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HIGH VOLTAGE BENEFITS WITH LOW VOLTAGE SWITCHES

USING LOW VOLTAGE  SECURITY SWITCHES, PIC INTEGRATES  THOSE SWITCHES  TO ACTIVATE CLOSET LIGHTS, STAIRWAY LIGHTS, PATH LIGHTS TO CREATE A HANDS FREE CONTROL OF LIGHTS.  CLOSETS CAN BE AUTOMATICALLY PROGRAMMED TO COME ON AND, AFTER A TIME PERIOD, AUTOMATICALLY GO  OFF IF THE CLOSET DOOR IS NOT CLOSED.STAIRWAY SWITCHES  DETECT  YOUR PRESENCE TO ACTIVATE  LIGHTS  HANDS FREE JUST BY STEPPING ON THE STAIRWAY.  
PIC WINS 1997 HOME OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM THE USA HOME AUTOMATION ASSOCIATION

PIC HAS ENJOYED  CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF PEER RECOGNITION INCLUDING THE COVETED 1997 HOME OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM THE  HOME AUTOMATION ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES.

ONLY ONE COMPANY PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES RECEIVES THE AWARD.

THE AWARD SYMBOLIZES EXCELLENCE IN BLENDING ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC CONTROLS TO SATISFY THE END USER’S REQUIREMENTS.

PIC IS ILLINOIS’ LONGEST HOME AUTOMATION ASSOCIATION MARK OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER.

LEAVE MASTER BUTTON OFFERS POPULAR CONVENIENCE

WITH JUST THE TOUCH OF ONE BUTTON AS YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME, ALL LIGHTS CAN BE TURNED OFF - REGARDLESS OF HOW OR WHO TURNED THEM ON.  THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST FEATURES PEOPLE ASK FOR WHEN DESIGNING THEIR  HOME SYSTEM.

RETURN BUTTON LIGHTS UP THE WAY

TO PREVENT WALKING INTO A DARK HOME, A SINGLE RETURN BUTTON LIGHTS UP A PATH FROM THE ENTRANCE POINT TO WHATEVER LOCATION THE OWNER DESIRES (KITCHEN, HALL, ETC.). GREAT WHEN CARRYING  IN GROCERIES  TO PREVENT WALKING IN THE DARK OR STRUGGLING FOR A SWITCH.

ENGRAVED BUTTONS MAKE FOR USER FRIENDLY CONTROLS

USING ENGRAVED BUTTONS THAT SPELL OUT WHAT THEY CONTROL ALLOWS PIC TO MAKE  A VERY FRIENDLY USER INTERFACE.  PIC’S CUSTOMERS USUALLY ARE IN FULL CONTROL OF THEIR SYSTEM IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS.

SECURITY LIGHTS BUTTON THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE ON EVERY STATION GIVES THE OWNER THE EDGE

ALL OF PIC’S HOMES INCLUDE A SINGLE BUTTON ON EACH STATION THAT ACTIVATES PLANNED SECURITY LIGHTS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME TO COME ON.  THIS  GIVES THE OWNER THE ADVANTAGE OF NOT WALKING INTO A DARK AREA LOOKING FOR A SWITCH. IT PLACES THE INTRUDER IN THE LIGHT FIRST AND ALLOWS LIGHTING CONTROL TO ASSIST IN DETERRING INTRUDERS.

MASTER OFF SAVES WALK TIME

WHEN PEOPLE FORGET TO TURN LIGHTS OFF  IN ANY ROOM OF THE HOUSE, A MASTER OFF BUTTON  IN THE MASTER BEDROOM PREVENTS HAVING TO WALK (IN SOME CASES-MULTIPLE FLOORS) TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.

