Me · Sterling · Fiero(355) · Fiero(GT) · The House · Other Projects · Disclaimer
Automation
Home Theater
Wall Computer
Energy Usage
Insulation
Garage Remodel
Dishwasher
Whole House Fan
Master Bedroom
Bathroom
Front Yard
When we purchased the house, it came with some X10 wall switches. What is nice about this is that we have one remote control that can turn on or off any light in the house. It did not take much time before both of us were hooked. For instance, if you wake up in the middle of the night, you can turn on the bedroom, hall and kitchen lights before you foot even hits the floor. Way cool. We have been using the X10 brand and think that they work, but not perfectly. Sometimes you have to hit the on or off button twice before something happens. But, for the cost, it is great.
Now that all of the lights are on X10, we are moving to automation. I installed the front door motion detector that turns on the VCR to the front door camera. The motion detector also runs the dusk and dawn automation. Stuff, like the night lights only turn on when it gets dark.
The furnace is also X10 controlled. The wall computer or the remote control can effect the temperature of the house. It is nice to wake up in the morning and push a button to have the furnace turn on.
I purchased the hardware to run the lawn sprinklers. This way the home server will check the weather for the day and decide if or how long the sprinklers will run. Yep, the home server will not water if it is raining and will water more if it is going be a hot day.