Jordan O'BrienThere is no doubt that flooding can be a devastating event for any family, with the loss of one’s home causing extreme stress and emotional pain. One Calgary resident didn’t allow the 2013 Alberta flood keep him down however, with the homeowner deciding to take the opportunity to rebuild his home with the latest technologies.
Turning to K&M Systems, the Calgary resident was left with a home controlled by the ELAN platform.
“When we first installed the AV system in 2012, prior to the flood, it was a complete retrofit from top to bottom,” owner of K&M Systems Mike Auld explains.
“After the flooding, we were able to open up the walls, so it was almost an easier installation. We needed to install a completely new system and decided to upgrade the home to an ELAN gMV1616 Ultramatrix Switcher with an ELAN gSC10 system controller.”
The rebuild meant the installation wasn’t as difficult as some retrofits, but K&M Systems was still forced to completely rewire the basement and first floor of the home. When this rewiring was done, Mike’s company built and installed an advanced security system that goes beyond door and window locks.
“Because this home was flooded, we automated the water valves,” Mike notes. “Now, if the water or irrigation alarm goes off, it automatically shuts the water off in the house.”
Mike continues: “I’ve had a few properties now where a pipe has burst, so we integrate a lot of water bugs into our projects. For me, alarms are not just about notifying you that someone broke your window, but also revolve around pipes leaking, smoke detectors, gas leaks and all of that. I’ve had a few properties where we’ve had a water bug triggered and the valve shut off, therefore saving the home from major damages.”
To help prevent any catastrophe from happening again K&M Systems also went through with installing Panamax MB1500 uninterruptible power supplies in both of the racks, running all of the equipment through them.
The full system includes a 47 zone alarm system, 16 zones of audio, 10 zones of video, two forced air zones and six zones of radiant heat, a Central Lite lighting system with more than 80 switches and 11 zones of irrigation control all integrated through ELAN.
The system was designed to be robust, but the installer used the ELAN Ultramatrix Switcher to simplify the connection between each system. This was designed to increase the flexibility and shorten the installation process as a whole.
For media and entertainment, K&M Systems decked out a media room with Sunfire CRS3 Cinema Ribbon Trio speakers and Sunfire Subrosa subwoofers surrounding a 65in TV for an immersive viewing experience. K&M Systems also installed a 103in screen into the movie room.
To operate each space, the homeowner can simply use the ELAN remote controls, in-wall touchpanels or the ELAN Mobile App on a smartphone or tablet.
The owner has two sons and a daughter under 12 years old,” Mike explains. “They can all use the technology and the ELAN system quite proficiently without any explanation; they just picked it on their own!”
Furthermore, K&M Systems has outfitted two vacation homes for the family with similar ELAN Entertainment and Control Systems. Through the ELAN Mobile App, the homeowner can check on and monitor each home remotely.
Additionally, if the homeowner has guests visiting his other properties, he can unlock the doors through automated door locks with just a push of a button. Taking remote monitoring even further, Mike and his team are currently upgrading keypads and touchpanels in the home to begin installing the new ELAN Intercom.
The family is so impressed with ELAN and K&M Systems’ advanced design and integration, they asked Mike and his team to outfit their fourth home in Canmore, Alberta with a similar system.
