Astonish the Techie in Your Life with Today’s Smart Home Technology

Do you have a techie in your life who has every new gadget and doesn't want another computer or the newest wireless headphones for a holiday gift? While the world abounds in technology in Avon, CT, and beyond, sometimes the people immersed in it are the hardest to buy for. After all, they already have every device imaginable! 

At C&T Systems, we have a solution. It’s called smart home automation, and it’s sure to take your tech enthusiast by surprise.

Simplify Your Life Through Smart Home Automation 

Smart home automation shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, one of the leading reasons families invest in smart homes is the convenience and comfort of a technology-driven lifestyle. The installation process, on the other hand, is often complex and better left to professionals. At C&T Systems, we design, install, and integrate technology systems for clients in Farmington, CT, and surrounding areas. What’s our mission? To take care of the complicated aspects of home automation so that you can focus on living a better, smarter, more comfortable life. 

Here are three ways hiring a professional installer and integrator will simplify your life through home automation. 

Enhance Your Home, Improve Your Wellbeing And Save Energy

Shades put the finishing touch on a room; without them, they can feel sparse and unwelcoming. Window treatments add style, ambiance, and a sense of elegance.

Motorized shades provide more than fashion; they help minimize energy costs, protect your assets and complement your security system. Shades are also a vital component in utilizing daylighting techniques for more human-centric lighting. When tied to a smart home controller, a house can regulate itself, furnishing you with the luxury of comfort and convenience.

Are you curious about how automated shading systems can improve not just the look but the function of your home in Newport, RI and surrounding areas? Continue reading to find out more.

Electrical Grids Are Troubled. Prevent Damage from Surges and Costly Peak Hour Charges

Technology is a big part of our everyday living; every aspect of our lives is touched by it. The devices in our home provide automated convenience, surveillance, and access to media from anywhere.

While there are many benefits to having a smart home, they are susceptible to inconsistencies in the power grid, natural events, and peak energy costs. Providing audio video protection from surges, spikes, and other electrical issues not only ensures continued service but also protects your investment. 

Is your Westbrook, CT, or New Englandsmart home and equipment protected against potentially damaging electrical issues? Find out how we can save your devices and money. Read more below.

If You Are Just Getting Started With Automated Lighting Control, We Have Simple And Effective Solutions.

Lighting does more than illuminate your way in the dark; it has the power to create ambiance, affect our mood and productivity. Lighting control brings a more personalized experience, tuned to your lifestyle. Set the scene for dinner, add life to the backyard barbeque, or create a calming warm glow as you get ready for bed. 

If you are looking to get started with automated lights, it may seem like a daunting task at first. We offer solutions by Lutron that accommodate your needs and situation, from new build to retrofit. 

Are you ready to bring a new level of lighting to your home in Glastonbury, CT, and the surrounding areas? Read more below to find out how you and your home can benefit. 

Circadian Based Lighting Systems Supplement Natural Light, Providing Better Health and Energy

Light is a vital element for life, fostering nature and humans alike. The natural cycle of the sun’s rise and setting dictates our own. We have evolved to take both cultural and biological cues from the sun.

Developing research has shown that circadian rhythms have a direct influence on our emotional and physical wellbeing. All too often, the standard lighting is designed with a utilitarian eye. These cold and muted fixtures ignore, or even mask, the vibrancy and vigor natural light bestows.

Ketra, purchased by Lutron in 2018, takes a different approach, stating: “Dynamic and always evolving, it’s as alive as the very life it illuminates. And yet, we often treat man-made light as a mere utility, remaining complacent with stagnant, chilly light —when it holds the potential to be so much more. “

Intrigued how human-centric lighting control can enhance your home and health in Newport, RI and the surrounding areas? Read on for more information.

Beauty, Performance, and Cost Savings. So Many Good Reasons to Upgrade to Lutron Shades

Traditional window shades serve their purpose by providing light control and accenting your home décor. But you want more than that!

Lutron window shades are not only available in a wide variety of styles and sizes, but they are motorized for ultimate control! Imagine the convenience of simply pushing a button to control your shades – raise them, lower them, and adjust the slats for optimal light control.

On top of that, they are sleek and stylish, impressively elevating the ambiance of your living areas to new levels. Want to find out all the benefits of installing motorized shades at your home in Farmington, CT or the surrounding areas? Read more in our blog.

Learn How OvrC, Panamax Keep This Function as Simple and Intuitive as Possible

We recently worked with a customer in the Stonington, CT area who had all the latest smart home technology but kept running into a deceptively simple problem that many smart home owners don’t even think about until their smart tech is all set up: What do you do when these devices go offline?

