Everyday Easy means that you are in control of your electronic lifestyle at all times. Control4 is a system that delivers Everyday Easy to many homeowners
throughout the United States and is also available in many countries around the world and you may have experienced the system while staying in a hotel where the system has been installed. Control4 offers a complete integrated system that allows you to manage the entertainment systems in your home. You can access your music and videos from any room in house, listen to different music in different rooms at the same time. You can watch a movie with a simple remote that can start the movie, dim the lights, adjust the temperature, and even start the popcorn popper with a few selections on your TV. In addition to entertainment, Control4 can interface with your security system, cameras, and lighting to give you piece of mind when you are at home or anywhere with internet access.

What makes the system Everyday Easy? The Interface is the key to Control4’s success. I learned more than a decade ago, when just getting involved in this industry that the interface (how you intereact with a system) is what brings all of the individual systems together into a seamless, single system. The homeowner is the true interface to the individual systems and the better the equipment interface is in allowing the homeonwer to control the systems, the better the overall experience will be for the homeowner. Control4 has many interface options in its arsenal. You can select from handheld remotes, TV on-screen menus, In-wall touchscreens, keypads, and WiFi Touch tablets. A proper design will give you flexibility and control of the system allowing you to use an interface within a few steps from anywhere in the house.

As stated earlier, Lighting Control is a very important sub-system in home automation. With just a few simple switches and dimmers, Control4 can reduce energy consumption. Lighting accounts for 20% of all electricity consumed in the U.S. and it is reported that 50% of that is wasted. With a well designed layout, a homeowner can enjoy scene and mood lighting while saving money and helping out the environment. In addition to lighting, Control4 is already working closely with the energy companies in further developing the interface to smart meters and smart appliances that will allow homeowners to control settings that will further reduce energy consumption in smart appliances.

Now, that you know a little more about why you wanted Everyday Easy in the first place and what it really means, you maybe asking yourself: “Sounds great, but I live in an existing home, Do I have to live without Everyday Easy?”
No, Control4 is a great system, and it is made even better in the fact that it uses a combination of wired and wireless devices to complete the design
giving existing homes and homeowners the ability to have complete systems installed. Another great feature of Control4 is that you can start out small and
build onto the system overtime, when the budget allows. This gives a migration path for every budget and every need…. Now that is Everyday Easy!

Mark Hardy
Vice President
Digital Interiors - West

We have seen an increase in the number of inquiries and sales of residential cameras systems that protect, offer a piece of mind, and even provide evidence in the event that a criminal trespass has occurred. The technology that is available at a reasonable price, is truly remarkable and has been improved in the last 5 years.

With today’s technology, a homeowner can position cameras strategically and then have the option to view those cameras on TVs throughout the house, securely over the internet from anywhere in the world, or both. The camera technology has improved with cameras that have day/night capablility and are color are less expensive and much smaller than their predecessors. Also pan, tilt, and zoom cameras give additional flexibility in monitoring a home.

Cameras come in two format options. Traditional, and still strongly recommended, is the analog camera format. The other format is IP based cameras. These will run as devices on a home’s existing network. Although IP based cameras are available, analog camera quality is better and one negative of the network cameras is that if the network is not robust or the network goes
down, the reliablity of the cameras is effected. This is a consideration to think about when planning a surveillance system.

Another consideration when planning a surveillance system, is how to get wires in proper position when putting a system in an existing home or business. Both formats have hardwired and wireless cameras available, so a proper design should take into consideration the cost of retrofitting with sheetrock repair compared to the added expense of wireless cameras. A typical home can have good coverage by configuring 4-6 cameras in specific locations. A System Designer should perform a site visit to assist on the best placement of cameras to maximize coverage. Typical places that cameras are positioned are the front door, driveway view, rear entry doors at deck and basement levels, as well as back yard and/or pool area views.

Now that the cameras are in the proper position, how does the homeowner see what the camera sees? As I mentioned earlier, there are options to view the cameras in several ways. First, with the proper wiring and connection points, camera signals can be modulated (create a TV channel) and broadcast onto multiple TVs in different rooms in the house. Secondly, the cameras can be viewed through a secured website allowing one to view the cameras from anywhere in the world where there is internet access. Another method of viewing cameras is through a DVR. A DVR is a digital video recorder that allows you record onto its hard drive, the activity that has occurred based on events or schedules. A homeowner can review the recorded material based on time stamp or events. Many DVRs have the ability to then copy the information to a DVD or other storage medium that can be delivered to authorities as evidence. This allows a homeowner a pro-active tool in assisting authorities in solving a crime that has occurred.

With a well designed surveillance system, a homeowner can get the piece of mind that we all expect when we are in our residence and protect our assets that we have worked hard for and protect or families from the likes of the
criminal world, at least until the economy improves to the point when they are
not as desperate.

Mark Hardy

Digital Interiors (West)

Shan Mize

Woodman Insulation

If you are not interested in a established community lot, you can research available lots yourself.  If that becomes to large of an undertaking a sales agent will be able to help you best.  They have the contacts, counterparts, and search engines to make the process all the easier.  Of course you will pay for the services, so you need to weigh the value.

