Home automation basics for remodeling

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Thursday, Jun 24, 2010

If you are considering remodeling your home, you should consider installing a home automation system. Home automation installations create less dust, noise, or inconvenience than most other upgrades to your home. It also offers benefits that help defray the cost of the improvement by reducing consumption of resources by your home. Below I discuss the basics of automation and working with a consultant to design your system.

Great room with new raised celing
Image by Brock Builders via Flickr

 

The home without an automation system will meet your needs, but only if you are attentive to them yourself. The alarm system you forget to arm before leaving will not be armed when you return home. The thermostat will continue to keep your home comfortable, even if nobody is home to enjoy it. The lights your teenagers have only learned to turn on will remain on unless you turn them off yourself. This can be costly if a burglar or utility bill arrives.

For your home to serve you, it must be capable of controlling its various systems automatically, based on various conditions and events. Your home should behave differently when you are away for work than it should when you are away for a vacation. Your home should tell you when there are problems that require your attention, or notify you of events that concern you, such as the door to your private office opening. It should help you avoid wasting resources, and should offer you comfort when you are home.

Picture of Honeywell's iconic model T87 thermo...
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Not all automation systems are the same, because they do not all use multiple types of automation. There are several types of automation: scheduled, event based, or conditional. Some systems operate by a rigid schedule only; an irrigation controller is an example of this- on and off based only on the time of day. Some systems are event based; an automatic garage door opener is an example. The event is you pushing the button or using the remote, causing it to open or close automatically. A thermostat is an example of conditional automation. While the temperature changes, multiple conditions exist before the thermostat turns anything on. If the temperature is higher than the thermostat is set for, and the heat/off/cool switch is in the cool position, then it will turn the air conditioner on. If only one of these two conditions exist, the air conditioner would remain off.

Automation systems can use schedules, conditions, or events as inputs. Essentially, an automation system is a computer, and its programs are simple if-then statements. If button one is pushed, then turn on light three. These programs can have conditional statements to modify the simple if-then statement. If button one and button two are pushed, then turn on light three. Some automation systems can integrate multiple independent systems. When integrated, the security system can control the thermostat and the lights, and vice versa; the automation system acts as a bridge between the various systems.

Light Switch Complicator
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This may seem (and can be) tedious, but what it means is that your home can now react to you and a changing environment. It also means that the reaction of the home is adjustable by simply changing the program statements in the automation system. This means that your home will not only serve you, but it will serve you differently as your needs change. If are injured or ill, or as you age, your home’s software can be changed to accommodate your different needs. Perhaps a new position at work requires travel; your home can simulate occupancy, reduce energy consumption, and prepare the home for your return. 

The primary step would be to work with a consultant to design your system. You need someone who is familiar with the various systems, technologies, and solutions. You should have a realistic budget in mind, and you should be comfortable sharing this budget with your consultant before up front. Your consultant should begin by asking you questions, learning about you, your habits, what your daily routine is, and how you use your home. You might wonder what this has to do with making your lights work, but your system should be custom designed for you. If your consultant does not ask you these questions, what kind of design will you get if all your consultant asks is your billing address? You should avoid the temptation to look through the parts list and start eliminating parts based on their price. If the design exceeds your budget, a good consultant will work with you to trim costs by removing features, not equipment based on price tags. Your consultant should also be able to advise you might items you might want to add later, when your budget permits.

When your system is installed, you probably will not have a complete understanding of how your system will work. The initial programming will reflect your anticipated activities based on your consultant’s questions about your normal activities. You should make notes of quirks or changes you would like to make; your installer should follow up with you after you have had about a month to explore your system. Software changes usually do not require a site visit, and your contract should cover software adjustments for several months after the installation.

SAN FRANCISCO - FEBRUARY 14: A for sale sign ...

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To maintain the value you just added to your home, maintain contact with your installation company. Prospective buyers of your home might view an automation system as a drawback if they think they will not be able to alter the system to meet their needs. If your installer offers a service contract, seriously consider accepting it. Your system will have batteries to replace, software to adjust, and upgrades that will become available. Wait until your system is correctly adjusted before offering any referrals to your visitors; this will provide added incentive for your installer to ensure your satisfaction!  

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A.I.P. (aging in place) remodel tips

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Monday, Jun 21, 2010

 

Modern home under construction
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You’ve decided you’re going to stretch your retirement funds and enjoy your life more by remaining in your own home for as long as you can. This is “aging in place”, and you’ll find a quick search of the internet will yield abundant results for this term. In fact, there are even designers who have earned the “CAPS” designation, or certified aging in place specialist. Not surprisingly, you’ll find that they have design ideas that you probably hadn’t thought about- it’s not all ramps and grab bars. These design ideas aren’t all complex either; some are as simple as removing rugs that might slip and cause a fall. Others are more complicated, requiring relocating walls, plumbing and electrical wiring. A quick remodel is all you need, right?

If you’ve remodeled before, you know what it’s like. For those of you who haven’t, let me tell you what it’s like. 

Electrical wiring and breaker box in basement ...

