The Official Smarthome Blog – All Things Home Automation

With Valentine’s Day less then a week away, make sure you’re home is ready for this special occasion.  Nothing makes Valentine’s more special then the small touches of mood lighting. So set the mood for Valentine’s Day or any other special event with INSTEON-compatible lighting control. Using your home’s existing wiring, these products connect in seconds for whole-house mood lighting at the press of a button. The good thing about these ideas is that the products can be used after Valentine’s is over. With multiple uses for the products you can save money and have the latest in lighting for your home.

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Mi Casa Verde is offering home control that is affordable for everyone, with their new Vera 3, Z-Wave controller. Featuring a faster processor, more memory for downloading apps and upgraded Wi-Fi, Vera 3 is more powerful than ever. Advanced users with multiple device types and plug-ins will find Vera 3 is up to almost any challenge. Compatible with INSTEON, Z-Wave, and X10 devices, the Vera3 allows user’s to easily integrate new lighting or appliance controls into their home, while also providing them a choice between different protocols to be used. Vera3 is compatible with all other types of Z-Wave devices. This gives the user a larger selection of devices to choose from. Take advantage of everything the Z-Wave world has to offer and choose the devices that best match your home decor.

Vera 3 is a great solution for new construction and those who already have home automation devices installed in their home or business. Vera’s unparalleled interoperability lets you include your existing devices and add on new device types, such as Z-Wave, INSTEON, and IP cameras. Receive an alert and view live video footage on your web enabled mobile device anytime a motion sensor is tripped in your home or business. Imagine knowing exactly when your children get home from school, when an elderly grandparent gets out of bed, or if motion has been detected while you are away on vacation. Vera 3 can automatically turn on lighting so you never have to approach your home in the dark. change a thermostats temperature in your home while on your way there from work. Monitor energy usage to find bad habits you can change to save money and track your spending. Automatically receive notifications when motion is detected, a certain device has been activated, a flood or leak has been detected, and much more.

Using Z-Wave or INSTEON sensors, metering devices, IP cameras, and lighting or appliance control modules, you will give yourself the power to know exactly what you are spending on energy and exactly what is going on in your home, even when you are not there. Vera 3 can be remotely accessed from any web enabled mobile Device (iPhone, iPad, Notebook computer, etc.), free of charge. Locally or remotely program and control your Z-Wave or INSTEON devices through the use of Events, Scenes, and Timers. These different forms of control offer excellent flexibility to the homeowner. With the Vera 3 you will improve your quality of life and save money using automated lighting and appliance control. You have unlimited options for scenes, rooms, timers, events and notifications. You can provide better security and a safer environment for your family. Most important, you can save a great deal of money by scheduling your devices to only activate when needed, and do all of this while improving your home decor. Read more

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Have a long day at the office or an extra grueling workout? How nice would it be to be able to relax and calm your nerves in your own personal steam bath? Our project is based on the Mr. Steam steam bath generator system available at Smarthome.com.

Note that this is a fairly advanced setup and you should be familiar with home plumbing, electricity and carefully examine your existing layout and plumbing before moving forward. To safely install a steam generator in your home you should have a fully-enclosed shower or sealed, weatherproof room with a drain. Please consult the Mr. Steam installation guide for more information.

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