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Customer feedback, Our Projects

Project Update: 10 years later

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This article was written by a past customer who wanted to comment on a job we carried out about 10 years on…

This is an article that tries to explain my experiences of going from home automation novice, working out what I was trying to achieve, working with a specialist installer, implementing and finally living with a functioning home automation system for a few years.

In the early 2000’s I decided to buy a new house. Nothing I saw seemed right and as I worked for a large building contractor and knew a bit about the construction process, decided to widen the search to include those that ‘need some work’.

Eventually, in 2002 I bought a rundown three bedroom cottage in East Sussex, with a view to refurbishing into something that met my requirements, in terms of internal layout, features, materials and so on.

One of the things I wanted was a security system, as in previous years I had spent quite a lot of time working away during the week. Whilst researching the options I (think I) spotted an advert in a magazine. It turned out to be Household Automation and the advert as I recall, talked about security systems for the domestic market and how their system specifically, could be the backbone or infrastructure around which a home automation system could be based.

At the time Household Automation were really, the only company I could find that seemed appropriate. They were a small business based not too far away and were aiming themselves at the domestic market and had the broad range of knowledge and experience to deal with it. There are several companies that can deal with individual aspects, but very few that can effectively deal with them all. I think this is still true today.

Given that I have a bit of interest in the application of IT, this got me thinking about what an automation system is and I would want it do, so I drafted up a list of basic functional requirements and gave HA a call. Numerous discussions followed as I tried to work out quite what I wanted and HA (Andy Ellis) tried to interpret my vague descriptions and formulate some specific proposals.

I soon realised that all an automation system is, is a box of electronics that essentially switches things on and off when it receives a specific combination of inputs and in accordance with a set of instructions that are ‘programmed’ into the system. Those inputs could be a detection of movement, the opening of a door, recognition that light has fallen below a certain level, the time of day and so on.

It then occurred to me that if a security system could sound an alarm when it detected movement in places where there shouldn’t be any and when it was ‘armed’, then it ought to be able to do a range of other things like switch heating and lighting and so on, on and off.

This led to the realisation that the (notionally) security system could control the heating and lighting to simulate occupation in terms of switching lights on and off, keeping the heating levels down and also open and close the curtains, all in accordance with which security ‘state’ had been selected.

How all of this is made to work can be quite complicated, but the principals of what it does are fairly simple.

From this point on there was no going back. Some form of home automation was going to be integrated into the refurbishment. Because the house was quite run down it meant moving out and completely gutting it, which gave the freedom to install a totally new wiring system, concealing almost everything.

Eventually in early 2006, work began. Household Automation drew up the wiring diagrams and costed it all. This was useful for everyone involved in that it provided clarity of exactly what was to go where.

My requirements, or should I say wish list, inevitably grew to incorporate a centralised audio and video system. After some research I came to the conclusion that the technology on the video side was too expensive and probably not as effective as it should be. On the audio side though, I discovered Sonos which did get installed and has worked very well ever since.

The installation went well and HA was professional and proactive throughout, although in the end I got the builders to install the cabling that HA specified as that was a more effective way of working. HA though provided, installed and tested all specialist equipment. Whilst it is based around a security system called Comfort, a lot of other components were integrated with it to provide a seamless whole.

Configuring it all once installed though, was perhaps the hardest part. Making sure it did what it should do and just as importantly, didn’t do what it shouldn’t do was quite a long and sometimes difficult process, but problems always got solved and it ensured I got a thorough and effective system that has needed almost no maintenance or support in the eight years or so that it has been operating.

Household Automation also installed a series of Cat5 sockets around the house to allow computers, televisions, dvd players or any other device, to be connected to the internet.

Along with some speakers mounted in the ceilings of some rooms and shelf speakers in the kitchen I am able to make use of music files stored centrally on a network attached storage box, and played in any one of the three zones currently set up. This is done with Sonos Zone Players and really is very impressive. The sound is good, the ease of set up and operation is good and the support via their website and telephone is also very good.