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A good tradesman who is familiar with the area can probably tell you how a home was built. An experienced one will not only know today’s building codes, methods and standards, but those of previous eras as well. The trick is to have enough experience that you can look at the structure and decide how you would have built it yourself. No matter how talented the tradesman, with remodels you just never know what you’re going to find when you cut open a wall, floor or ceiling. There may be a drain pipe in the wall that has been leaking since the day it was installed causing rot and mildew that will need to be repaired. Sometimes the wall you planned to move by two feet was where all the electrical wiring went from the first floor to the second, or turns out to support the roof. You may also discover that the house has already been remodeled by a previous incompetent tradesman. Shortcuts save money and don’t look bad at all when concealed by sheet rock, but are expensive and difficult to fix; that’s why they were taken in the first place. 

Asbestos removal with full protection and sour...

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Depending upon the age of your home, hazardous materials may be disturbed during the remodel. Asbestos and lead paint are two that are probably most common. Other hazards can be less obvious, like dead rodents or their droppings being added to the dust that is everywhere with any remodeling project. Abating lead and asbestos can significantly increase the costs of your project and complicate changes. 

With a remodel, you’re going to have a difficult time avoiding going over budget and behind schedule. Where do you stop the brand new plumbing and connect it to the old galvanized pipes that are full of rust? Do you connect the brand new electrical wiring to the existing overloaded fuse panel, or to the circuit breaker box which is full of obsolete breakers and code violations? Where do you stop the new flooring? Do you make the door hardware, electrical trim and paint match only the walls you have remodeled, or do you change them in the whole room? Do you upgrade your ductwork while you have the roof removed, or do you add extra insulation to the walls while they’re open? You can plan, but only so you have something to change later. 

Completed Lutron panel

Image by sparktography via Flickr

 

Your remodel will go through stages: demolition, installation, and trim. There will be noise, dust, construction workers in your home, materials staged in your garage, workman’s trucks blocking the driveway and a plastic toilet in your front yard. There will be interruptions to your water, your electricity or your ability to lock up your home. Your burglar alarm might develop problems it never had before. You’ll be heating or cooling the neighborhood, and someone will dump all their used furniture and appliances in the dumpster that’s ruining your front yard or filling your driveway. Of course this will mean that all the debris that were supposed to go in the dumpster will need to be staged in your back yard until there’s room for it in the dumpster. 

Eventually the project will be complete, and life will begin to return to normal. Of course, there will still be plenty of dust, and it might take until next season for the front lawn to look good again. If your neighbors are still talking to you, you can show them the improvements. Then you’ll start eyeing the next room, and your spouse will start eyeing the yellow pages for a divorce lawyer. 

The real trick to a successful remodel is to get the most benefit for the least cost. These costs include the joys of remodeling as described above as well as the money you pay your contractor. Unless you’re ready for the financial and emotional strain of a full blown remodel (which you aren’t, you just think you are), start with something small and simple. I’m biased towards home automation as a simple remodel with minimum dust, noise and disruption with maximum benefit- including security, comfort and energy savings. In fact, a well designed automation system can simplify future remodel projects by allowing you to remotely control access to and monitor your home. When workers know they’re on camera, they tend to spend less time talking on their cell phone! 

iMyHome
Image by MyOpen Community via Flickr

 

Plan your work, so that you’re not painting a wall you’re going to tear down in six months. Get rid of all the clutter you can, even if it means putting it in storage. Move out for the remodel, but don’t go on vacation where you aren’t able to be contacted- unless you trust your contractor to make expensive decisions for you! Decide where pets, valuables, and fragile items will go during the remodel. Keep a diary of all the activities, conversations, and payments. Take photographs or video of the project as it progresses. Don’t be afraid to ask about something that doesn’t look right as soon as it doesn’t look right. Perhaps the most important part of prudent remodeling is to deal with a licensed contractor and to know the laws you must both comply with.

As always, I’ll let my readers know that my employer offers home automation systems, including GrandCare Systems and Home Automation Incorporated systems.

Home-Automation-Inc-Logo
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GrandCare and the “competition”

Posted by  •  2 comments  •  Thursday, Jun 17, 2010

The Author, Art Dunn

The Author, Art Dunn

As I have promised readers of my blog, I will always be forthcoming about what products I or my employer offer when I’m discussing them. My employer offers GrandCare Systems at www.yourhomeservesyou.com. I was very much involved in the decision to become a GrandCare dealer. I did a good deal of research to learn about what GrandCare was, what it offered, who was behind it, and what the competition offered. 

Picture of a burglar alarm detection point.
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While I was aware of some of the challenges confronting seniors through my experience installing home automation systems, I was not aware of some of the direct solutions offered by GrandCare. I was aware of Personal Emergency Reporting Systems (P.E.R.S.), and I was aware that a burglar alarm system had some capabilities to be adapted to detect a lack of activity in a home. Unfortunately a P.E.R.S. would do nothing, especially if not worn or if the pendant was out of range of the receiver. Burglar alarm systems would most likely become a nuisance to whomever was to be called if there was no activity in the house, because circumstances would change from time to time. It would also be depending upon those in a central station who are used to burglar and fire alarm signals to understand clearly what the signals from the burglar alarm meant. I’ve often had things interpreted incorrectly by a central station operator, it taught me to keep things simple when involving them. 

