimic the time outside" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_2.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_2.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Along with climate control, smart lighting goes a long way to ensuring everyone's comfort. These control systems allow you to adjust the amount of light in the room according to your preferences. You can even use circadian lighting (or human-centric lighting), which mimics natural light throughout the day as you work and help keep your sleep-wake cycle balanced!</p>
<p>So, if you feel like the lack of natural light contributes to work fatigue, don't worry &mdash; with this circadian lighting on your smart network, you can make a big difference in the overall health of you and your employees! Whether you work at home or in the office, you can only benefit from giving your lights a smart boost.</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Add smart shades to your office space for better lighting control and save on energy costs!</p>
<h2>Voice Control</h2>
<p>Voice control makes it easier to control your surroundings. Instead of being chained to your smart devices, you can use voice commands, so you use your time more efficiently!</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>In Office:</strong> use voice control to help book conference rooms, start a phone call, send an email, and get reminders throughout the day &mdash; no more piles of sticky notes and notebooks containing all your things!</li>
<li><strong>At Home:</strong> you can expand on the in-office benefits by connecting to your entire smart home system, like controlling the temperature, lights, shades, sound (mood music is a great motivator), and your security system!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Smart Entry</h2>
<p><img alt="Woman using smartphone to access the office" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_3.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_3.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Another must-have smart office solution is using smart entry technology. This smart solution ensures greater security by providing easier yet more secure access to the office building. It helps record who enters and leaves the facility so you can monitor activity more closely.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>In Office:</strong> Use mobile credentials to access the office, grant access to non-employees when needed easier, and you'll have fewer calls of people getting locked out or triggering the alarm! Now you can do away with all those key fobs!</li>
<li><strong>At Home:</strong> With similar techs like smart door locks and smart doorbells, you can see who's coming to the door, keep an eye on your deliveries, and get rid of keys! You can use specialized codes, your smartphone, smartwatch, or geofencing to lock or unlock your front door, AND you can create custom codes for each person in your home to see who's coming and going!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Smart Conference Rooms</h2>
<p><img alt="Conference room with smart panel just beside the door" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_4.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_4.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Smart conference rooms are becoming increasingly popular due to their better oversight of all meetings. With smart conference systems, it's easier to book meeting spaces, share information and documents with participants, and keep track of who attended the meetings.</p>
<p>These smart conference rooms even integrate other software, so you can order catering and send alerts from the conference room. These can even help automate visitor check-ins and provide directions to where they need to go.</p>
<h2>Smart Desks</h2>
<p>You might not know this, but smart desks are a thing &mdash; they work like smart conference rooms, but it's just a desk. Smart desks are ideal for hot desking &mdash; the practice where multiple people use a single desk at different times. This smart solution makes it easy for teams to collaborate on ideas while providing each person with an ergonomic workspace they can use anytime they need.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>In Office:</strong> Keeps track of who reserved the space, finds employees in different parts of the building, monitors shared office space, helps you find any open task for the day, and makes it easier to find available desks when you need to work on a task.</li>
<li><strong>At Home:</strong> With a smart desk, sharing your office space with another person (like your significant other) is easier. These come with alerts, presets, easy-to-use controls, and standing capabilities so you work more efficiently and are not always in a sedentary position.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Work Smart!</h2>
<p><img alt="Concept of high-tech office space working efficiently" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_5.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Office-Solutions_5.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>With these smart office solutions in mind, your workdays will become much easier and more productive! So, if you're ready to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/catalog/electronics-automation-control/" target="_blank">automate</a></span> your office space, Real AV has you covered! Our expertise means that you don't have to worry about setups, installs, or anything &mdash; we make it work for you!</p>
<p>Don't hesitate to get started; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/contacts/" target="_blank">call us</a></span> for an appointment today!</p>

Smart Automation: How Smart Office Solutions Can Benefit Your Work Life

Do you think you can't have a beautiful home AND smart home technology? You haven't heard of design-centric smart home solutions! Learn more today!