I use lossless FLAC files on my Sonos system and they are all stored in a separately mapped ‘drive’ on the NAS box rather than on a pc.

So what does my system do? Well,

  • It’s a security system that does the basics of sounding alarms (and flashing lights) when movement or smoke is detected.
  • Rings a phone number if someone calls at the house and no one is in – the door ‘bell’ incorporates and speaker and microphone.
  • Lowers the temperature of the heating system (which is divided into four zones, each with its own thermostat), if the security system is ‘armed’, meaning no one is at home. The heating is brought back up again in late afternoon in readiness for a return from work. I don’t have to remember to adjust the heating as well as the security – it is all done automatically.
  • Sets the heating to ‘frost protection’ if the security is set to ‘vacation’ mode.
  • Allows remote operation via telephone. Security can be changed, heating can be changed, lights switched on and off and much more.
  • If the security is set to Away or Vacation then lights will come on and off and curtains will be drawn and opened in accordance with defined instructions to mimic occupation.
  • Switch on internal lights when movement is detected and switch them off after a period of no movement.
  • Close the curtains at sunset and open them, if no one is at home, at defined times.
  • Switch on the irrigation system in the garden for a prescribed amount of time, unless it has rained recently – there is a sensor that can tell!

If there is a single piece of advice I would give to anyone, it is try to think through systematically and logically and to be as clear and explicit in communicating your wishes and requirements as possible. I’m sure Household Automation can help with this and you may need to make adjustments on the back of advice from the experts but be as clear as you can. Be warned though, it can take a bit of effort but you will most certainly reap the rewards.

I’m sure my installation only begins to scratch the surface of what can be done now. I imagine that technology in this area moves pretty fast, as it does in other areas of technology use, but I think I have a reasonable balance between useful technology and cost and if you are in a similar position I would recommend you give Household Automation a call to see how they can help.

Eight years on and I am still glad I went through the process of specifying and installing it. I wouldn’t want to be without it and although it isn’t cheap, if I find myself in a similar position in the future I’d do much the same thing again.

The Panel
The Panel

The Panel – A solution for the automation installer

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Household Automation Ltd is always looking for ways to improve its service. We have come up with ‘The Panel’ a new approach to home automation installations.

Our most recent commission was for a KNX lighting solution with smartphone control for a London town house.

From the architects plans, discussions with the client and the site electrician we designed a KNX lighting solution that was delivered to site fully programmed and ready to be installed as a working set up.

The concept of ‘The Panel’ is not new, however, delivering fully programmed and operational equipment to site is, in practice, something that is not easy to do. The hardest part of ‘The Panel’ is obtaining ALL of the necessary information to be able to fully program before installation. However, this in itself offers the benefits of finding and sorting out any problems up front rather than on site at the end of a project.

In order to form a working solution not only is the KNX panel equipment such as; mains breakers, KNX power supply, KNX dimmers and relays and the web/smartphone server required but also all of the switches.

1st fix wiring is carried out by the site electrician who is provided with all documentation necessary, once the panel is powered he can physically test the circuits from the manual override switches on the front of the dimmers and relays.

The panel comes with full smartphone app, simply connect the server to the network, download the free app any you have full smartphone control of your lighting.

Summary

The Panel is undoubtedly the way forward for many hard wired home automation products, it offers the following major benefits:

  • Fixed cost – you know exactly what you are getting up front
  • Ease of installation – an ideal solution for the electrical contractor, less time on site and more attention to detail before final testing and the panel leaving the workshop.

As well as the KNX lighting equipment which formed the basis of this panel, Household Automation Ltd has projects involving KNX heating and other manufacturers equipment.