When I was first approached to become a GrandCare Dealer, I took a quick look at the website and dismissed it. Thankfully, I was compelled to take a second look at it. That’s when I saw that it was as limited as I had thought it was. I thought it would just take a few medical measurements, that’s it. I realized it did so much more than that- that it preserved communication and connection with family rather than replacing it with a phone call from a central station or a message only when something is wrong. If I list all of the features currently available, this post would quickly become obsolete, so I’ll link you to GrandCare’s website for the latest information about features www.grandcare.com. 

Main complications of persistent high blood pr...
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GrandCare is as easy to use as an ATM

GrandCare offers the user a simple touch screen interface

I researched the competition with every search phrase I could think of. I keep informed daily about developments in the industry. As of the writing of this entry, I have still seen nothing that offers any real competition to GrandCare. I’ve seen burglar alarm systems that are supposed to “learn” the normal patterns of activity and then call the central station when there’s a deviation from that pattern. Another is a service that calls daily to check in on you. “Hi, Mr. (mispronounce terribly your name here) are you still alive? We just want you to know Mr. (mispronounce it again, just to let you know how well we know you) that we care!”. I saw a device that reminded you to take medication, then spit it out like it was a bubble gum machine, a GPS tracker that needed to be charged and worn by the person who wanders because they forget things (gee- like the tracker?). I’ve seen systems that record some wellness measurements, or that ask how you feel today versus yesterday. I assume it would call someone if you told it I feel miserable today, I was miserable yesterday and I’ll probably feel miserable tomorrow too. Should we just pencil in the whole week for feeling that way now and call it good? 

Conventional (mechanical) sphygmomanometer wit...

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Maybe I’m terribly misrepresenting these other systems. If I am, please correct me. My point is that each system addressed one facet of aging in place, but not all of them, or at least not the important ones. What about the social benefits of staying connected to friends and family with email and pictures? What about listening to music, or hearing your children’s voices? What about seeing pictures from around the world or of various animals, buildings, skylines or art? What about calendars, quotations, scriptures, weather, games and something to engage the mind- like trivia? These were addressed by none of the other systems; would it be fair to call them “competition” since they don’t? None of them let caregivers dictate what “normal” was as far as activities. None of them circumvented the central station, communicating directly with the caregiver via phone, text, email or all three. None of them provided for caregiver notes to family or other caregivers. I don’t know if any of them allowed for printing graphs of data from blood pressure or other wellness measurements, if they recorded them at all. I also didn’t note any of them contacting anyone if things were outside of custom limits or trends. None of them monitored room temperature or would remind the user to put a coat on if it was chilly outside. Amongst other things, none of them could turn on a lamp so that the user wasn’t ever in the dark or walking in to a dark room. 

It was the lack of competition as well as the multiple benefits that made the decision to become a GrandCare dealer an easy one. I invite my readers to do their own research, and decide for themselves what meets their needs best? Something that does half the job for half the price? That would be like buying a car that would only take you to work, but wouldn’t get you home. Even if those solutions meet your needs today, will they meet them tomorrow? "focus on quality"

OK, perhaps not the most informative blog you’ll read today. It was inspired by yet another press release from the “competition” that offered fewer benefits and no real competition to GrandCare that crossed my desktop today on its way to the deleted items folder. I’m hoping that anyone reading this who might have dismissed a GrandCare System as a solution to aging in place to take a second look, like I did.

old television set

Does today's solution meet tomorrow's needs?

 

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New Website For Professionals

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Monday, Jun 14, 2010

Gatlin Gun
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Most of the things you use daily were relatively recent inventions which were met with the question, “what do I need that for? I can just keep using what I am using today.” . I recall seeing a single panel comic where a king is leaving his tent for a battle, dismissively waving his hand at a salesman with a Gatlin gun. The caption reads “I don’t have time for a salesman, I have a battle to win!”. The humor, of course, is obviously that the king would have done much better to listen to the salesman because the Gatlin gun would have offered him a clear benefit in the coming battle. The deeper humor is the possibility that this might have been the salesman’s second sales call of the day! 

Of course, salesmen who would have offered the Gatlin gun to medieval kings would have made a fortune. That’s because they would have a new technology that saved money, answered a great need, and was far superior to any competing product. GrandCare Systems offer anyone associated with them professionally similar benefits, there just needs to be some way to introduce it to those who need it. 

A tin of Shinola.

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I know that GrandCare is a superior product that meets a pressing and ubiquitous need, but I need to share that knowledge with others. Since they won’t know the value of learning about GrandCare unless I offer some value to them (which I think is only fair), I’m first going to have to provide a service that benefits them! Mutual benefit, win-win, whatever you prefer to call it, that’s the approach I’m taking. It really makes sense to do things that way anyway, because it’s congruous with the main benefits of GrandCare- improving the quality of life for those involved with it.

To this end, I have created a website that is parallel to the existing website linked to this blog www.yourhomeservesyou.com, which I designed mainly for consumers. The new website, www.grandcare-systems.com, is designed more for professionals whose interests would be served by associating with a GrandCare dealer. It offers a brief description of what GrandCare Systems are, and then explains the benefits the website itself offers to industry professionals. 

