MAKING YOUR HOME SMART IS AFFORDABLE

If you have been investigating the cost of a smart home or considering installing smart home components in your home, there are lots of systems and lots of choices in the market.

If you have a budget and want to avoid the additional cost of installing a hard wired system, consider the lower cost of a "plug and play" system. Using smart plugs, smart bulbs, infrared and WiFi will lower your costs dramatically.

If you’re starting out creating your smart home, you’d be forgiven at balking at the price of many of the systems on the market. Some of the latest and greatest connected home tech can be eye-wateringly expensive – but luckily there are plenty of inexpensive options for the  smart bulbs, connected cameras, smart speakers and other devices that you will need.

As the smart home has matured, prices have dropped and there are much less expensive alternatives for many types of the products. What we’ve tried to highlight, however, is the Tecus line of products. Customers who have used our products give a thumbs up. Tecus might not be the best, but it does a great job for the price. Let’s get your bargain hunting hat on and go shopping at Tecus.

WHY SENIORS NEED SMART HOMES

If you are getting on in years or have an elderly relative, it is good to know those golden years do not have to be spent in any kind of institutional care. Instead, many senior citizens can live quite happily in their own homes, assisted by a smart home automation system that makes life comfortable, convenient and safe. You can find many useful devices and services on our home security systems site.

Smart Locks
These devices present multiple benefits. They rely on a code, rather than a key, so you do not need to worry about a misplaced key or have to dig around in a purse or pocket when returning home. You can also control these locks with a smartphone, which means you can do things like double-check the door locks while safely in bed at night. In addition, many are equipped with an easily grasped and maneuvered lever-style door handle rather than a knob-style opener, which makes it easier for someone with arthritic hands to open and close doors. They also add an elegant flair to any door.

Medical Alert Devices
Falls are a serious matter for older people, and the sooner emergency help arrives, the better. A medical alert pendant worn around the neck or stored on a key fob can be a true lifesaver. If you fall down and are hurt enough to prevent getting up again, simply pressing a button can summon help in short order.

Automated Thermostats & Lights
These handy home management system devices offer exceptional benefits for anyone of any age, but are especially useful for seniors. When coming home at night, you can simply tap your smartphone to turn on extra outside lights to permit safe entry into the house. You can also program the lighting so it appears someone is home when you're gone.

The thermostats in the best home automation systems are great too, since you do not have to get out of bed to adjust the heat in winter or the air conditioning in summer. One easy tap does it all, creating greater security and comfort at the same time, not to mention reducing utility costs by turning off lights or changing temperatures at appropriate times.

Motion Alerts
There now are motion sensors on the market that can help a senior who lives alone by detecting numerous activities that suggest things are OK or sending alerts to trusted people if something seems amiss. For example, there are monitors that note whether someone has gotten out of bed and is moving around during normal daylight hours. Other devices can tell if someone enters a room and there is sudden motion but no subsequent movement, which would indicate a fall.

There are even devices that can detect when the medicine cabinet is opened, which would mean you have gotten necessary medications to maintain good health. You can choose people to whom the alerts will be sent, and if anything goes wrong, or just appears to be wrong, then loved ones can check in.


With modern technology at your fingertips, there is no reason for most reasonably healthy senior citizens to leave their beloved homes for institutional settings. Instead, you can live a long time in your favorite surroundings and still enjoy safety and security through the wonders of smart home systems.

SMART HOMES KEEP SENIORS SAFE

Governments are more and more encouraging seniors to live more independently, therefore staying in their own homes. While this is a good thing for government budgets and lessens the financial load on seniors and their families (retirement care facilities are not cheap), it does increase the risk of an accident or a medical emergency going unnoticed.  

The advent of Smart Home technology helps mitigate many risks involved with a senior couple or senior person living alone. With today's technology and a Smart Phone app, it is easy to set up a system that monitors a senior's movement but also respects privacy therefore the placement of cameras (for example) a's in the home should be be discussed by the family.

The following is a list of products and their use that can be used by a family to keep their seniors members safe.

• Smart Door Locks: Family members can use a code to enter in an emergency. 
• Closed Circuit Cameras; One or two strategically placed (kitchen, stairs) can be useful in monitoring high accident areas.
• Motion Sensors:  Scenarios can be created where if there is not motion at certain times, a warning is issued.
• Motorized Drape and Curtain Motors: Allows the senior to control these from a smart phone or smart switch.
• Smart sensors to detect water or gas leaks.
• SOS button can be worn around a seniors neck. A press of the SOS in an emergency sends a signal to a family members smart phone or that of a care giver. SOS buttons now come with a number of functions such as lighting control and smart lock opener.
• Smart Mattress: Sends a warning if the seniors falls out of bed or if there is a wetting incident.

For more products, please review the product list a www.tecus.ca

 

SMART HOME AUTOMATION CONFUSING?

Tecus has developed the line of home automation products that includes the central “brain” (TecusHUB®), the control centre that operates on a world recognized, standardized technology interface protocol for communication among devices used for home automation. It uses RF for signaling and control. Zwave was developed by Zensys, Inc. a start-up company based in Denmark. Z-Wave is a standard in wireless technology that allows smart devices talk to one another. Household products like lights, door locks and thermostats are made “smart” when Z-Wave connectivity is added inside the product’s design, giving them the capability to communicate and perform the desired functions. Z-Wave operates wirelessly and securely and devices can be easily accessed and controlled on the owner’s smart phone, tablet, laptop computer or any other common usage mobile device.

Z-Wave is a very efficient, low-energy technology. Many Z-Wave devices work on battery power alone, often for a year or more before needing new batteries. Others plug into the wall, and there are even Z-Wave controllable AC outlets, that allow an entire home's electrical system to be 'smart' and energy-efficient by controlling and optionally monitoring energy usage. Z-Wave will not interfere with an existing Wi-Fi network. Z-Wave works on a different frequency, so there will be no interfering with Wi-Fi or other common household device signals. Z-Wave runs on type of network called a "mesh network.” One Z-Wave product will pass the signal along to another (“hop”) until the final destination is reached. Every connected device in a home acts as a messenger; the more devices, the more powerful and strong the network is.

Home automation systems usually include the following components and functions.
• Control Centre (The Brain) with a choice of WiFi  or WiFi + 3G, the latter being a mobile communications standard that allows cell phones, computers, and other portable electronic devices to access the Internet wirelessly.
• Smart Door Locks.
• Door Sensors.
• Smoke Detectors.
• Siren Alarm.
• Motion Sensors.
• Water Leak / Dampness Sensor.
• Backup Battery Unit
• Gas Sensor.
• Video Cameras
• Microphone
• Speaker
• Monitoring
• A Personal Health Alarm Device
• Connectivity to local Police and Fire Departments

Tecus system is not hard-wired, therefore it does not require an electrician or technician to install. All components are plugged in and can be installed by a home or business owner with a little bit of technical knowledge and the installation guide. A control application or “app” is downloadable from the company website for smart phones or tablets. The app can be scanned using a QR reader to scan the code on the company website or it can be downloaded onto the mobile device through Google Play Store. The app is free and provides fingertip control of the Tecus home system from anywhere in the world. Incorporated is a 24/7 monitoring system that alerts the homeowner of any incidents that occur when one of the sensors is activated. If an alarm indicates a break-in or a fire, the local police and fire department are also alerted.