Automation should do things for you, not give you a second job
There is a certain kind of smart home that requires its owner to become an unpaid systems administrator. Ours is not that. Ours is the kind where the house locks itself at eleven and you never think about it again.
Fixed written quote after a free survey — we beat any written competitor quote
Security-first automation
The difference between home automation and security automation is what happens when something goes wrong. A hobbyist setup turns on a lamp at sunset. A security-integrated system turns on every exterior light in the house the moment a perimeter sensor trips at 3 a.m., unlocks nothing, and starts recording.
Because the automation runs through the same Alarm.com platform as the alarm, the rules can reference alarm state. Arm the system in Away mode and the thermostat sets back, the garage confirms it is closed, the smart locks throw, and the water valve — if you have one — stands ready to shut if a leak sensor gets wet. Disarm and the house comes back up. One action, twelve consequences, no app-tapping.
The devices that actually earn their keep
Smart locks are first, because they solve a genuine problem: the spare key under the pot, the housekeeper who needs Tuesday access, the college kid who lost a key in Austin. Unique codes per person, with a log of who came and went. Codes that expire on a schedule. A dog walker who can get in Monday through Friday between eleven and one, and never at midnight.
Garage door control is second, because the single most common way a Texas home gets burgled without any forced entry is an open garage door. A tilt sensor plus automation means the door closes itself at a set time and tells you it did.
Thermostats are third, and they are the reason a lot of these systems pay for themselves. In a San Antonio August, a thermostat that sets back automatically when the house arms away is not a gadget. It is a line item on the CPS Energy bill, moving in the direction you want.
What we will talk you out of
We will not sell you a connected refrigerator, and we will push back on smart bulbs in fixtures a guest might switch off at the wall — because then the automation stops working and you get blamed for it. Good automation is invisible. It should be impossible to break by behaving like a normal person in your own house.
Everything we install works when the internet is down, in the sense that nothing gets worse. Locks still lock with a key. Lights still switch at the wall. The garage still opens with the button in your truck. That is a deliberate design constraint and not every installer honors it.
What is included
- Alarm-aware rulesArming and disarming drives lights, locks, thermostat and garage in one action.
- Per-person lock codesScheduled, expiring access for cleaners, sitters, contractors and family.
- Garage tilt monitoringAuto-close at a set time, with a push alert if it is left open.
- Thermostat setbackAutomatic away-mode adjustment that shows up on your electric bill.
- Graceful degradationEvery device still works manually when the internet does not.
Questions people actually ask
- Does this work with Alexa or Google Home? +
- Yes. Alarm.com integrates with both. You can arm, check status and control lights and locks by voice, with a PIN requirement on disarm so a shouted command through an open window does not open your house.
- Do I need to replace my existing thermostat? +
- Only if you want the integration. A standard thermostat will keep working fine — we just cannot automate it. Most homes with a C-wire can be upgraded in under an hour.
- Is there an extra monthly fee for automation? +
- Automation rides on a higher Alarm.com service tier than basic monitoring, and the tier includes the app, the rules engine and remote control of every device. The difference is quoted in writing with the rest of your system after the free survey — no surprises, and we beat any written competitor quote on comparable scope.
Smart Home Automation across Texas
We install and service this in all four metros, and in every community within fifty miles of downtown San Antonio. Service calls carry no trip charge regardless of how far out the address is.
Free survey · No obligation
Bring us a written quote. We will beat it.
Any competitor, comparable scope, in writing. A licensed technician walks your property, maps the real entry points and gives you a fixed number — whether or not you hire us.
TX DPS PSB Lic. #B16898 · Serving San Antonio, Austin, Houston & Dallas since 2010