For instance, caregivers can register for a soon to be developed course to certify them in the use of GrandCare Systems, and a way to be listed as such so that consumers can find them. The caregivers benefit by being able to find clients, and by earning a certification that distinguishes them from other, less qualified, competitors. For healthcare professionals, I offer listing as healthcare professionals who work with patients who use a GrandCare System. This distinguishes them from their competitors and offers their patients the benefits of seeing healthcare professionals who understand their GrandCare Systems. Of course, they will require some yet to be created training as well, which will be offered to them as an additional benefit.

Hardhat laurel for review at en:wp:bag
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 Of course, consultants and installers will be needed to design, lease and install these systems; www.grandcare-systems.com gives a brief explanation of the opportunities available to those who understand the rewards available to such a “ground floor” opportunity and provides them a path forward. I’m particulary excited about this, because it is an incredible opportunity to profit by offering genuine value to customers. 

Charities and foundations may also benefit by visiting www.grandcare-systems.com by registering as viable recipients of rewards program payments, which is explained on the website as well. Professionals who would prefer their rewards payments (for registered referrals that result in leased systems) be sent to charity will be able to choose from a list of suggested charities who have registered for consideration. 

There may be further benefits I could offer customers or professionals, the brainstorming will continue. I will gladly entertain suggestions! Please share the site with your network of professionals; I’m sure their participation, comments and suggestions will simply add value to the website’s services. 

As I have promised my readers, I will always disclose when products or services discussed in my blog entries are those either I or my employer offer. My employer is an authorized GrandCare and Home Automation Incorporated dealer.

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how in-home caregiver agencies can increase profits wit ...

Posted by  •  2 comments  •  Friday, Jun 11, 2010

As a home care agency, you’re probably acutely aware of the increasing needs of our aging population. As demand for your services increases, qualified caregivers will become more difficult to find. Other agencies may offer better compensation, or they will work privately. You need some way to distinguish yourself from other agencies, to offer more value to your clients, and to increase the efficiency of your caregiver employees. Partnering with a GrandCare and home automation companies could provide you all of these things.Home Automation Incorporated's Omni-touch

There are good reasons you haven’t partnered with any kind of technology companies. You want your customers to spend their money with you, not with somebody else. This would be true if there were only a finite number of customers to be had. In fact, the number of potential customers continues to grow as the population ages. Technology solutions allow you to:

  • Offer your clients more than your competition.
  • Care for more clients with the same payroll expenses.
  • Realize increased profits by offering services that relate directly to the technology.
  • Reduce liability risks by using technology as an unbiased witness to the quality of your care.
  • Increase customer retention by allowing your clients to remain in their homes longer than they otherwise could.
  • Hire and retain better caregivers by offering training, certification and easier record keeping.
  • Increase the satisfaction of your customers by keeping them connected to family, friends, caregivers, healthcare professionals and the world.
  • Offer technology that reduces vulnerability to telephone scammers who contact your clients.

 

healthcare professional

use technology to work with healthcare professionals to care for your clients

GrandCare is as easy to use as an ATM

GrandCare offers the user a simple touch screen interface

Home automation companies can adapt the home to meet the unique and changing needs of your clients in ways that can preserve their independence in a similar fashion to universal design. Automation can cause the lights in the house to flash on and off to notify someone hard of hearing that the doorbell is ringing. Automation can close garage doors if they are forgotten, and won’t forget to turn on security lights in the evening. Automation systems can detect flooding and shut off water if a tub overflows. Automation systems can allow family members or caregivers to verify all the doors and windows are closed from anywhere in the world with an internet or telephone connection.

mobile phone text message
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Tele-wellness systems, such as GrandCare Systems can record wellness readings and verify activity without privacy robbing cameras. One caregiver can rotate from client to client without neglecting others, because programming created for each client’s unique needs will text message, email and call to alert the caregiver to unusual conditions. These could range from wellness measurements outside of normal to not getting out of bed at the usual time. Wellness measurements, caregiver notes, arrival and departure time as recorded by door entries or “clocking in” via the GrandCare System can document caregiver activity as well as client activity such as taking medicine. Calendars for the clients are available to family and caregivers for easy coordination of transportation to doctors or visits with friends. Caregivers can leave notes on the system for other caregivers that are not visible to the client.

Both GrandCare and automation systems can help defend your caregivers against accusations of theft. If valuables are stored in jewelry boxes, dresser drawers or closets, the time and date of them being opened can be recorded for comparison against caregiver activities. If something goes missing from a jewelry box but it wasn’t ever opened when your caregiver is in the home, it could prove innocence without question.

Your benefits and savings depend upon how you and your technology partners learn to benefit each other. They’re used to finding solutions to unique situations and to adapting to their client’s needs.

If you would like to learn more about increasing your profits, contact artdunn@yourhomeservesyou.com. Even if you’re not in the northern California area, there are networks of dealers across the country you would be able to consult with locally.

As always, I’ve promised my blog readers that I’ll completely disclose if I’m writing about a product or service that I or my employer offer. My employer is a GrandCare dealer as well as a dealer for Home Automation Incorporated, an automation system.

