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What are some of the key initial elements to consider as you begin planning a home automation installation? Here are several. 

<p>A bit of advanced planning can go a long way in several different areas of our lives, and a good example here is anyone looking to install or upgrade a home automation system. This isn't the sort of project you can just pick up one afternoon and have completed by the evening; home automation takes some time and research to get right, and it pays to work with top professionals during this process.</p>
<p><img alt="wall tablet showing temperature inside home" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/prosource_member_blogs/VAUD23/VAUD23-home-automation-planning_1.jpg" /></p>
<p>At AVI Systems, we're proud to offer the very best home automation services available, including <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/residential-solutions/home-video" target="_blank">home&nbsp;video</a><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/residential-solutions/home-video" target="_blank"></a></span>, home audio, security and surveillance, and more. We're also here to help with any needs you may have during your planning and budgeting processes for any of our systems, and we work with clients throughout this process. In this multi-part blog series, we'll go over all of the important areas to cover when planning a home automation installation or upgrade, including some you may be able to handle on your own and some others where our team will be happy to assist you.</p>
<h2>Looking at the Big Picture</h2>
<p>As you're getting started with your home automation setup, it's best to begin with a very broad view of the project. This means considering all of the potential areas where automation could be beneficial in your home, and not just focusing on the one or two that are most important to you right now. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of adding some new features to your home, but it's important to remember that automating everything at once can be very costly and may not be necessary. It's often best to start small, automate a few key areas, and then expand as needed or as your budget allows.</p>
<p><img alt="woman looking at home security on tablet" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/prosource_member_blogs/VAUD23/VAUD23-home-automation-planning_2.jpg" /></p>
<p>Some of the most common areas for automation include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Home security and surveillance</li>
<li>Lighting control</li>
<li>Climate control</li>
<li>Entertainment systems</li>
<li>Automatic doors and window coverings</li>
<li>And more!</li>
</ul>
<p>Once you have a good idea of all the potential areas for automation in your home, you can start to narrow down which ones are most important to you and which can be put on the back burner for now. From there, it's time to start getting into the details of each individual area.</p>
<p><img alt="woman looking at floorplan of home on tablet" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/prosource_member_blogs/VAUD23/VAUD23-home-automation-planning_3.jpg" /></p>
<h2>Home Layout</h2>
<p>Next, you'll need to take a close look at your home's layout and start thinking about how automation can be integrated. This is where working with a <a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/our-process" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">professional team like ours</span></a> can really come in handy, as we have years of experience with home automation installations of all sizes and can offer some great insights during this planning phase.</p>
<p>For instance, if you're looking to automate your <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/residential-solutions/home-theater-media-rooms" target="_blank">entertainment&nbsp;system</a><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/residential-solutions/home-theater-media-rooms" target="_blank"></a></span>, we'll need to take a close look at the layout of your home theater room or living room to determine the best placement for speakers, TVs, and other components. We'll also need to consider things like where your cable and internet connections are located and whether they can be easily reached.</p>
<p>In parts two and three of our series, we'll dig further into the details of the planning process for any home automation setup. For more on this, or to learn about any of our home security, surveillance, or entertainment systems, speak to the experts at AVI Systems today.</p>

Home Automation Planning: Big Picture, Home Layout

Consider these factors before adding a voice-activated interface to your smart home or home automation system.