HOLIDAY BUTTON AIDS DURING STRESSFUL TIMES

IMAGINE  TESTING, THEN TURNING ON OR OFF YOUR  HOLIDAY LIGHTS WITH THE TOUCH OF ONE BUTTON.  PIC’S PLANNING OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT  INCLUDES THE PROCESS OF THINKING THROUGH HOLIDAY PERIODS TO ENABLE  THE CONVENIENCE OF ELECTRONICS TO AID  DURING A STRESSFUL HOLIDAY PERIOD.
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR FLASH SAVES REPEATED YELLING
HAVING ONE BUTTON  ENGRAVED “INDOOR FLASH” THAT SEQUENCES CERTAIN INDOOR LIGHTS TO FLASH HAS  REMOVED THE NEED  FOR STRENUOUS YELLING AND REPEATED CALLING OF INDIVIDUALS  FOR DINNER TO THE KITCHEN OR DINING AREA. THE SAME FEATURE IS APPLIED TO OUTDOOR LIGHTING TO AID  CALLING IN FROM  OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.

WAKEUP BUTTON REDUCES EYE STRAIN IN THE MORNING

TO REDUCE THE STRAIN PLACED ON YOUR EYES WHEN YOU FLIP ON THE BATHROOM LIGHTS IN THE MORNING OR DURING THE NIGHT, PIC PLANS A “WAKE UP” OR NIGHT LIGHT BUTTON  THAT ALLOWS LIGHTS TO GENTLY RAISE IN INTENSITY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO REDUCE THE SHOCK TO YOUR  EYES.

FRESHAIR REDUCES AIR CONDITIONING COSTS

HAVING  A WHOLE HOUSE  ATTIC FAN BEING CONTROLLED FROM MORE THAN ONE LOCATION PROVIDES THE FLEXIBILITY TO ENJOY THE FEATURES OF FRESH  AIR FROM ANY LOCATION WHILE REDUCING THE TIME THAT  AN AIR CONDITIONER RUNS.

VACATION BUTTON PROVIDES DETERRENT

TO ELIMINATE A DARK HOUSE AT NIGHT, A VACATION PROGRAM ALLOWS VARIOUS RANDOM LIGHTS TO COME ON AND OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO GIVE THE HOUSE AN OCCUPIED PRESENCE.

MASTER BUTTONS PROVIDE A CONVENIENT WAY TO HANDLE THE "I FORGOT TO TURN IT OFF SYNDROME"

HAVING A FEEDBACK INDICATOR TELLING YOU SOMETHING IS ON AND HAVING ONE MASTER BUTTON TO TURN OFF ALL LIGHTS  CAN SAVE WASTING TIME FOR CHECKING TO SEE IF SOMETHING IS ON AND WALKING TO SHUT IT OFF.

SMART TIMERS HELP TO PREVENT COMING BACK TO A DARK HOME

BY KNOWING THE DATE, DAY, SUNRISE, SUNSET, AND DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME , SMART TIMERS CAN HELP PREVENT COMING BACK TO A DARK HOME BY ADJUSTING DAILY THE TIME THAT LIGHTS  COME ON  TO PREVENT THE DARK SYNDROME.

NIGHTLITES IMPROVE VISION AT NIGHT

HAVING NIGHT LIGHTS ON ALL LIGHT CONTROL STATIONS PROVIDES  FOR IMPROVED LOCATION VISION AT NIGHT. THEY MINIMIZE REACHING AND SEARCHING FOR A SWITCH. DUAL PURPOSE LED FEEDBACK LIGHTS GIVE YOU THIS OPTION.

REMOTE ICE MELTER HELPS SAVE GUTTERS

HAVING A REMOTE BUTTON CONTROLLING HEAT CABLES ON THE ROOF HELPS EXTEND THE LIFE OF GUTTERS BY MELTING THE ICE WHEN ENERGIZED.

TO GET A TRUE COST COMPARISON - START WITH EQUAL REQUIREMENTS

THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS IS BY A SIMPLE EXAMPLE.