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In-home caregivers

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Thursday, Jun 10, 2010

As a professional in-home caregiver, your income depends upon your being able to provide care to your clients. If you care for one client, and that client no longer needs your care, you’re out of a job. What if that single client suffers a stroke or a fall, and uncertainty lingers as to the client’s ability to return to the home environment? Do you look for another client, or wait it out while watching your bank account dwindle? What if you find another client and your original client returns home? Do you leave your new client high and dry to return to your old client, who now has no caregivers to return home to? While it’s possible that your original client will continue to pay your normal pay for a week or so just to make sure they have a caregiver when they return home, they may not. It might seem a bit selfish to approach your ailing client or anguished family members to bring your problem- you need an income- to them at that time.

When clients need caregivers, their needs are immediate. When a caregiver is unemployed, the caregivers’ needs are immediate. Having the two coincide is rare. It’s usually that the caregiver needs a client when the client already has a caregiver, or that the client needs a caregiver when the caregiver is occupied with a client. Both the caregiver and the client are looking for security. If the client already has a so-so caregiver, the client may be unwilling to replace them. What if the new caregiver is worse than the old one? What if the new caregiver gets a better offer from someone else? A caregiver with a client is reluctant to leave that client for another. What if the new client doesn’t work out? Will the old client take them back? If the caregiver has “the word out” that they need a client, what if they go to work with the first client who is willing to hire them but then a more attractive client (lives closer to home, pays more, is more pleasant) becomes available a week later? Ethics, loyalty, affection for the client and financial realities are not always aligned.

Quality caregivers are a rare commodity, mediocre caregivers can afford to be so because there is a shortage of in-home caregivers that will be far more acute in coming years. This will coincide with governments being asked to keep expensive promises they can’t afford to keep. It would be a great advantage then, if quality caregivers could care for several clients simultaneously. It would also be a great advantage if clients and could locate and identify quality caregivers who can provide care for multiple clients.

Technology allows us to increase our output, to do more than what we could possibly do without it. Mowing an acre of lawn with scissors can be done, but to get it done in one day you would need an army of people cutting grass with scissors. With a lawnmower, you could cut the same acre of lawn with one person. The lawnmower is technology that allows one person to get more done. Instead of one guard at each of a dozen doors to secure a building, one guard could watch cameras and unlock doors remotely if needed. Again, technology allows one to do the work of many. Why can’t technology allow one quality caregiver to care for multiple clients if there is a technological solution that makes it possible? It can!

A John Deere lawn mower in a Finnish garden.
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Coming soon will be a website where caregivers and clients can connect. Coming soon will be online training for caregivers who want to become certified to use a GrandCare System, to enhance their skills and to help prospective clients to distinguish the quality caregivers from the mediocre ones. Once caregivers obtain certification, they will have access to GrandCare clients nationwide. For more detailed information, contact the author using the link below.

 

Keeping my promise of full disclosure when I’m discussing a product or service I or my employer offer, the services and equipment discussed will be shortly offered by my employer, NANLOW-DUNN inc. Any questions or comments may be directed to artdunn@yourhomeservesyou.com. www.yourhomeservesyou.com

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fire detection in your home

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Wednesday, Jun 9, 2010

Fire detection in your home           

         

A residential smoke detector is the most famil...

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Fire can spread very quickly in your home. Here’s a video link that gives you some idea of how quickly a small flame grows to engulf the whole house http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqMVm72FMRk&feature=related. As you can see in the video, fires grow from small to large in a very short period of time. As this news video shows, smoke is the usual killer in home fires http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnAaeTDRxek. How an ionization detector works can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJnxUwcfoQ&feature=related. I couldn’t find a decent video on photoelectric smoke detectors, so I’ll just explain how they work. Inside the smoke detector is a chamber with ventilation to the air in the room. A light inside the detector is pointed away from a photoelectric eye, and cannot detect the light unless smoke particles or something similar reflects the light onto it. It would be similar to shining a flashlight into the sky on a clear and moonless night; nothing would reflect the flashlight’s light back into your eyes. If you were to do the same on a foggy evening, you would see the light because the fog would reflect the light to your eyes.

Inside view of an optical smoke detector.

upper center of picture is where smoke is reflected from source to eye

 

Local, or monitored?

Smoke or fire alarm detectors can be local only, or monitored. Local only means that they just make noise- beeping, buzzing or a recorded voice. Monitored detectors are connected to an alarm system that is monitored by a central station, where an operator can dispatch the fire department for you. While local detectors are less expensive, they are designed to protect life only. A monitored system can save your life just as well, but it may also save your property by alerting firefighters while the fire may still be small. Since I and my employer sell fire alarm systems, I’m going to be honest about my bias towards monitored systems: If you can afford to have one properly installed and monitored, do it. If the fire traps you by blocking your means of escape, wouldn’t you prefer to have someone else call the fire department? Smoke detectors can be connected to most burglar alarm or automation systems, will work if you lose electrical power, and will even notify the central station if they have technical problems.

