Get Help from Bob Vila
- Give-Aways & Offers
- Monthly Must Do's
- DIY Project Ideas
- Step-by-Step Guides
- Inspirational Photo Galleries
AUTOMATION
Browse By Tag
Thanks to modern technology and digital commerce, homeowners are acquiring increasingly large numbers of gadgets. It seems everyone has— or knows someone who has—...
The computer revolution is already a few generations old, and in all that time we've seen many technologies fall by the wayside as innovative, more efficient devi...
Browse the app store and you'll find dozens of useful apps for homeowners—but most of us don't have the phone storage for them all. So which ones are worth the do...
Most people nowadays own thousands of dollars' worth of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and countless other devices that play crucial roles in our everyday lives. ...
Rejoice, cold-blooded homeowners! There are a million ways to heat up your home and not all of them require cranking up the furnace. Take a look at some of the mo...
Every year, new high-end gizmos flood the market. Some gadgets prove invaluable and others are quickly forgotten and never missed. So how to know if a pricey prod...
Everyone loves the charm of a historical home—but the houses of yesteryear have nothing on today's for ease and convenience. Advancements in home technology have ...
We've gathered the best gifts, from smartphone accessories to nifty little devices, guaranteed to satisfy the tech lovers on your holiday list.
Humans have long harnessed the power of machines to help us work better, faster, and smarter. Many of these technologies work in the background of our home, heati...
We all want to provide our families with "all the comforts of home," but just what those comforts are has evolved over the decades, determined largely by the tech...
You live and learn—theoretically. But I've lived in my creaky old house for nearly 20 years, and I still haven't mast...
Of all the rooms in the house, my personal office is where I spend the most time. Thickly carpeted and paneled in woo...
Digital advances have dramatically reshaped our daily lives, yet for the most part, today's typical home isn't very different from a home built 50 years ago. Ther...
It may seem like a paradox, but sometimes you have to spend a little money to save a lot of green. Investing in just a few little upgrades like energy-efficient l...
While some would say smart-home products are a luxury, others would argue that they are the way of the future. Programmable thermostats, smart switches, and even ...
Cold, dark, dreary. Winter mornings can be enough to make you hit the snooze button and crawl back into bed. Luckily there are a number of life-savers that can ma...
With the holidays right around the corner, it's time to start making your gift list and checking it twice. But with so many gadgets on the market today, weeding t...
Indoor plumbing. Electric lights. We take these things for granted today, but there was a time when such basic conveniences were novel and sought after. Of course...
Smart-home technology has been developing for years now, with forward-looking manufacturers pioneering ever more inge...
If you've bought new light bulbs anytime in the last few years, you know the selection has changed dramatically for t...
A panicked frenzy over misplaced items as you're rushing out the door—we've all been there, and the stressful search ...
With the exception of fire, water poses the greatest threat to our homes, whether it's a slow-and-steady leak or a su...
Even if you're a veteran do-it-yourselfer and hip to the many different avenues for project research available on the...
Joining the ranks of smart-home gadgets and gizmos is Scout, a completely wireless, internet-connected home security ...
In 2015, people are as likely to charge a digital device as they are to plug in a table lamp or a hair dryer. But whi...
How'd you like to cook your dinner from your desk and have a hot meal waiting for you when you get home? Sounds pretty good, and it can easily be a reality for an...
Light bulbs didn't change for decades—arguably for a full century. But then, somewhat all of a sudden, a confluence o...
As surely as the tides ebb and flow, each new year retires older technology and witnesses the arrival of a new genera...
High-tech appliances, gadgets, and gizmos are steadily marching into all corners of our lives. So it only makes sense that advanced technology would insinuate its...
In our high-tech world, keeping your home fully protected is easier than it's ever been. Vastly more sophisticated than those blaring door alarms of yesteryear, t...
When it comes to home security, we've certainly come a long, long way from hanging signs that caution "beware of dog"...
Thanks to the Internet and ever-improving mobile technology, smartphones let you hold the world in your hand. You can video chat with a friend in Dubai, look up t...
Consider this: In Canada, about 40% of homes are equipped with central vacuum systems. In the U. S. , the figure is l...