<p><img alt="a woman in her kitchen with her voice activated smart home system" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_avi/Voice-activated-home-automation-systems.jpg" title="AVI" width="500" /></p>
<p>Voice-activated smart home systems have become one of the most popular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/automation/" target="_blank">home automation</a>&nbsp;choices today, thanks to the brand recognition of Alexa and her contemporaries.</p>
<p>Using your words to control your home automation and security functions is convenient and intuitive but, with a proliferation of hacking reports filling your newsfeed, you may wonder if it&rsquo;s a good idea &ndash; or if it&rsquo;s even safe.</p>
<p>With the right automation system design and strong security protocols in place, you can enjoy the ease of controlling your smart devices using the voice-assisted platform of your choice.</p>
<h2>How Do Smart Home Systems Work with Voice Activation?</h2>
<p>Even if you have never personally experimented with Amazon&rsquo;s Alexa, Apple&rsquo;s Siri or Google&rsquo;s eponymous VA interface, you&rsquo;ve likely seen TV commercials or videos that demonstrate their operation.</p>
<p>Depending on the interface you choose, you have a &ldquo;wake word,&rdquo; which is a specific word or phrase that activates the interface.</p>
<p><em>&ldquo;Hey, Siri&hellip;&rdquo;</em><br /><em>&ldquo;Okay, Google&hellip;&rdquo;</em><br /><em>&ldquo;Alexa&hellip;&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>In many cases &ndash; Alexa, for example &ndash; you can set your wake word to be whatever you&rsquo;d like it to be. Star Trek fans favor &ldquo;Computer&hellip;&rdquo; However, you must take care to not designate a wake word that you use regularly in conversation. Otherwise you might find your smart home system doing some unexpected things.</p>
<p>Once you use your wake word, you simply follow it with the command of your choice:</p>
<p><em>&ldquo;Okay, Google, set the thermostat to 73.&rdquo;</em></p>
<h2>Voice Controller Options for Smart Home Systems</h2>
<p>For the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/2018/10/20/diy-home-automation-system-installation-myths/" target="_blank">DIY home automation</a>&nbsp;contingent, the three voice controllers we discussed above are the most popular choices.</p>
<p>However, when you use a professional A/V and home automation installer, you have these and many more options to choose from &ndash; and many, many more opportunities to customize your system in a way that best fits your lifestyle.</p>
<p>DIY smart home systems lack the cohesion and advanced programming options that professionally installed systems offer. If you think you can do a lot with voice activation now, wait until you see what you can do with a truly integrated system using the latest in controls and automation technology.</p>
<h2>Should You Add Voice Activation to Your Home Automation System?</h2>
<p>If you&rsquo;ve hesitated to consider voice activation for your home automation system due to security concerns, you have another good reason to seek out a home automation professional.</p>
<p>When you set up a DIY system using Alexa or another VA assistant, you probably don&rsquo;t have the advanced security and programming knowledge to protect yourself and your home.</p>
<p>When you choose a professional to design, install and program your system, you won&rsquo;t have any of those concerns. At&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/" target="_blank">AVI Systems</a>, we use state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge security protocols, to make your home as secure as it is intelligent and intuitive.</p>
<p>We are based in Draper but we install home automation and security for residential and commercial clients throughout northern Utah. We also design and install audio/video systems, networking, central vacuum and home theatre systems.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">Contact us today</a>&nbsp;to learn more about you can add voice-activated smart home technology to your home automation and security system.</p>

Voice-Activated Smart Home System Options

When choosing a smart home system company for your Utah home automation, security or A/V system, ask these questions to ensure you’re making the right choice.

<p><img alt="assessing a home smart system from a smart phone" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_avi/ow-to-choose-a-smart-home-system-company.jpg" title="AVI" width="500" /></p>
<p>When you seek to install a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/automation/" target="_blank">smart home system</a>&nbsp;at your Utah home, you have many automation and A/V consultants to choose from.</p>
<p>How can you weed through the crowd to find the right smart home company for your project?</p>
<p>Today&rsquo;s smart home systems, home automation, security and A/V systems involve complex technical components and programming &ndash; and that means you need a true industry expert. Moreover, your home&rsquo;s comfort, safety and energy consumption may all be affected by your automation system.</p>
<p>Before you make an investment in home theater, surveillance or any other automation system, take the time to ask six important questions to the Utah smart home companies you&rsquo;re considering.</p>
<h2>No. 1: How Long Have You Been in Business in Utah?</h2>
<p>If you&rsquo;re going to invest in a smart home system, you need to know that the installer has been around long enough to know what they&rsquo;re doing and that they&rsquo;ll continue to be around in the future to support you and warranty their work.</p>
<h2>No. 2: What Types of Smart Home &amp; Automation Systems Do You Install?</h2>
<p>Some home automation contractors have limited brands and equipment. Others are beholden to a single manufacturer or brand. Look for a smart home or A/V contractor who offers the respected brands and equipment you can trust &ndash; and be sure that you get a manufacturer&rsquo;s warranty whenever applicable.</p>
<h2>No. 3: What Is Your Process for Smart Home Projects?</h2>
<p>Designing,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/2019/02/01/home-surveillance-systems-diy-vs-professional-installation/" target="_blank">installing and programming</a>&nbsp;a home automation or A/V system is a complex process. If a contractor seems disorganized, overly casual or lacks a clear plan for taking your project from conception to completion, proceed with caution. They may perform your system installation and setup in an equally haphazard manner.</p>
<h2>No. 4: Do You Have Financing Options?</h2>
<p>Unless you have the cash to pay for your system outright &ndash; or a way to self-finance your project &ndash; smart home companies that offer financing options can make the process easier and less stressful.</p>
<h2>No. 5: Do You Offer Support &amp; Maintenance Programs?</h2>
<p>You&rsquo;ll need strong customer support for any questions or problems that may come up. If the A/V contractor offers comprehensive maintenance programs, this will help extend the life of your investment and ensure its ongoing optimal functioning.</p>
<h2>No. 6: Do You Have a Local Utah Showroom?</h2>
<p>Although you may not be a hands-on shopper, consider making an exception when choosing A/V and home automation system components &ndash; especially if you&rsquo;re doing a home theater or hi-fidelity audio system. Being sure you&rsquo;re getting what you want before its installed will save you time, money and disappointment.</p>
<p>AVI Systems has been in business for more than two decades. In fact, our team as more than a half-century of combined experience in our industry. We offer components from the most respected manufacturers in our industry, including Control 4, Sony, Bose, Focal, Integra and more. You can see our range of products and prices at our Control 4 certified showroom, conveniently located in Draper. Utah.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/our-process/" target="_blank">Our process</a>&nbsp;for design and installation ensures that your system is carefully planned and installed with precision and care. You will have a dedicated project manager overseeing your project, providing proactive communication and a single point-of-contact.</p>
<p>We offer convenient financing through one of the nation&rsquo;s leading consumer financing specialists Brand Source by Citi. We offer responsive customer support as well as comprehensive extended maintenance programs.</p>
<p>Contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/" target="_blank">A/V systems</a>&nbsp;today to schedule a complimentary consultation for your Utah audio, video, security, automation and smart home systems.</p>

