Take Advantage of Your Decked Out Spaces with These Activities

Now that the weather is warming up in New Orleans, LA, it's the perfect time to take advantage of your home's beautiful outdoor spaces. Though the urge to get some sun and fresh air may be strong, we know in the spur of the moment, it can be hard to come up with outdoor activities for the entire family to enjoy. Here we outline some fun ways to get the most out of your pool, patio and backyard with the help of smart technology solutions that make outdoor entertainment fun year-round.

The Right Tools to Give You Peace of Mind

When designing a home security system, you need to consider your household's unique needs. In most cases, though, all homeowners can benefit from the same necessary foundation with just a few personal tweaks. This blog outlines some tips that will protect your Baton Rouge, LA home from theft and showcase the ways a custom smart security system helps to implement safety daily. Experience added piece of mind knowing you're doing everything you can to protect your home from potential intruders.

SEE MORE: Discover the Latest Trends in Home Security Systems

Lock All Entry Points

Eliminate human error by using security apps that send you alerts if doors are unlocked. Make any necessary changes through the same app whether you’re at home, work, or on vacation. If anyone in your family is particularly forgetful at keeping track, you can even use geo-tagging. During certain hours, if your system notices you left the house (based on your phone's location), it will automatically lock the doors.

Scare Off Potential Intruders

There are a variety of ways your home security system brings attention to unwanted activity on your property. One tactic is to flood the area with lights as soon as intruders set off motion sensors. The added benefit to this is that it also ensures you get better surveillance footage. Follow that with a loud alarm which not only further alerts them they have been noticed, but it will also help to advise your family to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity.

 Alternate Your Routine

One way intruders make sure you're not home when they break-in is to scope out your daily routines. How can you keep them from learning your regular habits without having to change your lifestyle? Employ 'away' scenes within your smart security system to make it seem like someone is home throughout the day. Schedule lights to turn on and off and even integrate motorized shades that go up and down for a more realistic effect.

Keep Track of Who Enters

Resist the urge to leave a lock under the mat for any gardeners, maids or dog walkers that need to enter when you’re not there. During the day, use your security app to let them in or give them each unique access codes to use. Each time they use the code to enter the house or activate the alarm when they leave, you will receive a notification. Not only that, but you can view live surveillance footage if you sense they’ve stuck around longer than expected.

Keep a Well-Lit Exterior

Going back to our previous point, thieves hate being noticed. That's why they'll often target houses with dark exteriors, where there are more natural spots for them to hide. Developing a comprehensive landscape lighting solution will serve as a significant deterrent for thieves. Having well-lit exteriors will not only create less dangerous unlit areas for them to thrive, but it will enhance your family’s overall safety by eliminating tripping hazards as well.

 Are you interested in upgrading your home security system to protect your property better? The experts at Acadian will craft a custom solution with your home’s primary needs and vulnerabilities in mind. All you have to do to get started is call us at 225.442.9849, fill out our contact form or chat with us below.

Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Lighting With Diverse Control Options

During our meetings with clients, we talk to them about how to use mobile apps, sensors, and dimmers to optimize their lighting. Usually, conversations focus on the indoors—where people spend up to 90 percent of their time. But it's important to know smart lighting control is vital for outdoor spaces as well. Even when you're not using them, the right lighting still leaves a significant mark.

With lighting conditions subject to change at any time and security paramount, you need a proactive and intuitive way to manage all your fixtures. How can you use some of those same tools you use indoors to optimize your outdoor spaces? Each of the sections below highlights an essential benefit of outdoor lighting and the ideal means to bring it into your Mandeville, LA home.

SEE MORE: 3 Smart Lighting Control Benefits that Will Surprise You

Stay Ahead of the Darkness

Sunlight does a great job of illuminating your outdoor spaces throughout the day, but do you have an efficient way to transition into nighttime without being left in the dark? A smart lighting control system lets you use timers linked to astronomical clocks. These automatically turn external fixtures on when the sun sets and turn them off again when the sun rises. You stay safe and comfortable without wasting energy.

Create an Inviting Atmosphere

Through dedicated scenes and motion sensors, design the ideal lighting to greet guests when they approach your home. Have a 'Welcome" scene that activates whenever someone pulls into your driveway. On command, all the fixtures lining your driveway turn on as do all path lights leading up to your front door. The main goal is safety here, but for new guests, it's also an ideal way to guide them to the entry you want them to use when they arrive.

Boost Your Outdoor Design

Showcase your favorite landscape decorations or your home's best architectural features with specialized fixtures from Coastal Source. A smart lighting control system makes it easy to use an app or on-wall keypad to alternate what you spotlight on a given day. Let us craft custom lighting scenes that each bring attention to fountains, gardens, or statues on your property.

Bolster Your Security

There are a lot of ways lighting also enhances your safety if used properly. Use path lighting linked to motion sensors to reduce tripping hazards. You should also integrate lighting with your security system. One thing intruders hate is being noticed. The second they set off motion sensors on your perimeters, drown them in bright lights to let them know you see them. These lights will also help you get better footage from your security cameras.

Enhance Your Comfort

Do you want to sit back and have a drink, host a pool party for the kids, or grill for friends on the patio? Efficiently transition your lighting for any situation through the use of smart scenes you pull up from a mobile app or keypad. Add in the rest of your smart home technology for optimal results! Take a "Grilling" scene, for example.  It switches on the patio’s overhead lighting and the light over the grill, turns on the fan to keep smoke from accumulating, and starts playing your favorite cooking playlist.

 
Are you ready to embrace the outdoors with a custom smart lighting control solution? Not only will you have more comfortable living spaces, but you’ll also boast the most beautiful house on the block. Our experts can help if you call us at 225.906.2589, fill out our contact form or chat with us below.