Monthly Archives: September 2012

Smart, Safe Home System Can Save You Money This Winter


There isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t speak with a customer who is concerned about the cost of heating their home.

Most of the money that a homeowner spends on energy in this area goes to heating their house. The best way we know to cut the energy bill is to use less energy.

That;’s where our Smart, Safe Home system comes in. By tying your thermostat into the system, you can automatically have the thermostat turnmed back every time you leave home and arm the system.

Where does a smart thermostat fit in a home automation system?

Your thermostat: A gateway to savings.

Home energy management starts with the thermostat. In the U.S., more than 8 percent of energy consumption is controlled by the thermostat.

Most homes these days have a programmable thermostat. In fact, 40 percent of existing homes use programmable thermostats while almost 100 percent of new homes have them installed. But that doesn’t mean that people are taking advantage of them. There is one major reason for that: Programming a thermostat is easier said than done.

Program? I just turn it on and off…

For over 60 years we have providing heating and cooling service. Our experience tells us  that a majority of programmable thermostats are left in manual mode. Many homeowners tell us that they rarely or never change the program (kind of defeating the purpose of a programmable thermostat). So if you’re like most people and you’re not taking advantage of your programmable thermostat they way you could, what can you do about it?

Here at Burns & McBride Home Comfort we have a solution. It’s a Honeywell “Smart” thermostat. It’s similar to a programmable thermostat, but with one key difference: Every time you leave your home it is smart enough to turn the heat off.

What makes a Smart Thermostat smart?

Simplicity

Your Honeywell “Smart” thermostat is connected to the Internet through your Burns & McBride Go!Control. Having your thermostat connected to the Internet through our interactive website keeps things simple.

Through Internet access or your smart phone, you can control your heating and cooling whether you are at home or away. It only takes a few seconds to set up a schedule based on government-approved Energy Star heating and cooling programs. And you can do it all through your Burns & McBride Home Comfort online account.

  • The smart thermostat communicates with your Burns & McBride Home Comfort home security system. When you arm that system, the smart thermostat can automatically raise or lower the temperature. The thermostat adjusts to your schedule; not the other way around.
  • Every time you leave home and arm your system, it will turn the thermostat back! When you return and disarm the system, it returns to the original settings.
  • You will even receive a text or email notification if the temperature in your home crosses a high or low temperature threshold. In’t it better to know that you have a problem with the heater at 10 in the morning rather than finding out at 6 in the evening when you get home from work?

Affordability

Having a simple way to manage your energy saves you money.

  • Simply using a smart thermostat will save energy and save you money. Reducing the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees when you are sleeping or away will save money over time.
  • When using government-recommended Energy Star heating and cooling schedules, you can expect to save around $30 a month.

Smart thermostats may seem like a small thing, but at the end of the day, they make a huge difference. They are one of the simplest ways to manage your energy consumption and save money.

Leave a comment

Filed under Energy Management, Home Automation, Uncategorized

New Improved Smoke Detector Also Protects You When the Heat Goes Off


Burns & McBride,  is among the first this week to offer the next generation sensor for home and small business use. The SMKT3-345 offers the same reliable functionality and features for smoke and heat detection as the SMKT2, but with the added benefit of freeze detection. It’s more customizable than previous models by allowing separation of the smoke, heat and freeze features enabling the alarm to detect one, two or all three.

“Many of our customers want the added benefit of having a central station monitoring their home or business for fire response. Most traditional smoke and fire detection systems simply sound an audible alarm—which does little to protect the owner if they are not present or unable to exit the premises.”, says Burns & McBride Manager Pat Igo. “We now offer the added protection against potential freezing temperatures.”

The SMKT3, which costs around $100, allows customers to receive notifications via text messaging, email or a call from a central station operator when the temperature reaches a certain threshold—in addition to the detection of heat and smoke. “This is ideal for our customers with second homes as well as customers who care for elderly parents or neighbors.”, says Pat Igo. “It appeals to our existing family of customers who want to be informed about what is occurring at their home or business.” The sensor is sold as part of a 2Gig security and home automation solution.

About Burns & McBride

Our job is to provide essential services to homeowners. one of those essential services is home security and automation. We provide affordable home automation to help protect families, allow them to use energy more wisely and simplify their lives.The Burns & McBride Smart, Safe Home system uses Z-wave technology to tie things like locks, thermostats and lights together so that you can control them whether you are home or away. Burns & McBride has been providing essential home services since 1949. To learn more about Burns & McBride’s Smart, Safe Home can help you – call us at 302-656-5110 or visit our website at www.burnsandmcbride.com

1 Comment

Filed under Home Safety, Home Security, Uncategorized