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Interactive Lighting
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Interactive Lighting
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Lighting Control "Lighting interacts with everything in your home. It interacts with your lifestyle . It interacts with you." Ever come home to a dark house? Having a diner party and hate going around to each switch in your house to get your lights set exactly how you want them? Watching TV and forget to turn off or dim the lights before you set down? There are many types of lighting control from the hardwired to wireless systems from $ 30 - $ 50,000 and up. What is exactly the type of lighting control you need? Here are a few questions to ask yourself: ~ Do you travel? ~ Would you like to be able to re-play your movements throughout your home while your away? ~ Would you like to turn on your lights from the security and privacy of your car? ~ Be able to touch one-button "Entertainment" and your lights automatically set to a predetermined scene? ~ Would you like to manage your energy cost? ~ Get rid of those "ugly" switch plates, that have been around since the 1940s. If you answered "yes" to any of these questions then lighting control is for you. Most of your more prestigious hardwired systems today take a "interactive" approach to lighting control. This is a whole house solution and allows for remote access from anywhere you have access to a phone line and can be used in conjunction with a computer. A "vacation" mode is generally programmed which means the system is automatically recording two weeks of your movements throughout the house for instant playback in "real-time" at the touch of a button. No more plug-in timers. You will have the ability to turn-on or off lights, monitor lights and control other devices that may be connected to the system: i.e.. Hot tub, Window treatments (open/ close), landscape lighting and even turn on music throughout your home. These systems are custom programmed for your lifestyle by a trained technician and typically start around $ 20,000. This cost can be expected to proceed upward depending on the complexity and the overall scope of the system and the size of your home. "We love touching one button to create moods..." Pat Holloway A less expensive way is through wireless. This system in its most basic form has a switch with internal transmitter and a repeater. You will find that this system can be used in a new construction, remodel or easily retrofit into an existing structure. Depending on your specific needs you can control two or more rooms and can add a car transmitter to turn a "Welcome" mode on from the security of your automobile. Most typically these are used in home of 5,000 square feet or less. Cost range from $1,500 single room to approximately $9,500. This system is also programmed by a trained professional for your lifestyle. Both of the above systems can be interfaced with the security system for easy location of your home by the authorities, or turn on all the connected lights in the event of an emergency. The third and most economical is the single switch with dimmer controls. Typical areas that you may find this type of control is a living room, den, etc. where some control is needed. In its most basic form, it replaces your existing switch or switches with a IR (infra red) based dimmer. Most of these types of systems will come with an option of a handheld remote which will you to dim or turn off your lights from across the room. Cost range from a single switch at $ 39 to a system price (2 switch/dimmers, 2 accessory switches {3-way configuration} and handheld remote) of $ 275. Great value for a single room where no other control or access is needed. "...lighting - and the
ability to control it - is paramount in design."
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