Answering Commonly-Asked Questions About Smart Home Living

There’s a simpler, more convenient way to control your lighting, security, entertainment, and thermostats. There’s an easier way to manage your home when you’re away. And what is that? Home automation! 

If you’re reading this, you might be already curious about home automation for your Southwest Florida house. If you aren’t quite sure where to start, BRAVAS is here to help. We install and program customized smart homes across the country using the most sophisticated control systems by brands like Crestron, Control4, Savant, and Elan. 

Let’s take a look at frequently asked questions we receive about home automation and put any confusion to rest! 

SEE ALSO: What Is Lighting Design & How Can It Impact My Home? 

Q: How Can Home Automation Enhance Convenience and Efficiency in My Daily Life?

A: Without a doubt, smart home automation offers unparalleled convenience, taking small tasks off your plate throughout your routine. With the ability to remotely control thermostats, lights, appliances, and even landscaping irrigation, you can effortlessly schedule tasks in advance. This not only saves time and energy but also grants you the freedom to allocate more quality time with your loved ones rather than being consumed by household management.

For example, imagine you’re getting ready to leave the house in the morning. An automated home makes the process a breeze. With one tap of a button on the wall or through voice commands, instantly your home’s lights turn off, window shades lower, the AC system enters eco mode, and any other electronics or media will turn off, too. 

Later, when it’s time to head home? You can pull out your phone and remotely turn on lights and the AC so your house is cool and comfortable when you return. If you arrive home at the same time every day, you can schedule your lights and HVAC to activate automatically. 

Smart home automation offers significant safety advantages, too. With features like security cameras, smart locks, and fire and carbon monoxide detection, these systems ensure that you receive instant alerts on your smartphone, regardless of your location. Whether you're enjoying a night out or traveling, you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing that your home is well-protected.

Q: Is The System Customizable to My Specific Needs and Preferences?

A: Yes! When you work with a smart home integrator like BRAVAS, we’ll program the system with customized controls and automations to suit your preferences. We can personalize all interactions and buttons, and even alter the layout of your smart system interface. If there are certain features you won’t be using, we can hide those options so they won’t get in the way. 

Let’s say you want an easy method to set the mood in the kitchen for dinner. We can program a ‘scene’ that we’ll call “Dinner” that you’ll activate with a tap on your phone or tablet. Or we can create a “Dinner” button on a physical wall plate. We’ll guide you through customizing scenes and settings, so you’ll create a home atmosphere that’s uniquely yours! 

Q: What Devices Can Be Automated In My Home?

A: Home automation systems like Crestron, Control4, Elan, and Savant can communicate with every kind of device. From the bedroom to the patio and everywhere in between, we can integrate the following home solutions: 

• Lighting: smart LEDs, dimmers, motorized window shades, drapes, and blinds 
• Entertainment: TVs, projectors, screens, media players, streaming services, audio speakers, TV lifts 
• Security: Automated door locks, surveillance cameras, alarms, sensors, access control, garage doors 
• Kitchen appliances: smart coffee pot, smart fridge, 
• Environment: AC, fans, fireplaces, air purifier, water purifier 
• Outdoors: landscape lighting, hot tub, outdoor audio and video, sprinklers 

When a home automation company like BRAVAS installs your home system, we’ll integrate devices from brands you already use and love. Whether that’s Sonos speakers or an Apple TV, we can make them all work in sync through the home controller. 

Q: How Do I Control A System Like This? Is It Easy? 

A: Some homeowners are hesitant to install a smart home system because they worry about not being tech-savvy enough. However, systems like Crestron Home, Control4, Savant, or Elan are designed to be user-friendly. In fact, they are as simple to use as an app on your phone. We will personalize the system to make your life easier—never more complicated. Our installation services not only provide a seamless setup but also offer comprehensive guidance on how to use your new system.

With a smart home system, you can simplify everything in your house by replacing walls of light switches with convenient keypads. These keypads include buttons like "All Off," "Good Morning" and "Goodnight" for the perfect lighting settings. Furthermore, you will no longer need a pile of remotes on your coffee table because a smart home system consolidates everything into one device!

Plus, you aren’t limited to one control method in an automated home. One moment, you might want to use the smart home app, and then in another instant, you’ll grab the home remote, which connects to every room and device. 

Have your hands full? Tell your voice assistant to turn on the lights. Then, once your hands are free, you can tap a wall plate button to adjust the mood. Our smart homes can be controlled in many ways, and with keypads and control panels in every area, you won’t be tethered to your smartphone. Through automation, you can even “unplug” and get space from your phone. Who would have thought? 

Q: Can I Start Small and Expand Later? 

A: Our South Florida smart systems offer a great deal of flexibility. You don't have to automate everything at once if you don’t want to. Instead, you can start small, maybe with smart lights, thermostats, or whole-home audio. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually expand your system to include security or pool controls. That's the beauty of smart home automation— it's scalable and can adapt to your comfort level and needs. If you're building a new house, we can install proper prewiring that allows for future possibilities.

Discover Home Automation with BRAVAS 

Are you ready to bring the magic of home automation to your Southwest Florida home? Make BRAVAS your trusted partner in the design, installation, programming, and maintenance of your smart home. Contact us here to get started today!