<p>The benefits of a smart home can't be beat especially when everything is hidden in plain sight! No more compromising your sweet home design for the ease and convenience of smart technology &mdash; you can use design-centric smart home solutions instead!</p>
<p>So, if you love to show off your impeccable taste AND your futuristic home, our experts have the scoop! From hiding TVs to disguising routers, we'll show you what your home can look like!</p>
<h2>What TV?</h2>
<p><img alt="Artwork disguising TV in luxury living room" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_1.jpg" title="CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_1.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>We all love a big-screen TV to watch our favorite things, but when they're not in use, a TV with a blank screen is a bit of an eyesore &mdash; but not anymore. You can hide your TV in plain sight with just a few tweaks!</p>
<ul>
<li>Use bespoke frames around the TV and stream a work of art whenever no one is actively using it (you can pick the art it shows and upload your own!).</li>
<li>Cover your TV with artwork by recessing it into a wall and hanging the frame in front.</li>
<li>Install motorized lifts to keep the TV out of sight! You can choose where your TV will appear, either from the floor, down from the ceiling, or straight out of a cabinet.</li>
<li>Mirrored TVs are an excellent addition to bathrooms, closets, and bedrooms. These let you check your reflection while catching up on the news or whatever content you want to watch (some even connect to your vitals on a smartwatch!).</li>
</ul>
<h2>There's a Projector?</h2>
<p><img alt="Luxury viewing room with home bar and recessed projector in the ceiling" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_2.jpg" title="CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_2.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>If you're an audiovisual enthusiast and don't want to miss out on the big-screen experience, you can still hide your projector with design-centric solutions. This way, you won't mess up the look of your home theater and make the screen come up as if by magic!</p>
<ul>
<li>Install the projector into the back wall (your integrators will know precisely where to put it for the best image!).</li>
<li>Use a motorized lift built into the ceiling, which only drops down when necessary.</li>
<li>Add a retractable screen that only comes down when you tap a button (these can also come up from the floor).</li>
<li>Remove screens altogether with projector paint on a light-colored wall so it only becomes a screen when the projector is turned on. This way, you'll finally have a sleep, uninterrupted home design!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Racking Devices</h2>
<p>Adding audio/video sources and AV receivers can take up some serious space. But don't worry; these don't have to be an eyesore. First, you'll need to rack your devices in a singular rack tower to reduce clutter, and then your integrator can hide this rack into the wall or inside a cabinet &mdash; no one will ever know it's there!</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Further disguise where the rack is by hanging artwork or other home d&eacute;cor touches!</p>
<h2>Sound is Art</h2>
<p>There's nothing quite like sound coming into a room like magic &mdash; just where are those speakers? With these design-centric solutions, they can be anywhere!</p>
<ul>
<li>Create custom speaker frames that double as art (you can also find paintable speaker cloths!).</li>
<li>Use small aperture speakers that hide behind artwork or into your recessed lights!</li>
<li>Bollard speakers are perfect for hiding in plain sight in your garden since the subwoofer and wiring are all buried underground &mdash; perfect for outdoor parties!</li>
<li>Install architectural speakers that reside behind the drywall without compromising sound. You'll never know they're there!</li>
<li>Get in-ceiling speakers that look like light fixtures for an uninterrupted design style!</li>
</ul>
<p>And the best part is that you can also find acoustic paneling that doubles as art, so it's not obvious the room has been treated for audio!</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Before building your home theater, talk to your integrators first so they can plan where all the wiring goes behind the drywall, so you don't have to worry about ugly cords marring your design!</p>
<h2>Lighting &amp; Switches</h2>
<p><img alt="Bedroom with lots of recessed lighting for warmer feel" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_3.jpg" title="CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_3.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Nothing sets the mood quite like lighting, especially with modern smart technology that lets you customize your lighting design to fit your home's style. Smart lighting eliminates the need for multiple switches that disrupt your home design and cut it down to a single, flush-mounted switch or a touch panel that matches the color of your walls! And you can use smart lighting to accentuate your design:</p>
<ul>
<li>You can add smart lights underneath cabinets or shelves to spotlight certain areas or figures.</li>
<li>Use color-changing lights for different moods (you can even integrate these lights with your sound system).</li>
<li>Create false ceilings to settle your lights where you want them.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> If you're building your home, it's best to talk to a custom integrator as soon as possible so they can plan all the lighting ahead of time!</p>
<h2>Cool Shades</h2>
<p><img alt="Motorized drapes with the motor part hidden in a recessed/false ceiling type thing" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q1_2023/CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_4.jpg" title="CI_Blend-Smart-Home-Solutions_and-Design_4.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Smart shades are a huge benefit to any smart home, especially when you can't tell they're motorized. So this way, you can have beautiful shades or drapes that match your design style and hide the technology part. Some ways to do this include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Build your smart shades into a soffit to make them completely disappear when not in use. These soffits can also house perimeter lighting and hidden speakers for surround sound.</li>
<li>Install bottom-up shades so they rise from the floor to cover the windows.</li>
<li>Use shade valances with painted fascias that hide the motorized rollers.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Faux Boxes</h2>
<p>Besides your smart automation, home theater, and sound equipment, you probably have devices you need to hide, like your router. For these, look into faux boxes that can house them. These shallow boxes can look like anything on the outside, like a collection of books or artwork, so no one will ever know what's inside.</p>
<p>Faux boxes are your home design secret weapon!</p>
<h2>Smart Home Meets Home Design</h2>
<p>Now that you know more about how to hide <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/catalog/electronics-automation-control/" target="_blank">smart automation</a></span> and home theater technology, it's time to start planning how you want your home to look! At Real AV, we'll work with you from the start of your home project, so you can have the home of your dreams! You'll have the convenience of all the smart technology with no technological interruptions to your impeccable home!</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Contact us</a></span> today to set up your consultation appointment, and we'll take everything from there!</p>

