Home Assistant is slowly but surely becoming the ultimate platform for comprehensive home automation. It allows users to create a truly customized and connected environment with the most integrations we've ever seen. Home Assistant has a pretty powerful automation engine too so you can program anything from simple lighting control to complex, multi-device routines. And it's open source which means we can all contribute and the basic software is free.
The secret to making your Home Assistant set-up better than ever? Add Z-Wave to it! You can instantly increase the functionality, reliability, and device compatibility of your smart home environment. Z-Wave brings a vast range of new device options that can communicate securely and consistently. They are feature rich with tons of advanced settings to choose from so you can find a good match for any use case.
In today’s highly competitive alarm business, offering security alone is no longer enough. Customers are increasingly expecting more – they want smart security solutions that work seamlessly with their modern lifestyles. The great news for your business? If you already install alarm panels, there’s a good chance they come equipped with Z-Wave technology, a straightforward entry point to home automation.
Z-Wave is a robust wireless protocol that enables a wide array of smart home services, allowing you to move beyond the traditional boundaries of alarm systems and tap into the expanding market of home automation. By leveraging the already included Z-Wave protocol, you can offer your customers centralized control over lighting, thermostats, door locks, and much more – all from the convenience of their existing alarm panel. This not only enhances the value you deliver but also sets your business apart as an innovator in the security space.
Caring for aging parents or loved ones with limited independence is a journey filled with both emotional rewards and practical challenges. The emotional toll of balancing this responsibility with other aspects of life can be overwhelming. We want to share some helpful shortcuts from our field of expertise: smart home technology.
You'd be surprised how an inexpensive and simple system like a hub and a few connected devices can change your daily routine. With the guide below, we will help you create a supportive, secure environment tailored to your loved one’s needs, all while reducing the constant worry that comes with caregiving.
Water damage is one of the top home insurance claims in the U.S. Most of us have either experienced a leak or will experience one, especially in our basements. It's stressful and costly to deal with repairs and insurance. So what can you do? Traditional flood monitoring methods, such as manual water level gauges and simple alert systems, are less effective and are quickly becoming outdated. Thankfully, there are smart flood protection systems available today.
In today's fast-paced world, the concept of a smart home is no longer a futuristic dream but a present-day reality. At the heart of a truly reliable and efficient smart home setup is a robust hub that acts as the central command center for all your devices. The Z-Box Hub stands out as a game-changer, offering unparalleled reliability and ease of use.
Welcome to the ultimate guide on transforming your home with smart lighting. We want to focus on the solutions that are most helpful in creating a comfortable, energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing environment. Whether you're just beginning your journey into home automation or looking to expand your existing setup, understanding the nuances of smart lighting is essential. Let's jump in!
Imagine your lights gradually brightening in the morning, simulating a natural sunrise to help you wake up gently and feel more refreshed. In the evening, your lights gradually dim, creating a calming atmosphere that can help you unwind and prepare for a good night’s sleep. Sounds perfect, right? But how exactly do you get there?
Smart lighting is one of the first steps in automating your home or office. It brings convenience, energy efficiency, and it's pretty fun. If you're a renter or someone looking for a quick and easy way to upgrade your home's lighting, you're probably thinking about smart bulbs. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits and limitations of smart bulbs. We'll cover some creative ways to maximize their value as well as the best methods to control them. By the end (spoiler alert), you'll understand why you may still want to invest in smart switches over smart bulbs.
You've likely encountered announcements about the arrival of Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) devices. In fact, many of the products sold at our store today support the new ZWLR protocol. But what exactly does "long range" mean in the context of home automation? How is it different from the conventional Z-Wave mesh setup? And most importantly, what advantages does it offer to everyday users?
Z-Wave devices are all interoperable. This means that technically, any Z-Wave enabled device can successfully communicate with another Z-Wave device, exchanging messages using wireless signal. Regardless of the brand, chip version, or product type, they work together seamlessly. Or do they?
Some of us are excited about Matter, some of us are dismissive, some of us are anxious. What does it mean for my Z-Wave gear? Will my smart home system become obsolete or incompatible with devices from my favorite brands? There’s a lot of uncertainty behind Matter’s promises and not many details about how Z-Wave will play into the new landscape. In this blog post, we take a closer look at how Z-Wave and Matter can coexist and interact in the future.
Let’s take a closer look at the first Z-Wave focused hub for US and Canada. We will uncover its primary benefits, UI features, how to use the Z-Box mobile app, and what sets the system apart from other hubs available today.
As we often tell our customers, there isn’t one perfect smart home platform to solve it all. The Z-Box Hub is no exception. What makes it unique is its focus on easy access to advanced automation functionality while keeping the key data and processes off-cloud.
Insteon just became another smart home company to shut down their services. Overnight, the platform’s servers were disconnected, leaving their customers without a functional smart home. SmartLabs, Insteon’s mother company, claims to have sold over 5 million connected devices; that’s a lot of sensors, switches, and controllers that became orphaned. Does it mean that all of this hardware is now completely useless?
It turns out that there are ways to salvage your Insteon products and continue using them, at least to some extent, on other platforms who stepped up and provided integration for this protocol. However, these workarounds are less than user-friendly and will require more time and possible frustration around a system that’s no longer backed by any official support. What’s the alternative and is it even worth it to have a connected house these days?