Every now and then, even the best technology can fail and need a little help getting back into working order. For example, a router might need to be rebooted after a storm, or your cable box or streaming player might malfunction and need a reboot—even your smart cameras or music players might run into trouble that a simple reboot would fix.

But for our client in Stonington and others all across Connecticut, it’s often the case that after they’ve worked with us, they have all their tech hidden away elegantly in the basement or a closet, which means everything is usually packed in and hard to access for the average customer.

There’s an easier way—remote control of your devices with great products from OvrC and Panamax.

Should You DIY or Use A Smart Home Company?

If you’re a handy man, a fixer-upper, or someone who prefers to do things their own way, it’s entirely possible to assemble a smart home system by yourself. Devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Samsung’s SmartThings are available in stores, and with video tutorials and blogs like this one, DIY installations are more accessible than ever.

The downside? Doing it yourself is not easy. If you want a truly integrated home, you will need to mount cameras, install thermostats, wire your speaker systems, and trickiest of all, get your separate devices working and communicating with each other. You don’t want to juggle different remotes and phone apps; everything should work in unison together automatically. To achieve that, you’ll need the assistance of a smart home company.

To decide if the professional or DIY route is best for you, continue reading to discover how a smart home integrator can help your Guilford, CT home.

From Nautical to Neoclassical in Newport, You’ll be in Style

No one can say that we don’t have varied weather on the East Coast. From bone-chilling winters to humid summers and everything in between, we’ve got it all. Fortunately, the waterfront location on the Rhode Island coast tempers the weather just enough to make the snowstorms slightly less worse and bring the cool sea air in the summer.

In the winter, when the light is at a premium, we might want to let in as much of it as possible. In the summer with a hot sun, we may want to control it better and minimize the use of air conditioning.

What’s the solution? The easiest way is with motorized shades, where you can touch a button – or issue a voice command – and raise or lower window treatments in seconds. Shades can be lowered when the sun is fully streaming in but can be raised to enjoy the view later, especially if you happen to have one of Narragansett Bay or the Atlantic.

Many people think that to get this automated convenience you need to limit yourself on style. That may have been true in earlier days, but there are a plethora of options now with motorized shades. C&T Systems works with Lutron for motorized shading as well as their lighting control systems because both offer a wealth of possibilities. Read on to learn more about Lutron Sivoia QS and Serena shading to see if they're right for your Newport-area residence.

Smart Home Features Will Simplify Our Lives This Year

Every day seems to bring another new smart device to the market.  Several key technology areas are driving the innovation – the availability of inexpensive, powerful chips, cloud-based software platforms, multiple wireless technologies, and machine learning – are enabling the addition of intelligent features to a slew of home devices.

Earlier this year at the CES consumer technology show, we saw a host of new smart devices introduced.  Smart lights, speakers, thermostats, coffeemakers, washing machines, irrigation controllers, refrigerators, ranges, and even toilets are getting injections of smart technology.  The technology in your home is accelerating from interesting novelty to genuine usefulness. Automation will bring about a change in how we use and manage our homes.  The functionality of smart home devices and systems is only getting better every year, and as it matures, we will become more accustomed to it and grow to depend on it in our daily lives – much like the smartphone.

Since we're early in this new year, we want to highlight the trends that will be driving the new smart products you will see in 2019.  This is the year when smart home automation becomes mainstream.  If you haven't yet invested in a home automation system for your Groton residence, there is no better time. 

Read on to learn more about the smart home automation trends you’ll be seeing this year. 

Introducing Sonnen EcoLinx: Here’s What You Should Know

Until recently, the possibilities for storing energy in your home were very limited or nonexistent. What do you do when an ice storm knocks out power in your Stonington home? If power is out for more than a few hours, you might resort to a propane-powered generator. But that isn't the most eco-friendly or efficient solution.

Recent advances in battery technology have now made it feasible and cost-effective to store energy in your home. Why might you want to do that? If there's a power outage in an icy Connecticut winter, you can have your own source of energy. Moreover, these new systems are more than just a battery – they are intelligent energy management systems. They can help reduce your energy costs by storing power from the electric grid when it is abundant and cheapest, as in overnight hours. Electric utilities are also instituting energy management programs that are called demand response. These are ways to reduce power demand during peak times, which could be during a particularly cold Connecticut snowstorm or the occasional New England summer heat wave. Demand response allows utilities to control consumption by getting opt-in access from consumers to reduce their demand through control of smart thermostats and other means. 

C&T Systems is ready for this new intelligent energy management future. We are proud to announce that we will be working with Sonnen, the leader in smart energy management systems. Why Sonnen?  Because it is also the first product of its kind that can also be linked to smart home automation systems. With smart home automation and energy management systems working together, you can efficiently manage your consumption and prepare for the unexpected.