How to Blend Your Smart Home Solutions with Your Impeccable Interior Design

Color changing lights and easy access to LED lighting are two things a smart home lighting system can do. Learn about other benefits here!

<p>Smart home automation features cover a wide spectrum these days. From smart thermostats to smart doorbells, you can set your home up to handle a variety of components. But one type of automation system you can add to your home that you shouldn&rsquo;t overlook is a smart home lighting system.</p>
<p>From ultra convenience to health benefits, find out the seven reasons why you should add this helpful device to your home!</p>
<h2>1. Convenience of Setup and Control</h2>
<p><img alt="Smart home lighting control from smartphone" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_1.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_1.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>When you add a smart home lighting system to your house, you gain the convenience of setup and control. You can access the setup of your lighting system from wherever you are and control all aspects of your lights, whether you&rsquo;re home or not. So, for those times you really don&rsquo;t want to get up to turn the light on or off, now you don&rsquo;t have to! Just use your smart device instead from wherever you are!</p>
<h2>2. Circadian Lighting</h2>
<p>Circadian lighting is a type of smart lighting that can be set on a schedule so that the color, temperature, and brightness of the bulbs can change throughout the day. This type of setup adjusts the atmosphere of your home, so you have the right type of lighting at specific times throughout the day.</p>
<p>By using this feature and changing the bulb's aspects at certain times, you can even sleep better or feel more energized, depending on what hour of the day it is. Since lighting can often affect our mood and overall health and wellness, you can&rsquo;t go wrong with using circadian lighting.</p>
<h2>3. LED Lighting</h2>
<p><img alt="Close up of hand turning LED lights on from phone" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_2.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_2.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Smart home LED lighting is energy-efficient lighting you can control with the touch of a few buttons. LED lights are six times more energy efficient when compared to incandescent lighting. These lights use less energy than their incandescent counterparts and therefore run longer. With the help of a smart home lighting system, you can program LED lights to work best in your home and power on and off when you&rsquo;d like them to do so.</p>
<h2>4. Dimming/Non-Dimming Switches</h2>
<p><img alt="Woman dimming lights from smartphone" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_3.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_3.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>When you have a smart home lighting system, you can control your dimming and non-dimming light switches even easier. You can remotely turn lights on and off, and then, if they have dimming features, you can dim the lights for some added ambiance in the room.</p>
<p>Some lights even have voice control, so you only need to speak the wake words and your command to get the desired effect!</p>
<h2>5. Fan Speed Control</h2>
<p>In addition to lighting controls, a smart home lighting system also provides you access to fan speed control. Oftentimes your fan has a switch on the wall, and if it&rsquo;s a programmable switch, you can adjust your fan speed simply by pushing a few buttons on your smartphone. You don&rsquo;t even have to move from your seat!</p>
<h2>6. Powers Shades for Natural Lighting</h2>
<p><img alt="Smart shades letting in natural lights" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_4.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_4.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Another aspect of your smart home that smart lighting makes easier is your smart shades. So, if you want to let in outdoor light easily, you can set up your powered window shades to operate with your smart home lighting system.</p>
<p>The smart home system may allow you to open and close your window shades, which lets the sunshine in during the morning hours and provides you with privacy when it starts to get dark outside. And you can even set up your lights to turn on once the shades or up, or even have them motion-activated!</p>
<h2>7. Color Changing Lighting</h2>
<p><img alt="Living room with color-changing lights" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_5.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Lighting_5.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Lights that change colors are also popular these days, and a smart home lighting system is just the thing to get the most out of it. You can add a party atmosphere to any room with color-changing lights and have the same convenience and control as the other lights in your system.</p>
<p>Plus, if you want to add a calming vibe to your room, you can choose a color that helps you relax. You can often choose one steady color or have the colors change periodically, depending on your mood &mdash; the choice is yours!</p>
<h2>Lights On!</h2>
<p>No longer do lights have to be for illumination purposes only; now, you can add the ambiance you crave and receive health benefits, too! With a smart home lighting system, you can sit back, relax, and let the system handle your lighting needs for you. And Real AV, has the plans and expertise to get your <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/catalog/home-control-lighting/" target="_blank">smart lighting</a></span> perfect!</p>
<p>So, don&rsquo;t wait! <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Call us today</a></span> to set up your consultation appointment!</p>

7 Reasons Why You Need a Smart Home Lighting System

Smart home automation can make the holidays much easier, but how? Discover how to use smart home automation this holiday season with our experts!

