Don’t Let This Happen To You

Building a New Home is exciting and requires a lot of planning and decision making. Home builders, Electricians and HVAC experts are usually up to date on the latest building codes but they are not always well informed when it comes to the latest advances in Audio, Video, Security and Home Automation Technologies. Having a second opinion or outside perspective from an Experienced Smart Home Technology Expert is often a very wise thing to do. It can save you thousands of dollars and help you avoid costly mistakes when building or renovating.

Don’t Let this Happen to You … I was recently called by a new home owner to discuss installing some of his TV he was having a problem with.  The home owner discussed with the builder and electrician where the TVs would be located in his new home. The electrician ran the wires to the locations specified by the home owner however nobody asked or discussed how the TVs would be mounted or where the cablebox would go? 

In this case the customer wanted an articulating bracket for the kitchen TV … Only Problem is there was NO Stud or Backing installed in the Wall.   All the work running the wiring was for not, since the TV could not be hung on the wall without opening up the wall and installing some additional backing or support.  There were numerous other oversights in this home with respect to AV, Security and Home Automation … the TV backing is just the most simple example of what can get overlooked without an AV/Security Specialist looking out for you.


Don’t assume your Home Builder or Electrician knows how TVs will be mounted or connected and don’t assume they know all the options available for home automation, security systems or video cameras. Talk to an AV Expert before you start construction. Plan Ahead otherwise you may be in for some surprises when you go to move in

At Ion Smart Security we work with Home Buyers, Builders, Designers and Electricians to insure our clients homes are wired up properly and the technology in their homes is easy to operate and works the way they want it too.

Give us a call, text or email. The initial consultation is always free.

Smart Thermostat with Humidity Control

Most thermostats control heat and cooling by the Ion Smart Connected Thermostat can control the humidifier in your home and if equipped with air-conditioning can help dehumidify your home in addition to controlling the temperature.

Unlike Traditional Wi-Fi smart thermostats the Ion Smart Connected Thermostat pairs with the security panel in your home and doesn’t use Wi-Fi to communicate. This makes the connection to your Smart Thermostat More Secure and Works Even when there’s a power failure or your Wi-Fi is down.

One APP to controls ALL your Home Automation Devices and because the thermostat integrates with the Ion Smart Home Security Panel the thermostat automatically knows when you’re home, away or even sleeping. Smart Schedules, Location based automation, rules and event automation plus Online or App remote control provide ease of use and comfort all year long.

The newest feature of the Ion Smart Thermostat is Humidity Control. From the same app that controls all the smart devices in your home you can now control the Humidity in your home. Having Humidity control on the thermostat eliminates the need for a separate humidistat so there’s less clutter on your wall. 

Most Wi-Fi Thermostats require a ‘C’ power wire however the Ion Smart Thermostat works on battery power or with a powered ‘C’ wire.  Start saving money on your home heating and cooling costs today … call or email us to find out more.

Built In Patio Speakers

Patio Speakers Marty

Ceiling speakers are often installed inside the home but when our client was custom building their family lake house they wanted ceiling speakers installed into the sloped ceiling on the covered veranda on the front of the home.

Installing speakers in a ceiling covered with aluminum soffit can create many challenges. First off the aluminum can vibrate and buzz with the movement of the speakers. Next the speakers must be weatherproof and able to withstand the harsh climate changes we have in Alberta. Lastly the speaker grills must be able to handle UV exposure and not rust or fade in the sun.

We choose Proficient in-ceiling speakers with magnetic zero bezel grilles to blend in with the soffit and adjacent LED pot lights. Custom speakers boxes were built and installed into the framing during construction. The speaker boxes provide a solid, rigid mounting surface for the speakers.  Before the speakers are installed we insert insulation into each speaker box to tighten the bass response and isolate vibrations.

Our client streams music from Amazon, Apple and Pandora but his favorite source is Spotify. Sonos amps were selected to power the patio speakers and easily integrate the patio speakers with the rest of the speakers in the home.  The Sonos amplifiers can be controlled by App or Voice controlled with Alexa or Google Assistants. 

The final installation looks fantastic and sounds great. The speakers blend in beautifully with the soffit and don’t detract from the front view of the home.   At Ion we love hiding technology so it blends in with decor and is easy to operate and control.

Garage Break-Ins Are on the Rise

Garage break-ins are on the rise and one of the easiest ways thieves gain entry is using the keypad on the outside of the garage door.


If you have an exterior keypad on your garage door make sure you have a difficult code to guess or disconnect it from your door opener.

Never leave your garage overhead door open when cutting the grass or not in the garage. Never leave your garage door button in your vehicle parked outside. Always close your garage overhead door and Lock your car door and garage man door.

An alarm system is the best way to warn you of an attempted break-in and protect your family and property.

Another way to enhance the security of the garage door is to integrate the garage door with the alarm system so you can monitor the status of the door and open and close it using the Ion Smart Security App on your phone. Integrating the garage door with the security SYSTEM is SMART and you won’t even need the exterior garage keypad anymore … simply open and close the garage door using the App on your phone, tablet or even apple watch.

Another good way to increase the security of your garage is to add video cameras to the inside and outside of your garage. This way you can see whats happening on the inside and outside of your garage anytime.

If you want even tougher security Add a SMART Switch to turn off the power to the garage door opener when you ARM your Alarm system and turn on the power when you DISARM the Alarm system

If you’re going on a vacation turn off the power to your garage door opener or unplug it.

Don’t be a victim, garage break-ins are happening in your neighbourhood right now so lock your doors and take measures to protect yourself before something bad happens.