PHONE IN IRELAND OPENS CALGARY DOOR
Owner lets in cleaning lady in Calgary
Nolana Baillargeon was on tour in Ireland with the Calgary Fiddlers when she remembered her cleaning lady was due to arrive shortly at her home.
She clicked an app on her smartphone and was able to open the front door of her house in Calgary.
“I was able to make sure it was her at the door because we have a camera that looks onto our front porch,” says Baillargeon.
“I was able to disarm the security system and open the front door from my iphone — from Ireland — to let her in. And then we have a panoramic camera in our living room, so I was able to make sure she got in OK.”
Another time, Baillargeon and her family were driving home from the airport, still wearing shorts, after being away for a
I was able to disarm the security system and open the front door from my iphone — from Ireland — to let her in. And then we have a panoramic camera in our living room, so I was able to make sure she got in OK.
NOLANA BAILLARGEON
winter vacation in Florida.
Again, she was able to remotely turn the heat up in their home from her phone.
Baillargeon is one of many Calgarians looking to save energy, increase security and control their homes with the convenience of home-automation systems.
Many homebuilders wire their houses so they are ready to roll with whatever the buyer eventually decides they need, says Raphael Jimenez of Homes By Us, a Calgary custom home builder.
Some home automation can be done with individual items, such as a programmable thermostat, while other systems offer controls over much more.
The services Baillargeon uses are provided by Vivint, North America’s largest home-automation services company.
Vivint has found more of its Canadian customers are using more home-automation services than their counterparts in the U.S., the company reports.
“I think people are looking for smarter technologies and better ways to manage their homes,” says Tanner Leavitt, field service regional manager for Vivint.
“We’ve seen a lot of adoption of that, especially here in Alberta.”
Baillargeon used a home security system for years, but found the idea of more home automation attractive.
“We thought it was a really good fit for us, because of the ability to control things in your home from your iphone,” she says.
She can control security locks and cameras, heat and lights in her house from either her computer or smartphone.
A keypad at the front door saves her six-year-old daughter Zoey from having to keep track of a house key.
As a violin teacher, Baillargeon can give students a code to enter the house for their lesson, but limit the time frame it will work.
With the security camera playback feature, Baillargeon has even been able to cut down on neighbourhood shenanigans.
“It recorded (a child) digging in our flowerpots, so I could take my phone down to my neighbours and say, ‘Your kid’s been digging in my window box again,’” she says, quickly adding: “It’s all very innocent — he’s only five years old.”
Vivint is one of a variety of companies offering home automation services. Others in the Calgary area include Cinergy Home Theatre and Automation, K and W Audio and Home Automation, and Control4.
Nolana says Vivint’s service costs are reasonable — about the price of an iphone and data plan — for her family.
“It’s inexpensive. We’re middle class — I’m a musician and my husband is a writer,” she says.