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Mile High Jet Setter

Having had the pleasure of traveling to our clients homes and complete the installations of the systems, I thought I would share a bit about the systems themselves and how our clients are actually integrating them into their lives. Primarily everyone is utilizing the security portion of the systems to the fullest. These are complete perimeter and interior alarms, some have taken advantage of the 24-hour central station monitoring we are now offering. Lighting controls and HVAC systems are being integrated in all of the installations and combining those with the security system customizing the systems has been pretty intense. I think once a client sees something actually working as it is meant to it allows the imagination to run wild. We were able to make on the fly programming updates and create custom buttons for the system that our clients were able to see and then tweak immediately to suit their needs. It has been a lot of fun working directly with our clients, in their homes, to make things work for them exactly as they wish.
I have gotten to visit some areas I might never have gone as a result too. I got to visit Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, Il. I was in the hills outside of San Jose in a beautiful area of the country known as Los Gatos. Got to see most of Georgia as I drove from about an hour north of Atlanta from a lakeside home to another house in the western hills of the state. Very different areas each stunning in their own way. Our clients have all been very nice and extraordinarily accommodating. The systems have all been substantial and have had all the different services we offer represented. It has been a pleasure so far, despite a few travel issues, and I look forward to working with many more of you in the coming years.

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- Dan Lowitz
Posted Friday, August 7, 2009 at 9:45 AM

Get Involved Early

I have been noticing a promising trend in the world of home automation, homeowners and builders are getting the process started much earlier. This is very important as it is one of the larger decisions you will make regarding your home and really does require a lot of tailoring to get the system right. Since the automated and integrated home needs to have compatible systems to control, the earlier we can come to decisions, the earlier we can share that information with the builder and the sub-contractors. This will make everybody a lot happier about working toward the common goal of a complete home automation system.

Too often do the Audio/Video and Home Automation systems go forgotten until the last minute. We get a lot of calls and emails here from people who are about to Sheetrock and need to get something installed "right away". While this might be OK for a single room surround sound system or a plasma or LCD TV over a fireplace to think that a fully automated and integrated home can simply be designed, finalized and wired in a day is a mistake. Far too much information gets exchanged before pre-wire.

This process should really begin in the planning stage, the earlier you know what you want, the easier it will be to implement. Ideally we would be working with the architect or designer to get the components of the system into the locations they will work best. I have found that the sooner a client is under contract and has access to all the information about the system the smoother their build and installation will go. We give our clients that opportunity by opening ourselves up to them even before they have the plans finalized. Once they do, we work up a system design and allow for changes to be made, often before anyone else(besides the architect) have even gotten started! After the first round of changes or modifications gets made and your budgetary needs are met, a deposit should be made. This not only locks in your pricing, but makes you a client instead of a prospect and clients get all the perks.

No matter the time frame on your build the earlier you become a client the better. We offer the most in depth technical information regarding your system, we will help your builder/subcontractors understand your goals for the system and how they can help you achieve them, we can make suggestions on compatible products and we will provide you with all the installation documents necessary to get the wiring in place to make your system functional. The benefit we have over the other contractors on most jobs is that we have the direct contact with the client, no middle man to communicate your needs. Together with the client we are able to design and make sure that all the steps are taken to create the environment you are looking for.

Get involved early, don't wait until the last minute. Become a client today! We are waiting for your call.

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- Dan Lowitz
Posted Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 1:24 PM

HVAC Savings

Energy Star reports that the average home will spend approximately $2000.00 a year on heating and cooling costs alone. Larger and multi-zone homes should expect to be in the 2.5 to 3.5 multiplier. Using automated thermostats coupled with an intelligent control system will offer an average conservation of between 16% and 22% depending on usage. The real benefit of the integrated and automated home comes in the worst case scenario. For example, someone leaves a window or door open, the average programmable thermostat has no idea that this has happened and will continue tell the air handler to run. It doesn’t know any better, it is simply trying to do its job. The cost factors of this situation are hard to estimate(we have been told of monthly electric bills near a thousand dollars after just one school day!). The manufacturers do not plan for this. The integration and communication between the security system and the HVAC system are paramount in this instance. Our system will set that zone to a reasonable number (the control system will know the temperature outside) or turn that zone off completely. The decision is yours, we will program it to do so.

You will also not be locked in to a simple schedule any longer. By communicating with the security system the HVAC will know if you are home or away and react according to occupancy. Vacation mode settings will do the same thing. You can hold the temperature where you like it and just give the house a call from the airport to get it back to temperature while you fly coming home to a comfortable house. You can also remotely monitor your homes temperature or have the home call you in the event of an extreme low or extreme high temperature, saving you from possible serious water damage. Those costs are also very hard to estimate (though a client shared a friend’s figure of approx. $200K) and with our system you should never have to.

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- Dan Lowitz
Posted Friday, April 17, 2009 at 10:06 AM

Lighting control for Mother Nature

Mile High Automation is proud to announce that we are, in connection with Blind Corners and Curves, offering motorized shades and blinds. Blind Corners and Curves (BCC) have been providing quality products and installation since 1997. Our clients will benefit from this relationship immensely. BCC, in addition to being a key account for Hunter Douglas, has a custom manufacturing facility on-site for the creation of motorized blinds to fit oddly shaped windows (a staple in current construction). Our customers have been asking for shade and blind motorization and natural light control for a long time and we are now able to offer it.

The systems can be designed and installed for a pre-construction or a retrofit application through the use of wireless remote controls. We will integrate your standard lighting control system to work with your new natural lighting control system and function according to scene control, alarm status, vacation mode or even the astronomical clock. This will allow you to have absolute control over how your home is lit whether you are home or away, day or night.

The benefits of natural light control are great. Proper window covering and control will save your furniture, rugs and expensive artwork from the damaging rays of the sun. Think of it as SPF for your possessions. BCC will work with designers, architects, builders, homeowners and Mile High Automation to be certain your home gets what it needs.

Please get in touch with us and we will work with you and BCC to create the natural lighting control system you need. Check out their website at www.bccblinds.com to see the choices they have to offer.

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- Dan Lowitz
Posted Monday, April 6, 2009 at 8:53 AM