6 Questions for Choosing a Utah Smart Home System Company

Smart home technology and home automation can give older adults independence and help them remain in their homes longer than ever before.

<p><img alt="an older man with his granddaughter" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_avi/smart-home-for-elderly.jpg" title="AVI" width="500" /></p>
<p>Adding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/automation/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">smart home technology</a>&nbsp;is a highly effective way to provide security and independence for older adults who want to remain in their home as long as possible.</p>
<p>If you have older loved ones living alone, you can give yourself &ndash; and them &ndash; the peace of mind that comes with knowing help is only a voice command away at any time. But, with today&rsquo;s advanced home automation technology, you can also monitor their vital signs, get alerts if a problem occurs, set up convenience features and help prevent common accidents.</p>
<h2><span>Health-Specific Smart Home Capabilities</span></h2>
<p>Home automation systems can integrate a variety of monitors and wearable technology to monitor vital signs, body position and physical activities. Data can be tracked and stored, and alerts programmed to notify you, other family members, a designated caregiver or even emergency services upon specific triggers.</p>
<p>Research demonstrates how effective&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5336038/" target="_blank">smart home technology</a>&nbsp;can be when combined with wearable and health-specific devices and applications, potentially even allowing patients with dementia and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/JET-12-2015-0039" target="_blank">Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease</a>&nbsp;to remain in their homes longer than ever before.</p>
<h2><span>Automating Tasks with Smart Home Technology</span></h2>
<p>If you&rsquo;re worried that your loved ones might forget to turn off the oven or lock their doors at night, you can have their home automation0020system programmed to address these and related concerns.</p>
<p>For example, you can set security lighting and electronic door locks to activate between the hours of 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. You can program connected appliances &ndash; such as the range &ndash; to automatically shut off after a designated runtime.</p>
<p>Poor lighting has been connected to increased falls and other injuries in older adults. You can program a series of functions into a voice-activated scene, allowing the occupant to illuminate a room and open the blinds with a simple command. This way, your loved one doesn&rsquo;t have to maneuver through a darkened space to find a light switch</p>
<p>If older adults struggle to see or operate a smart thermostat, you can program the system to respond automatically to changing weather conditions or the time of day.</p>
<h2><span>Setting Alerts</span></h2>
<p>In addition to programming alerts for falls, escapes or potentially problematic changes in vital signs, you can program a smart home system to notify you in the event of specific triggers.</p>
<p>For example, you can have an alert sent to your or a caregiver&rsquo;s devices if one of your loved one&rsquo;s exterior doors opens or if someone rings their doorbell during the night. If your loved one has a hearing deficit, you can set a visual alert, such as making an overhead light flash, if someone rings their doorbell or if they forget to switch off the oven.</p>
<p>In Draper and throughout northern Utah,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avi-utah.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">AVI Systems</a>&nbsp;is your go-to expert for all types of home automation, smart home systems, security and surveillance. If you would like to explore helping your loved one gain more independence and safety in their come, contact us today for a home automation and smart home consultation.</p>

Smart Home Technology Gives Older Adults Independence

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