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Re: [OM] [OT] Home automation/security questions

Subject: Re: [OM] [OT] Home automation/security questions
From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:58:26 -0400
I hadn't thought about insurance requirements.  Guess I should check my 
policy.  Getting someone to do a regular check is very unlikely.  Switch 
controls such as Insteon or Z-wave can be signaled by a controller which 
can be stand-alone or programmed from a PC or smartphone.  A simple 
programmable controller can be had for under $100.  More sophisticated 
ones at about $300.

I've never seen a photo-sensor/timer controller.

Chuck Norcutt


On 8/8/2012 10:13 AM, Walters, Martin wrote:
> Chuck: One other consideration will likely be insurance requirements.
> My insurance typically requires someone visit the house regularly
> during extended absences. Your company may require such visits, in
> which case you may be able to have friends/neighbours check the
> furnace etc, as a backup to your other "systems". In cold weather
> such human backups would be wise.
>
> Some thoughts re timers: are the more sophisticated ones (whether
> in-wall switches or plug in) already programmed for time changes?
> Some work with photo-sensitive cells. If they work properly, they
> would adjust for changing daylight hours.
>
> Martin
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Norcutt
> [mailto:chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, August 08,
> 2012 9:53 AM To: Olympus mail list Subject: [OM] [OT] Home
> automation/security questions
>
> Sorry for breaking the flurry of on-topic OM-D traffic but I have
> some home automation/security questions for which I know someone here
> has the answers.
>
> I have two (I think modest) goals I'd like to achieve for when I
> leave the house in the winter for warmer climes.
>
> 1) Right now I have a simple set of timers that turn a few lights on
> and off that simulate the activity in the house when it's occupied.
> Some of these timers have a battery backup so they can survive power
> outages. However, by the time I return in the spring, sunset and
> sunrise are radically different than when I left.  Also, daylight
> savings time has gone into effect further throwing the timers off.
> Also, one of the lights I'd like to control (but don't now) is
> operated by a wall switch where control is not amenable to a simple
> plug-in timer.
>
> I think I can solve these lighting problems with fairly simple
> Insteon, Z-Wave (or similar) devices.  But I don't know all the
> ins/outs of these things and what's best or worse.  Nor do I
> completely understand the need for or how to completely cover
> communicating over both phases of the AC power lines of the house.
> That leads to a question of should I use radio transmission devices
> only?
>
> Whatever the solution here it probably gets complicated (cost wise)
> by goal #2...
>
> 2) When I leave the house for the winter I have the plumbing
> winterized with anti-freeze by a plumber right after I leave and
> de-winterized just before I return.  I also have the town turn my
> water off outside the house just in case my own inside shut-off valve
> should start leaking. The town turns the water off for free but the
> winterizing/de-winterizing costs me $200/year.  What I'd like to do
> is get rid of the precautionary anti-freeze requirement for the
> plumbing.  But that requires that I keep a close watch on the
> temperature of the house in the event the furnace should fail.  Right
> now I have a simple temperature sensor that turns on a red light in
> the window to warn the neighbors if the temperature drops to 40F.
> But if they don't notice or don't respond the antifreeze in the pipes
> will protect the plumbing.  With no anti-freeze in the pipes I don't
> dare count on the neighbors noticing that all is not well with the
> furnace.
>
> If I want to spend lots of money and use a smartphone (not!) I can
> get instant alerts via smartphone on some systems.  But I don't want
> to go there.  I normally have my internet/cable/phone shut off when
> I'm gone but can leave internet only communications running for about
> the same amount of money that it costs me for
> winterizing/de-winterizing.  That allows for a freeze/temperature
> sensor communicate with me via the net but I don't know exactly how
> to do that at modest cost.  A warning e-mail would be best but even
> having to log-on daily for a status check would be OK if it's the
> only way to do it cheaply.
>
> These are the functions I'm after.  The questions are how to do it
> cheaply but also reliably.  If there's no built-in freeze protection
> the system has to work.  Probably best to take the answers to this
> off-list.
>
> Thanks much, Chuck Norcutt --
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