Backyards and sunshine go together like hot dogs and mustard. So do these cool new solar gadgets designed to provide light, sound and added convenience to outdoor...
From self-programming thermostats to voice-activated television controls, here are 9 appliances, devices, and gadgets designed to increase your home's tech IQ.
Whether you want to watch TV, write a screenplay, or simply enhance your shower experience, these high-tech upgrades are sure to propel your bath into the 21st ce...
What Is Structured Wiring?Structured wiring is a generic term used to describe many different types of residential wi...
It’s hard to imagine a house without the Internet, which is being leveraged in more ways by the home’s subsystems, ap...
Like any system, home automation is available on a variety of levels—from the simple to the complex, the ready-to-ins...
Home automation systems must talk to one another, but how they do it can vary from company to company and product to ...
Today’s home automation products allow homeowners to take an active role in managing power consumption while controll...
When researching and selecting appliances, keep a tally of a week’s usage to help you decide what capacity and featur...
Odds are each night you check to make sure the doors are locked, lights turned off, and windows closed. If you had a ...
There was a time when someone who loves old homes would have found it tough to satisfy his inner high-tech geek. But ...
Maintaining your home used to require close attention and diligent care. Thanks to a bevy of home automation products...
Sick of housekeeping and home maintenance? Worry not. These home automation products do it all for you—no kidding!
Tool or toy? For the do-it-yourself, that line is always gray. Browse ten fun and practical holiday gifts for the gadget-crazy handyperson in your life.
Whole-home wiring systems, or smart home systems, have been around for decades, but it’s only since wireless communic...
Light switches are a problem in our home. Every single light switch is in the wrong place—or at least it always seems...
Technology is permeating our domestic lives and "smart homes" are at the apex of this movement. Communications giant ...
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing)...
When we were weighing options for our home, a new construction, I was almost certain we wouldn’t elect to put in a ce...
Bob checks out a Sears garage door opener-- at 3/4 horsepower, it's among the strongest on the market.
Brent Thompson (from IceBox) joins Bob in the kitchen to talk about a new Internet appliance.
Bob and Tim Woods (of Internet Home Alliance) discuss the basics of structured wiring and connectivity in the basement of the Vermont farmhouse.
Bob meets up with Tim Woods (of the Internet Home Alliance) in the basement of the Quechee home to hear about the progress made integrating the connected home tec...
Bob checks email from his truck using GM OnStar's Virtual Advisor functionality. He then meets with Tim Woods (from the Internet Home Alliance) to check out the P...
Bob explains how the Kinetico water purification system works and reviews the A.O. Smith ProMax 75 gas-fired water heater.
Bob experiences the Panasonic Replay TV with the show-stopper feature and he tours the master bedroom suite, admiring the space, scope, and the view.
Bob joins Tim Woods (from Internet Home Alliance) in the basement to look over the network connection center, the area responsible for the homeowners' internet, t...
Bob looks at the beech flooring in the key hall, before moving to the media room to discuss the carpeting with Gary Johnston (from DuPont) and the electronic comp...
Bob visits the Global Solar factory in Tucson, AZ to see how they company manufactures its unique solar-electric (photovoltaic) devices.
Bob Ryley meets with Ken Frankel (from Lucent Technologies) to discuss the new HomeStar wiring system.
Bob meets with Tom Morgan (from Home Automation) to view and discuss the "brain" of the home automation system. Next, Bob checks in with the wiring contractor to ...
Bob inspects the remote device, controlling the PA system, HVAC, lighting, and entertainment systems. In the basement, Bob Ryley is exploring the wires and cables...
Bob meets with James Gilmore, the governor of Virginia at the time of the executive mansion's restoration. Gilmore stresses the practical and symbolic importance ...
Carpenter Bob Ryley works on the mahogany deck, while new kitchen appliances are installed and the lighting and cabinets undergo examination.
The garage door openers are installed on the automotive end of the garage. Bob reviews the brackets and beams used to mount the opener's drive, as well as the cha...
Bob helps contractor Bob Ryley install a Craftsman garage door opener.