A New Year of Z-Wave!

By Randall Stickrod, publisher, ZWaveWorld

There could hardly be a more appropriate time of year to be a convert to the Z-Wave way of life. Whether you’re monitoring energy consumption and heating bills, determined to upgrade your household security, or follow through on any number of New Year resolutions involving home improvements, Z-Wave technology has got you covered.

Z-Wave technology has been compelling from the beginning because of its versatile functionality, its convenience, and the fact that verifiable savings in energy consumption and home security can be seen immediately. Take a look at this example from Aeon Labs for monitoring energy consumption and this how-to guide that defines an easy way to set up household security. Today, add to those the fact that most Z-Wave products can be easily installed, and controlled from anywhere via your choice of devices.

In fact, anything in your house that operates on electrical power can be operated under control of a Z-Wave device, including appliances, window coverings, sensors, as well as lighting, thermostats and locks. Z-Wave technology means that any number of devices can be easily brought into a household system. And perhaps best of all, your devices can be controlled within the house by hand held remotes , such as those from; GE, Aeon Labs or Remotec, or externally through your smartphone or tablet via wifi connectivity, or over the internet. It is shockingly simple.

• Want to turn up your thermostat just before you get home?
• Want to unlock the door to let someone in while you’re away? Or can’t remember if you locked the door when you left?
• Forgot to turn out the lights?
• Want to program your house lights, window shades and video monitor before you take the family on that holiday vacation?
• Want to check on your pets when no one is home?

Z-Wave has it all. You can start with a single product and install it yourself: a few examples, for instance; a lighting control, like this system from GE, a door lock from Schlage’s LINK system, an appliance module with power monitoring, or a thermostat. Control and/or program it with a handheld remote. Most of these devices are now plug-in modules, not requiring you to get inside the electrical wiring of your house. And most are surprisingly inexpensive, with many selling for less than $50.

Going from a single Z-Wave device to multiple household functions is easily accomplished through a central controller, such as Micasaverde’s Vera or a Homeseer system. The central controller, or gateway, typically costs less than $250 and can manage every device, from your home security system to your energy management monitoring,  not to mention lighting, video surveillance, motion sensors and window coverings, to name a few. Micasaverde has a Demo Video that is well worth watching to see how straightforward and simple it can be to install and program your own home network running off a central controller. Access and control can be done through your web browser or smartphone, a truly liberating experience.

If do-it-yourself is not your thing,  there are installer options. Schlage’s highly regarded Link system, which can incorporate home automation functions well beyond locking, can be installed yourself, or professionally installed through InstallerNet, a nationwide home installation service. Link is a subscription service in which the homeowner pays $8.99 per month (or $99 per year) and allows the Link system to remotely host and monitor all the programmed functions.

In a similar vein, Verizon has recently offered a similar whole-home service. Read this helpfuloverview and step-by-step guide to get started with home controls. All the functions are professionally installed, hosted and monitored for $9.99 per month. A starter kit for $69 includes a gateway, camera, and lighting controls, with a wide range of add-on options. Similar offerings are available from ADT, Vivint, Alarm.com, among others.

If you still think that controlling your home is a daunting task, fear not. There are resources galore standing by to help you. Start by checking in with our resident expert advisor, Jay Venner, and read Ask The Expert (you can also send in your questions). And do sign on to our Forum. You will find legions of kindred spirits, scores of helpful people who have done it all before, and tips and tricks to help you become a “power user” of Z-Wave.

And where to get all these goodies? You have a lot of choices. The big box stores like Best Buy carry many of them. Online at Amazon, New Egg, Tiger Direct. Worthington. ZwaveProducts.com. And for expert advice close at hand with your call, Smart Home Products.

Z-Wave. It has never been easier, more affordable, or more compelling.