Your savings on a foreclosed lot could set you in the right direction for that desired additional square footage or more affordable mortgage.  You may also find you can move into a more favorable location with a foreclosure opportunity.

JR

JR McDowell Homes, LLC

Shan Mize

Woodman Insulation

When an audio source is distributed to multiple listening areas, known as audio zones, the system is called whole-house audio. It does not matter if it is 2 zones or 24 zones and it usually isn’t a question of if one wants or doesn’t want wholehouse audio, but based on my budget, how many zones and where do I put speakers? In most homes a designed 4–6 zones of audio is a very good coverage and most systems are configured to accommodate 4 or 6 zones. Typically the zones that are the most popular include the Kitchen and Grilling Area or Deck. These are then followed by the Master Bedroom, then depending on one’s lifestyle, we will see either the Dining Room, Home Office, or a Basement Rec Room. Based on my experiences I find that the Dining Room will be a choice if the homeowner has frequent sit down dinners, entertains regularly, or if the Dining Room is positioned just off of or near the foyer, where it can serve Music while greeting guests. When it comes to speakers in the home office, I find that a person is either the type of person that can work effectively with music going or you are not. Doesn’t seem to be much of  a middle of the road with this room. If you are the type that benefits from background music while you work then you may want to consider adding speakers to your office. Remaining areas that often will be considered are the Master Bathroom, Terrace patio, Pool Areas, and believe it or not garages. Garages have really become into their own in recent years with the specialized floors and organized cabinets. The areas have been transformed into a livable extension to the house with many homeowners adding TVs as well as speakers. Audio can be listened to while working in the garage, playing basketball in the driveway, or working in the yard.

Now that you have a better understanding of where to put speakers, how do you control the source equipment feeding the speakers? There are two primary

types of whole house audio systems. There are single-source and multi-source systems. Either way the sound is great, it becomes a choice of how you interface with the source equipment. In a single source system, you can have many sources, typically stacked in the Family Room Cabinet. Whichever source is being played, for our example lets say the CD player is playing, each and any of the zones (rooms) can choose to turn on/off the audio or select a volume setting, giving individual control in that particular zone. If the CD is paused, then the audio is paused in every zone. With a true multi-source system, you have the ability to listen to multiple sources simultaneously throughout the house. For example, Dad can be grilling out while listening to the Braves game out on the back deck, while Mom is listening to a Jazz CD in the Kitchen while preparing the appetizers, while another family member is in the Rec Room listening to an MP3 player all at the same time, all with individual on/off and volume setting controls in each zone. In addition, multi-source systems typically come with the ability to do IR control from any keypad. This gives each zone separate control of the source equipment as well such as pause, stop, next disc, channel  up, next song, etc. This really gives the homeowner the ability to control their equipment without having to run up and down the stairs.

With multi-source systems you can have 1-6 different sources available in the system configuration. Typically the input sources incude, a receiver (AM/FM), cable or satellite TV, CD player, and an iPod interface. In addition some homeowners will include the DVD player to have another CD option or

maybe satellite radio. Another good source finding its way into many homes is  a media server. A media server is a great source to consider adding to the mix. With a media server you store all of your CDs on the hard drive and then you can access them through the TV display. This solves a problem that most of us have, where is that CD?, and worse, the larger the collection, the harder it is to catalog and keep track of. A media server does that for you and you can select the songs to be played by artist, album, genre, or create playlists. Media servers often allow 2 or 3 outputs (streams) which means that ;eventhough,  there is one collection, family members can listen to 2 or 3 differenct cds at the same time with gapless playback between songs. Now you can store the CDs out of the way and have instant access to your music collection.

There are additional whole-home systems that not only distribute audio sources, but there are systems available that will distribute video, control lights, control HVAC, and security into one easy to control interface. The industry leaders for these types of systems are Crestron, Control4, and HAI. In future Blogs you will hear more about these manufacturers and the benefits of their systems.

Whole-house Audio gives you the experience of elegant entertaining with your favorite background music whispering around you as your guests mingle from room to room. Or maybe it’s the big game and you turn your cable/satellite box to the correct channel, mute the volume on all the tvs, and adjust the volume in the different zones to give you the “We are the Champions” stadium affect. You will be able to hear the action as you break to the kitchen for your favorite beverage or to the foyer to sign an autograph for an admiring guest that wanted to personally thank you for the invite. Other experiences allow family members to all listen to their own source or style of music without disturbing others or for one person to do their impersonation of Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”, while air-guitarring to high-impact sounds throughout the house. Entertaining not your bag?, that’s okay, the true beauty of wholehouse audio isn’t having the ability to crank up the music all over the house, but rather the ability to turn audio on in one zone while not disturbing others that are in another zone. Again I will us the lighting as an example. It will allow you to use a reading lamp to bring just enough audio to a room without having runway lights going out a room and down a hallway. Wholehouse Audio allows you to listen to soothing sounds while you grill out, read a book, or maybe listen to the news while you exercise or do your daily chores.