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Home Automation News

Home Automation – Heating Controls Reduced Rate VAT To 5%

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The importance of saving energy has never been greater and where better a place to start than with your heating control. If you can reduce your domestic energy consumption by introducing more sophisticated heating controls then now is the time to act. HMRC have reduced the rate of VAT down to 5% for the supply and installaton of heating controls. Depending upon what type of heating you have there are a number of measures you can take to ensure that your home has the correct level of heat throughout when you need it. By putting in place proper heating controls you can ensure that you have a more evenly spread heat throughout the house when it is occupied.

HMRC Energy saving materials Notice 708/6 is where you can find the detail of what can be 5%VAT rated. New buildings of course have their own VAT rating rules (explained in Notice 708 buildings and construction), here we are focusing on what can be 5% rated under energy saving. Heating systems (including heating and hot water systems) used in residential accomodation such as a houses, blocks of flats or other dwellings that include such items as electronic timers, thermostats, mechanical or electrical valves are covered by the 5% VAT notice. HMRC go further than this and explain that the installation (material and labour) is 5% rated and also that ‘acilliary (paragraph 2.3.2) supplies’ may be included. “An ancillary supply is a supply of goods or services that is a better means of enjoying the principal supply.” Not covered under notice 708/6 – replacement boilers, complete heating systems either replacement or new, adjustment of existing controls (paragraph 2.2 “Installation, in this context, means putting in place energy saving materials. This involves some process by which materials are permanently fixed in place”).

Getting back to plain English then – If at the residence you live in (there is a list (paragraph 2.16) it includes elderley care homes, hospices, monasteries, nunneries, student accommodation, self catering holiday accommodation, caravan homes, house boats) you are looking to make energy saving by introducing enhanced means of heating and hot water control then the likelyhood is that any work undertaken by your installer will be rated at 5% – a 15% saving to the customer!

We must point out that this article is based on our experiences to date and is in no way definitive ( you could make a career out of interpreting VAT documents). Of course every case is unique and we would recommend that if you are unsure weather a particular item can or cannot be zero rated then it is always best to contact the HMRC written referrals team direct.

How can heating controls save money?

Heating controls ensure that you have heating and hot water when you need it. Conversely they are also in place to ensure that your heating and hot water systems are NOT wasting energy when no one is in the property (or in a particular part of the property).

Most domestic heating control systems ‘call for heat’ i.e they switch the boiler on which heats the water. The heating control manages how often and when the boiler is being called for heat. Once it has the hot water in the system then it also manages how the hot water is distributed to the radiators or U/F heating. With electric heating the scenario is simplified because there is no heat store when you call for heat, you are basically switching the mains electricity on.

Your heating system will have time clocks that operate the boiler and hot water demand. It will also have (at least) a single thermostat that regulates the overall temperature of the house. In most cases the home owner can readily adjust these parameters. Heating control may also encompass heating modes, typically home, night, away and frost protect. These modes usually relate to a reduction in temperature from a set point value. So you have your set point at say 18 deg C, when you leave the house the heating is set to away mode and the actual temperature value that the heating system is trying to achieve is dropped by (say) 10 deg C.

Further savings can be made by providing zoned areas for heating. Where radiators are present this is best achieved by replacing conventional manual radiator valves with thermostatic radiator valves (TRV’s), this in effect provides each radiator with an element of individual temperature control. Where U/F heating or more sophisticated systems are required a separate room thermostat can be introduced.

Of course further saving can be achieved by having a central control system that allows access to all of the system components and thus the ability to control individual modes, timers and zones centrally.

Still further and potentially greater savings can be made if we know WHEN the home is occupied – what better way to tell than when the security system is set (or unset). This is where the benefits of a home automation system come into play as it is usually relatively simple to have your security system tell your heating system that the security has been armed – i.e that the house is unoccupied and that the heating temperature can be dropped down by 10 deg C. Similar results can be achieved with night modes and holiday (frost protect) modes.

With the advent of complementary new energy producing items such as solar power, heat pumps, wind turbines, the question of control becomes ever more important (and complex). Currently most energy solutions are installed with their own seperate controller. If the heating / energy management control can be treated as a single entity then the possibility exist for far greater savings to be made.