Detection

Photoelectric detectors will give false trips when exposed to dust or steam, as well as intentional fires- fireplaces, car exhaust, or dubious culinary activity. As the video above demonstrated, photoelectric detectors are not optimal for detecting open flame fires. To offer greater detection, fixed heat detectors have been added to photoelectric detectors, such as this product: http://www.homecontrols.com/GE-Security-Photoelectric-SmokeHeat-Detector-wCleanMe-2-Wire-GE521BXT. Heat detectors detect the heat of a fire, which will be far more extreme than will be found in normal conditions inside your home. Coupled with the photoelectric smoke detector, they should detect both open flame and smoldering fires. In extreme environments, such as an attic, smoke detectors are likely to be fouled with dust and difficult to access to maintain. In some instances, even the extreme temperatures required to trip a heat detector will exist in the attic. In these cases, rather than using a heat detector set to trip at a fixed temperature, a heat detector that detects a “rate of rise” in temperature should be used. These detectors usually have a very high fixed temperature threshold so that they will detect a fire, but are far less sensitive to ambient temperatures that may be extreme. These detectors look for a rapid rise in temperature such as an open flame fire would create, with the fixed temperature trip acting as a failsafe. Consult local codes and a qualified designer for installations.

Make some noise!

In-home version of a strobe fire alarm
Image via Wikipedia

 

Fire alarm annunciation should be customized to the occupant. Those who are hard of hearing should have strobes in addition to horns or sirens. Where strobes are to be used, they must be synchronized if two strobes can be simultaneously observed to avoid epileptic seizures. A strobe light mounted on the exterior of the home or flashing lights will help guide emergency responders to your home quickly.

Test

Candle wick burning.
Image via Wikipedia

 

Test your system regularly using the manufacturer’s instructions, or hire someone who is licensed and competent to test them for you. Monitored detectors should notify you if there is a problem with wiring, batteries or dust accumulating in the detectors. Local detectors typically have a push button to test them. Monitored detectors will sometimes have provisions for testing with a magnet, or spray cans of “smoke” can be purchased for testing purposes. Avoid using too much spray smoke because it will lead to the detector prematurely failing due to dust sticking to the inside of the detector.

Questions/comments

As always, if you have questions or comments, you may contact me via email at artdunn@yourhomeservesyou.com, or visit my employer’s website at www.yourhomeservesyou.com.

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Alarm System Basics

Posted by  •  1 comments  •  Monday, Jun 7, 2010

 

Home Automation Incorporated's Omni-touchBurglar Alarm System Basics 

Burglar alarm systems can be very mysterious to homeowners. Television commercials with layers of protection seeming to emanate from the keypad and concerned operators calling mere fractions of a second after the alarm is tripped are what I’ve been seeing lately. This is unfortunate, because it offers the homeowner a false sense of security that can have expensive or tragic consequences. Hopefully, this brief write up will give you a better understanding of what you have or what you’re considering buying.

Check the license 

Does your state or local authority have licensing requirements for alarm installers? Is your installer licensed? Do you need a license or permit for an alarm in your home? These days, it’s easy enough to verify license numbers using the internet. Don’t assume that just because the license is valid that you are dealing with the licensee. It’s not unusual for unlicensed installers to use someone else’s valid license number. Your consumer affairs department or the licensing agency should be able to help you confirm these things, and they should be able to help you confirm that the company is operating as required by law. Your local authority will know the permitting requirements for alarms in your area. 

No Free Lunch It’s not uncommon for installation companies to install a system in your home for free or for a small fee. This is effective, because most people do not know what they are getting for the price and the installation isn’t where the installers make their money. The ultimate goal is for you to be under contract for as long as possible. Eventually the profits from your monthly payments will cover the cost of the installation and the equipment. The remainder of the contract is pure profit for whoever owns that contract. These contracts can be sold by the installer or held by them, depending upon their business plan. I’m not exposing any dirty secrets here; cell phone companies and other providers have been doing this for years. Profit isn’t evil, my purpose it to help you understand what you are getting for your money. The free or cheap installation will be a package that includes as little hardware and labor as possible. That’s because the less expensive the installation is, the sooner the costs are met by your monthly payments and the profits begin. You can add to those packages, but then you may leave the realm of free or cheap installation. 

What’s in the installation? 

At a minimum, you’re going to have a main panel- something that connects to sensors, keypads and can transmit information to a central station. You’ll need a keypad to turn the alarm on and off, a horn to make noise, and at least one or two sensors. These days, there is typically very little actual wiring involved except in new construction projects. Wireless detection devices are far easier to install than wired devices. They also expose the installer to less risk of unintentional damage to your home during the installation. Finally, wireless devices run on batteries that someone will have to replace, an opportunity for a service fee to the installer. Image of scales

Some things to understand 

The key thing to understand about any security system is that it offers you two benefits: deterrence and detection. Alarm systems don’t offer protection any more than life insurance protects your life. The deterrence a system offers is maximized by signs, stickers, and visible external evidence of an alarm system. You don’t have to make your house look impregnable, you just have to make it look more difficult to break into than your neighbor’s homes. A keypad with lights that indicate that it is not armed probably shouldn’t be installed where it can be seen through a window. Detection is the detection of an intruder, which is determined by two things- sensors detecting activity such as motion or a door opening and the system not being disarmed. Intruders are only detected if there is some detector installed where they intrude, and that will be tripped by their method of intrusion. Once an alarm is tripped, the intruder should know that he probably has a limited amount of time before police arrive or neighbors investigate the siren. Even if police do not respond, you will have the benefit of being aware that there may still be an intruder in your home. 

Function or package? 

