SEM Security Systems
a division of Southeast Mobility Inc
What is Home Automation? Ever watch the Jetsons when you were a kid? Well, home automation hasn't quite reached that level yet but let your imagination be your limit.

A home automation system can perform many functions for you. Most everyone has heard of or has a programmable thermostat, with home automation your thermostat is tied into your alarm system with many alternative programming possibilities. You can still set the thermostat to change temperatures based on the time and day of the week, but what if you come home from work early? With home automation the alarm system will tell the thermostat that you are home and the temperature will be adjusted automatically. It can also adjust the temperature when the system is armed in the away mode, meaning you are not home so the thermostat gets adjusted up or down automatically. You can even call your home automation system from your cell phone on the way home and tell it to adjust the temperature so that your home is already at the temperature that you like when you walk in the door.

Home automation can do much more than just thermostat control. It can turn on your porch light when it starts to get dark outside, no big deal a light sensor can do that. But with home automation you can program the light to come at 5:30, since you get home at 5:45, and stay on for an hour if it happens to be dark at 5:30. If it's not already dark at 5:30, then the light won't be turned on. If it's after dark and you unarm your system, home automation can turn on the kitchen and hallway lights, if you are unarming it with a remote from outside the home then the lights will already be on when you open the door.

Back to heating and cooling: Did you know that the primary cause of death in a fire is not the fire itself but rather smoke inhalation? Let's think about what happens. First the fire starts, raises the temperature in the home, the thermostat tells the air-conditioner to come on and cool the house down. What the ac actually does is provide fresh air to the fire and distribute the smoke throughout the home. With home automation the smoke alarms will go off, sounding the alarm, telling the ac unit to shut down, and just to make it easier for the fire department to find your home we can have it flash the front porch light off and on.

Home automation can use the motion detectors in your home to turn the lights on in the room when you walk in, and then after a predetermined time of non activity, turn the lights back off again.

If you're ready to step into the future, give us a call and ask us about home automation, and before you ask, no we do not have a robot maid but we do have a robot vacuum cleaner.