IT THERE WERE 10 ROOMS IN A HOME AND EACH HAD A LIGHT SWITCH- THAT WOULD BE 10 LIGHT SWITCHES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE HOME.IF YOUR REQUIREMENT WAS TO BE ABLE TO TURN THEM ALL OFF FROM AN EXIT DOOR, YOU WOULD REQUIRE 20 3-WAY SWITCHES. (10 FOR THE ROOMS AND 10 AT THE EXIT DOOR) AND ALL THE HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING RUN FROM THE ROOMS BACK TO THE EXIT DOOR AND TO THE BREAKER BOXES FOR POWER.OF COURSE HAVING 10 WALL SWITCHES UNMARKED AT THE EXIT DOOR WOULD BE CONFUSING, TAKE UP A LOT OF WALL SPACE, AND WOULD ADD COST TO  THE BASE PLAN. UTILIZING A LOW VOLTAGE  SYSTEM, YOU COULD HAVE A 9 BUTTON STATION AT THE EXIT LOCATION THAT FITS IN THE SAME SIZE AS A  CONVENTIONAL LIGHT SWITCH. EACH ROOM WOULD ALSO HAVE A STATION FROM 1 TO 9 BUTTONS AND WOULD ALSO BE LOW VOLTAGE. ALL THE HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING WOULD GO TO ONE PLACE (BASEMENT) IN LIEU OF MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

IN REALITY, BOTH THE OLD CONVENTIONAL WIRING METHOD (WHICH I CAN ANALOG) AND THE NEW METHOD WITH LOW VOLTAGE (WHICH I CALL DIGITAL) ARE GOING TO COST YOU MORE BECAUSE YOUR REQUIREMENT TO BE ABLE TO TURN THEM ALL OFF WAS NOT PART OF YOUR ORIGINAL PLAN. HOWEVER, THE LOW VOLTAGE WOULD BE CLEANER, SAFER, AND EASIER TO CONSTRUCT WITH LESS CONFUSION.

IN THE END , THE REQUIREMENT WAS  CAUSING THE PRICING CHANGE.

COMPARING VALUE VS COST TO SATISFY YOUR NEEDS

OVER 15 YEARS, I HAVE NOT FOUND 2 HOMES THAT WERE COMPLETELY IDENTICAL. PEOPLE VALUE DIFFERENT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. WHAT WAS COMMON , HOWEVER, WAS THAT IF THE OWNER VALUED A CERTAIN BENEFIT  (TIME SAVINGS, CONVENIENCE ITEM, SAFETY, ENTERTAINMENT, ETC), THEY WOULD PLAN THAT INTO THEIR  ELECTRICAL CONTROLS AND PLAN THEIR BUDGET TO ACHIEVE THOSE VALUES.

BEST VALUE FOR THE BUCK

TO GET YOUR BEST VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY, PLAN ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS FIRST, THEN  CHECK  FOR THE SYSTEM THAT DELIVERS THEM WITH THE LEAST CONFUSION,  SIMPLEST USER INTERFACE,  IN A SAFE CONSTRUCTED MANNER AND YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO ACHIEVING THE BEST VALUE FOR YOUR BUCK.

PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

THE BEST WAY TO KEEP YOUR COSTS MANAGEABLE IS WITH A GOOD TEAM ADVISING YOU AS YOU GO. REMEMBER, THE MORE YOUR REQUIREMENTS GO UP, GENERALLY THE COSTS FOLLOW.  PIC  IS LICENSED HIGH AND LOW VOLTAGE.

ICE MELT

CONTROLLING ICE MELT SYSTEMS UTILIZING ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE LIMITS CAN REDUCE ICE ON TROUGHS.

REMOTE PROPANE

HAVING THE LEVEL OF A REMOTE PROPANE TANK APPEAR ON A TOUCHSCREEN SAVES WALKING TIME TO THE TANK IN COLD WEATHER.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION

HAVING YOUR AUTOMATION SYSTEM SEND YOU E MAILS WITH DESIRED INFORMATION FROM THE HOME KEEPS YOU WELL INFORMED.

POWER WINDOWS

IF YOU NEVER HAD POWER WINDOWS IN YOUR CAR, YOU COULD EASILY SAY THEY ARE TOO MUCH MONEY AND I CAN’T AFFORD IT.

HOWEVER, ONCE YOU HAVE THEM AND SEE THEIR BENEFITS, ITS HARD TO GO BACK TO THE CRANKS.

IT’S THE SAME WITH A WELL PLANNED ENVIRONMENT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

PHONE  815-784-9560

OR  FAX 815-784-4518                                                      

30342 Pebble Beach Circle     Genoa, Illinois 60135

 

 

 

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