Does what’s included in your installation allow your system to do what you want it to? This is the key question with any system, and should therefore be the starting point for any system design. Are you more concerned about the house being broken into when you are home or away? What you want from the system will determine what types of sensors you will install, and where you will install them. If you’re only worried about intrusion when the house is empty, interior motion sensors at key points such as hallways or staircases will trip the system and are an inexpensive installation. If you’re only worried about detecting intrusion when you’re home, detection of exterior doors and windows or of glass being broken to gain entry would work best for you. Obviously, if you’re home you would most likely be the one tripping interior motion sensors. 

"focus on quality"Know what you’re buying 

You should know what you want to trip the alarm system before you begin working with any designer. Technology will change, but intrusion will not. If you know you want the system to trip if your patio door is opened, that’s something the designer will need to know. If you also want the system to trip if the glass in your patio door is broken, the designer will need to know that as well. Since you’re the only one who knows how valuable it is to you to detect an intruder if they break the glass on the door but don’t open the door to enter, you’re the only one who can decide if it’s worth the expense. If you simply accept whatever the designer suggests or accept a package, will it detect an intruder entering your home how and where you think it will? If you’re not sure, clarify it with your designer. 

Test it

After your system is installed, you should test it regularly. It’s probably spelled out in your contract how frequently you are supposed to test the system at a minimum. Most systems will notify you if there is a problem with a detector or with the panel itself. There are limitations to the ability of the system to detect failures or problems, testing is the only way to be sure. Hardware can fail, software could have been incorrectly written, wires could fail, and the central station could have errors in its database. First, you’ll need to contact your monitoring company to notify them that you will be testing your system so they don’t send the police when your system trips. Then you’ll need to arm your system and trip it, just as though you were the intruder. The monitoring company should be able to tell you what detectors you tripped as you moved around the house. Verify the monitoring company has the correct address for your home and that they can accurately tell you which door or window you opened to trip your alarm. You should also keep any telephone numbers they call when the alarm trips up to date. If you’re not comfortable doing this, have someone who is qualified do this for you regularly. It is possible for failures or errors to go undetected, causing an intruder to go undetected. 

Test Pattern

Test it!

Be an educated consumer 

Before you make a final decision on what system to install, research it. If you have specific equipment in mind, these days user’s manuals and consumer reviews can be found online. How can the system be expanded after the initial installation? Some systems can do more than simple burglar alarm functions, integrating other systems to your alarm system. How easy will it be to change access codes, or to alter programming? Can you access the system via telephone or online? Is the system you are considering close to obsolescence? Will you be able to find an alternate service provider if something happens to the company who installed your system? Your research beforehand can save you frustration and expense months or years after the system is installed. Your understanding of what you are getting for your money will help you avoid being taken advantage of. 

Questions?

Please submit your comments or questions regarding this or any other post to artdunn@yourhomeservesyou.com, or visit www.yourhomeservesyou.com. I promised full disclosure; NANLOW-DUNN Inc. is an authorized dealer for Home Automation Incorporated www.homeauto.com

Radionics Keypad

A Radionics System Keypad

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Walter F. Perra

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Sunday, May 30, 2010

This was copied and pasted from an online newsletter. The entire newsletter can be found here: http://www.20fwa.org/spring2007.pdf

Here is a portion of the video from the producer’s website http://www.doggreenproductions.com/Sacrifice.html

Below can be found towards the end of the newsletter, printed in 2007.  

HISTORIAN REPORT FROM ART SEVIGNY   

 

I have been working on several projects to promote the history of the 20th.The first project that has been taking most of my time is with the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). Last year Leo Kerns

(77th FS 1944-1945) contacted me about a project the ABMC was working on. A new visitor center at the American Cemetery at Normandy is to be dedicated this June 6th (http://www.abmc.gov/home.php). As part of the new center a movie is being made to highlight five service men buried there. The idea is to project these service men as more than just names on a grave stone, to show they had lives before the war and a future that was cut short. Initially they were only going to have ground forces represented since, in their words, “the Army Air Force really wasn’t involved in D-Day”. Luckily the Air Force Historian set the record straight. I was asked if the 20th had anyone buried at Normandy who was lost during the Normandy Campaign. The 20th has one member buried there who was lost during the Normandy Campaign. 2nd Lt. Walter F. Perra was lost near the village of Les Corvees, France on 15 June 1944. Perra was strafing flak positions near the village of Dreux when one of the engines on his P-38 was hit. As near as can be determined he stayed with his bird long enough to avoid hitting the village. He bailed out at about 100 ft off the deck and was killed instantly on impact. The Germans stripped the body and removed all markings from the aircraft. Initially the local German commander would not allow the villagers to bury Lt Perra, but, after pleading, permission was given but without a coffin. Again, they pleaded. The Mayor stated, “He is not a dog. You wouldn’t bury your soldier that way.” The commander relented and a local villager built a coffin. Only children, with the exception of the Vicar, were allowed to attend the funeral. Local children were asked to gather flowers and meet at the church. A procession moved from the church to the grave about one hundred and fifty yards from the crash site at the edge of the woods. The villagers continued to maintain the grave of this unknown aviator until, on 11 November 1944, local villagers invited the commander of an American unit in the area to attend a ceremony at the grave in celebration of Armistice Day. After that US officials investigated the site and, after finding serial numbers on the aircraft’s engines, the identity of Lt. Perra was established. Part of the film project involves interviews with people who knew the Lt and any family members if they could  be found. After a quick search of the web about 20 Perras in California (where he was from) were found. I phoned all on the list with no luck but left a few messages. Later in the day Mark Walter Perra, the nephew of Lt. Perra phoned me back. He had been trying for years to find out more about Lt Perra’s loss but found out very little. In addition, two of Walter’s brothers were still alive. In January we were down in Modesto, CA with 1Lts. Albert L. Gese and John D. MacArthur who both served with Lt Perra in the 77th. The producer filmed interviews with these two pilots about their time in the 77th and their memories of Lt Perra. A fly by with a P-38 was arranged and filmed to recreate a flyby Perra did of his family farm just before he shipped out to the 77th FS. The film at the visitor center will be a 15 minute orientation film, but a 1 ½ hour movie is planned to be shown on television.