These are all experiences that occur in many homes that I step foot into and I invite you to create your own experiences as you Move Into Music.

Mark Hardy

Vice President

Digital Interiors - West

Silicone, like GE Silicone II is one of the higher performing sealants.  It is intended for exterior windows and doors.  This product comes in a variety of colors.  Silicone is easy to work with if you have the experience, but difficult if you do not.  Although, it is not paintable.  You may find some brands that are paintable, but since most are not pay attention .  So, if you are trying to match your caulking to your trim color you need to rethink using silicone.  Another option is using a latex sealant.  Some latex sealants are siliconized, so it is like a hybrid.  Latex can be a little easier for an amateur to apply.  It comes in a variety of colors and some is paintable.  This may be a good option if you are looking to match it.  Consult with your local professional paint store or hardware store.

Existing failed caulking can be removed with a five-in-one.  This is a classic painter tool that has various edges you can utilize to remove caulking.  Once you have removed the failed sealant, you need to clean the area with a duster paint brush.  I call it that since it is a secondary brush used for prepping and cleaning surfaces.  You want to get rid of any loose dirt, dust, debris before applying your new caulking.  To make the caulking application easier, I recommend a dripless caulking gun.  With a dripless gun you will not need to worry about thumbing the button on the back of the handle every time you complete your line.  Before loading your dripless gun you must open the tube of caulking.  Your dripless gun has a razor cutter in the handle you can utilize to cut the tip off the tube.  Be careful not to cut too much as that will determine the bead or amount of caulking the tube will distribute once you squeeze the trigger.  The metal rod underneath the nose of the gun can be utilized to poke through the preserver barrier at the base of the nozzle.  So, cut the tip of the tube, poke the preserver barrier, load the tube, prime the trigger a few times, and you are ready to go.  Once you apply the caulking, run your finger down the freshly applied bead to smooth it out nice and neat.  Have some rags on hand as you will want to wipe any excess off on the rag.  

I recommend inspecting your home on an annual basis to maintain your investment.  It takes little time and is very much worth it.

JR McDowell 

JR McDowell Homes, LLC

 Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your home gutter system intact.

Clean and well maintained gutters add to your home’s sale-ability.  And protect your home and foundation.

AAA Metal Works suggest that you clean your gutters at least twice a year or more, depending on the amount of trees in your yard.  If your gutters are clogged with debris such as leaves and twigs, the rain will not run off or drain properly. In addition to the fact that the weight from the debris and the water that the gutters may hold will cause the gutter to become un-pitched or cause them to loosen from the fascia and eventually the gutter may come completely off the house. If your gutters have not been maintained for a while, it is possible that once they are cleaned out they will need to be re-secured and re-pitched to properly drain the water.  It is also important to make sure that the rain isn’t spilling over the top of your gutter and onto your foundation. Over time this can cause damage to the home’s foundation. 

Your gutters should be cleaned in the fall after all the leaves have fallen from the surrounding trees, and in the spring. While you’re cleaning your gutters you will want to inspect them for any holes or rust through. Make sure there are no loose nails. Check to make sure the gutters are securely fastened to the house. 

After you have removed all the debris from the gutter you’ll want to rinse any remaining debris down the gutter and into the downspout with your garden hose. This will also help you to make sure that your downspout isn’t clogged with debris. If you find the water not running into the downspout you can remove the downspout, clean it and then reattach it. 

Make sure that the water running out of the downspout is being properly diverted with the use of a plastic or concrete diverter.  In certain situations downspouts are piped into an underground drainage system in either case you don’t want the water emptying out on the ground where it will cause erosion. 

Gutter guard or gutter screen have become very popular and do away with the problem of having to clean your gutters, although they will still need two yearly inspections. While gutter guards prevent large leaves from entering the gutter they do not stop much smaller natural debris such as seeds, buds, small pieces of bark and twigs or evergreen needles. All this type of natural matter breaks down over time to form debris in your gutter. Also, debris can build up over the gutter guard screening that will have to be manually cleaned off.

Proper maintenance of your gutters each year will protect your gutters and improve the performance of your gutter.  And in most cases extend the life of your gutters and downspouts.

AAA Metal Works

Metal roofing and gutters.

Scott Arvesen, Owner

770-222-9254

Professional periodic cleaning is the second most important aspect in extending the life of carpet as it not only removes dirt and debris from the carpet but also surface contaminates such skin oils from bare foot traffic. When selecting a professional cleaner, make sure that the company uses the hot water extraction method of cleaning with truck mounted equipment and that they are preferably IICRC certified. Resist the temptation to rent a machine and clean the carpet yourself to save money. If you choose to do so, it may appear to be cleaner initially but more than likely will get soiled rapidly due to the application of too much cleaning solution and the inability of the rented 110 volt machine to extract all of the moisture/cleaning solution. Professional cleaning intervals vary based on carpet type and traffic but every 18 to 24 months is recommended.

Bob Keith
Idlewood Interiors

Shan Mize

Woodman Insulation