Keep reading to learn about the benefits of Sonnen energy management systems for your Connecticut property in the Stonington area or beyond.

Explore Lutron’s Many Home Technology Integration Options

We are living in a world awash with smart devices. Every day, something new comes out that adds intelligence and connectivity to an everyday device or appliance. Would you like a coffeemaker that can be turned on via Amazon Alexa voice control?

We Rhode Islanders are sometimes skeptical. Perhaps we don’t need a connected coffee maker, or maybe we think it’s a great idea. Regardless, what we do want in smart devices and home automation is the ability to make that automated functionality work well with other features in our home in the Westerly area. There are quite a few “connected” light bulbs and electrical plugs out there, but they only connect to one app on your phone. 

When it comes to lighting systems and control, there is one undisputed leader in the field – Lutron.  Lutron originated the first solid-state lighting dimmer way back in 1959, and has not stopped since, creating sophisticated lighting control systems for both residential and commercial use. 

Lutron has invested heavily in integration with other systems. If you are looking for a lighting control system, you want to be able to integrate it with other home control solutions, either now or in the future. 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways Lutron lighting systems play well with others. 

Upgrade Your Home with Automation and Hidden Technology

Home automation is about more than controlling all your technology; it’s also about weaving your tech throughout your Stonington, CT house so that it works with your interior design. Audio, video and other smart devices shouldn’t detract from the look of the house; they should complement it. An integrator can give you the right controls and also hide all of the technology. Learn how by reading this blog.

Enjoy Nature in the Evening with These Smart Lighting Solutions

The summer is finally here and it’s time to enjoy the fantastic weather while it lasts. On our blog we’ve covered the amazing benefits of Lutron lighting control around your Stonington, CT home. But what about your backyard? Relaxing out back on the porch or taking an evening dip in the hot tub requires good lighting, so why not automate your landscape? You’ll be able to enjoy the evening night sky and the summer breeze with easy-to-use lighting controls at your side. Keep reading this blog to learn more.

The Equipment You Need for Stellar Sound

There’s an infinite amount of ways to enjoy your music, but not all of them are created equal. You’ve probably seen it a million times before. You walk into a friend’s home in Stonington, Connecticut, or maybe it’s even your own, but one person is listening to his or her headphones, another is using the speakers off of their laptop, and the last one is using a small Bluetooth speaker.  The result is several disjointed listening methods, all of which are depriving them of a true sonic experience. The answer is a whole house music system. Continue reading to learn more.

Automate the Shades on Your Sun Porch in Stonington, CT

It may still be a bit chilly in Connecticut, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t too early to start thinking about your spring and summer plans. For Connecticut homeowners who love spending time outdoors, motorized shades are a perfect addition to your patio so you can enjoy nature without the annoying bugs or harsh glare from the sun. Our trusted lighting and shading brand Lutron has partnered with Insolroll to automate the shades on your porch or patio. Keep reading to learn more about this new smart home feature.

Manage Your Danbury Home Your Way with Customized Controls

 A smart home installation is all about control, but it’s also about versatility. Not only do your options expand, but you also get to decide how you connect to all of your electronic devices. We are seeing technology change and develop at a rapid pace, but the goal is still the same – to satisfy the user. Because ultimately, if you can’t figure out how to control something, it’s useless. C&T Systems designs and installs your smart home to be easy to use and seamless so that everything works together quickly and smoothly. In this blog, we are going to highlight the newest and most popular ways to control your smart home. So whether you live in Danbury, CT or Hartford, we can customize your home to your exact preferences.

What do you need for a well-run smart home automation system?

You may wonder, 'what makes a smart home run perfectly?’ While there are many factors to installing a fully integrated smart home, there is one key factor that is often overlooked – the network. It may seem obvious, but many times the problem lies with the Internet connection, not with the device, design, or the AV installation company.

The true secret to an effective smart home is the network installation. In order to live an electronic lifestyle, you need strong internet connections established in your Newport, Rhode Island home. Without it, every other piece fails. Your wireless Internet connection is the backbone of the smart home. Continue reading this article to discover why a home network is so important and what services we offer to guarantee a perfect smart home operation.

Use These Exclusive Technologies in Your Danbury Home

Installing motorized shades in your Danbury, CT home has many benefits, like saving energy, time and money. Yet, there are many other incredible features of Lutron shades you may not know about. Their award-winning line of smart shades have wonderful features that can be used and enjoyed by everyone in the family. Keep reading to discover these top four features we love most.