 

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What is a GFI?

Posted by  •  0 comments  •  Monday, May 17, 2010

 

What is a GFI?

 

A G.F.I. is a ground fault interrupter. It detects and then quickly disconnects electrical faults to ground to reduce the risk and duration of electrocution. Below is an explanation of G.F.I.s- how they work, what they look like and some tips about their installation. Layman’s terms and generalizations are used, and electrical code references are not given in an effort to avoid obsolescence due to code revisions. As an educated consumer, you are better prepared for remodels or repairs to your home. Please consult a licensed electrician for current codes and best practices!

 

Due to the way the utility company configures the power feeding a home, electricity in a home is drawn to ground. Quite literally, this is the ground underneath the home; there is a wire that conducts power through the electrical panel to a rod in the ground. As electricity travels through the wires in a home, it must travel through electrical loads (light bulbs, fans, televisions) as it travels to ground. This requires two wires- one to take the power from the electrical panel to the load and another to return it to the panel where it is connected to the ground. If any of the power should find another path to ground other than through these wires, this is a “ground fault”.

 

Wires can safely carry a limited amount of power. If too much power is drawn through a wire, it heats up similar to the wires in a toaster or the filament in a light bulb. In electrical panels, there are circuit breakers or fuses which are designed to disconnect the power to a wire if it is in danger of overheating. Typically, the greater the overload, the faster the circuit breaker trips. Circuit breakers are primarily designed to prevent electrical fires, not to prevent electrocution.

 

The danger of electrocution is greater when water and metal that is connected to ground, like a faucet, are close to one another. This is because the electricity will move along any path it can find to ground, including people, rather than through wires. This would be a ground fault condition, and would be detected by a ground fault interrupter device. Electricity passing through a person can disrupt the beating of a heart, leading to death. This is why ground fault protection is required where electricity and ground are likely to be in the same area, both inside and outside of your home.

 

A Ground Fault Interrupter measures the amount of electricity that passes through it as it travels to and returns from the load on wires. If the same amount flows in both directions, the electricity is travelling to ground exclusively on the wiring. If there is a difference, some of the electricity must be travelling to ground by another path- perhaps a body? If a ground fault is detected, the Ground Fault Interrupter reacts quickly, disconnecting power in a fraction of a second. A circuit breaker would most likely not trip because there wouldn’t be enough power going through you (although it would feel like it) to damage the wires.

 

Ground Fault Protection can be provided by several different types of devices. Most typical is the receptacle, which can be identified by the buttons on the front, one marked “test” and the other marked “reset”. These receptacles provide ground fault protection not only to what you plug in to it, but also to other receptacles that are wired so that their power passes through the GFI receptacle. This is done to reduce expenses, as GFI receptacles are more expensive than standard receptacles. Another device is the GFI circuit breaker, which is installed in the electrical panel and protects everything connected to that circuit from ground faults as well as protecting the wires. Again, this can typically be identified by a button marked “test”.

 

Common problems with ground fault detectors are improper installation and nuisance tripping. If a GFI receptacle is wired incorrectly, a ground fault will trip it but will not disconnect power properly. New GFI receptacles are designed to not work at all if wired incorrectly. Nuisance tripping is when the ground fault protection trips but there is no ground fault. This can happen with some types of appliances, or can be caused by a ground fault detector that is worn out. While builders typically install fewer ground fault detectors with savings in mind, you may wish to consider having ground fault receptacles installed at each receptacle where ground fault protection is needed. It’s far easier to find, it’s easier to isolate what’s tripping it, and it won’t shut anything else off if it trips. If you do upgrade your GFI protection, avoid having a GFI protect another GFI; if a ground fault occurs one or both GFIs may trip making resetting more complicated. If you are installing a GFI where none existed previously, the configuration of the wiring can result in nuisance tripping that a licensed electrician should be able to help you resolve.

 

Ground fault protection should be tested as frequently as recommended by the manufacturer. If you don’t have the manufacturer’s instructions, try to find them on the internet. At a minimum, they should be tested once a month. The test button is acceptable, or you may prefer to use a plug in type tester designed to test ground fault protection. If your ground fault detection does not disconnect the power when tripped, consult a licensed electrician.

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