Guides for a smarter, cleaner home

How to choose a Control4 dealer: authorization, design process, programming, networks, support after install, and questions to ask before you sign.

Questions to ask before hiring a TV mounting company: studs and anchors, code-safe wire hiding, mount ratings, insurance and guarantees.

Building a new home in NJ or NY? Questions to ask your builder about pre-wiring, Wi-Fi, TV locations, speakers, cameras, shades and who handles low voltage.

Smart home upgrades that make sense at the Jersey Shore: remote monitoring for empty months, outdoor audio and TVs, strong Wi-Fi and flood-zone planning.

Smart home upgrades for NYC apartments, co-ops and condos: what building rules allow, wireless lighting and shades, Wi-Fi through thick walls and TV installs.

Plan a basement home theater: screen or projector, Dolby Atmos speaker layout, seating, lighting, moisture and wiring to run before drywall. NJ and NY homes.

Spring checklist for outdoor speakers, patio TVs, backyard Wi-Fi and landscape lighting: what to check, what to upgrade and when to book before summer.

Buying a TV on Black Friday or for the holidays? How to pick the right size, mount and soundbar, and how to get it installed on the wall before family arrives.

Closing a shore house or second home for winter? Water and freeze sensors, remote thermostats, cameras, smart locks and power protection to watch it from home.

Protect TVs, AV racks, Wi-Fi and cameras from storm surges and outages: surge protection, battery backup, remote reboot and generator tips for NJ and NY homes.

Control4 vs Lutron RadioRA 3 explained: lighting, shades, whole-home control, keypads and apps, and why many homes combine them. From a Control4 dealer.

How to choose in-ceiling speakers for music and theaters: Episode, Triad, KEF and Origin Acoustics compared by room, plus placement, amps and what matters most.

Whole-home audio compared: a central audio matrix like Triad vs Sonos amps in each zone. Sources, rooms, control, reliability and when to combine them.

Structured wiring explained: Cat6, coax, fiber and speaker wire run to a central panel or rack, what each room needs, and why to plan it before drywall.

The best TV mounting height depends on where you sit and what the room is for. Here is how to find the right height, with tips for fireplaces and bedrooms.

Not sure which TV bracket to choose? Compare fixed, tilting and full-motion mounts and find the right fit for your room.

Control4 ties lighting, shades, audio, video and security together. Learn how it works, what it can do and whether it fits your home.

Compare UniFi access points to consumer mesh systems. Learn when a wired, professionally designed network is worth it.

Pre-wiring is the cheapest time to add cables for TVs, speakers, Wi-Fi and cameras. Learn what to run before the walls close.

Soundbars are simple and clean. Surround sound is immersive. Here is how to choose for your room and budget.

Outdoor TVs handle weather, glare and temperature. Learn what to look for and how to install one on a patio or deck.

A simple planning guide for home theaters: room layout, screen size, speakers, lighting and wiring.

Compare motorized and manual custom shades on cost, convenience, safety and smart home control, and learn where each makes the most sense.

A practical guide to picking shade styles, fabrics and opacity for privacy, light control and energy savings.

Voice assistants and hubs are great, but a professionally designed Control4 system does more. Learn how they compare and work together.

Access point count depends on size, layout and construction. Learn the factors, then try our coverage planner.

How to choose a smart lock for your home or office, what to check before you buy and how installation works.

The best camera locations, heights and angles for entries, driveways, backyards and blind spots.

Control4 routines let you schedule and adjust scenes for mornings, evenings, movie nights and more. Here is how they work.

Masonry and plaster walls need special anchors and care. Learn how professionals mount TVs on these surfaces.

Match TV size to viewing distance and room type. Use our simple rules, then try the calculator.

See the cleanest ways to hide TV cables, from in-wall power and cable runs to surface raceways.

New to smart homes? Start with habits, not gadgets. Here are simple first projects and how they grow.

How many ceiling speakers you need, where they go and what powers them.

Extenders and mesh can help, but wired access points fix dead zones for good. Here is what works.

Light control makes any screen look better. Use dimming, bias lighting and shades to build the ideal theater.

What to run before drywall for TVs, Wi-Fi, speakers, cameras and shades.

Ideas and design tips for landscape lighting that looks great and stays safe.

A simple layered approach to home security: cameras, locks, lighting and a network you can trust.

PoE sends power and data over one network cable, which makes installing cameras and access points cleaner.

How multi-room audio works and how to plan zones, groups and volume control.

How to plan for custom shades before drywall: pockets, power and wiring.

Newer Wi-Fi standards help, but placement and wired connections matter more. Here is how to think about it.

How far to sit from the screen, how to lay out rows and how to choose screen size for a theater room.

Apps are great, but wall keypads make a home easy for everyone. Here is how to use both.

The network, phones, cameras and AV a small office needs, with a simple checklist.