<p>The holidays are approaching fast, and this time of year can be festive and a little hectic all at the same time. If you&rsquo;re looking for ways to make the holidays easier, adding some smart home automation features to your house may be exactly what you need. Here are four ways a smart home makes the holidays easier.</p>
<h2>1. Automate Your Christmas Lights</h2>
<p><img alt="Home with Christmas lights on" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_1.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_1.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>If you have a Christmas tree in your home and festive lights on the exterior of your house, you know that for quite a few weeks throughout December, you&rsquo;ll be doing a lot of plugging the lights in and unplugging them before bed. But what if a system could do all this for you?</p>
<p>With a smart home automation system, you can automate your Christmas lights, so they go on and off at a certain time without you having to plug or unplug a thing. And if you want to take your festive Christmas light features one step further, you can even set the lights to music to bring the holidays home more easily.</p>
<h2>2. Prevent Your Holiday Packages From Getting Stolen</h2>
<p><img alt="Home with packages on porch and Christmas wreath on door" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_2.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_2.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>Buying your holiday packages takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Therefore, you want to make sure you keep these items safe when you are away from the house. With theft crimes increasing in many places during the holidays, you want to take every possible step to ensure you won&rsquo;t be a victim and your gifts will stay safe and sound.</p>
<p>With the help of a smart doorbell, you can monitor the activity at your front door and be notified of any motion so you can bring your package inside safely and swiftly.</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> If you have a smart door lock, you can even open the door and direct the delivery person through the doorbell to leave it inside your home and lock it when they&rsquo;re out (or direct them to the garage!).</p>
<h2>3. Smart Thermostat Zones</h2>
<p><img alt="Close up of hand adjusting smart thermostat" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_3.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_3.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>As the seasons change, the temperatures fluctuate. Certain parts of your home may be colder or warmer than others. With the help of a smart thermostat, you can keep certain zones of your home within specific temperature ranges. For example, if you&rsquo;re baking food for holiday meals in your kitchen all day long, you can lower the temperature in that zone as it will be nice and warm from the heat of the oven.</p>
<p>In addition, if you have house guests staying with you over the holidays and they are used to warmer temperatures, you can use your smart thermostat to keep their room zone warm. And best of all, by not unnecessarily using your HVAC system in certain areas of the home at specific times of day, you may save money on your electric bill, even with all those Christmas lights!</p>
<h2>4. Vacation Modes</h2>
<p><img alt="Close up of someone packing to go on vacation" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_ci/Q4_2022/CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_4.jpg" title="CI_Smart-Home-Christmas_4.jpg" width="700" /></p>
<p>During the holiday season, many people take vacations and leave their homes vulnerable. So, if you plan to be away from your home on vacation, you can make it seem like someone is home to protect your property with smart automation!</p>
<p>With a smart home automation system, you can program the system to turn your lights on and off at certain times, get real-time security alerts, and remotely monitor your system from anywhere in the world. You can also set your smart thermostat to a different temperature while you&rsquo;re away, so you aren&rsquo;t paying for energy you don&rsquo;t use.</p>
<p><strong>Pro Tip:</strong> Some smart home devices include a dedicated vacation mode feature!</p>
<h2>Smart Home Automation Makes Life Easier</h2>
<p>There you have it; four ways home automation can make the holiday season easier! And it&rsquo;s not just the holiday season <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/catalog/electronics-automation-control/" target="_blank">smart home automation</a></span> can help you with &mdash; this year-round home feature will make life easier every day!</p>
<p>Now is an excellent time to review your needs with one of Real AV custom integrators to see how you can automate and improve your life. Think about what features you&rsquo;d like your smart home automation system to include, and we can make it happen. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.real-av.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Contact us</a></span> today, and we&rsquo;ll set up a consultation appointment to get you started!</p>

4 Ways a Smart Home Makes the Holidays Easier

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How to Blend Your Smart Home Solutions with Your Impeccable Interior Design

7 Reasons Why You Need a Smart Home Lighting System

4 Ways a Smart Home Makes the Holidays Easier

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