Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Lets say the benefits of a smart home sound appealing, and you want to get started on one. Now what? The leap from theory to practice can be a little daunting, especially given the pricetags on some of the accessories available. Thats where this guide comes in well fill you in on core concepts and device types, and the general steps needed to deck out a house or apartment.

Concepts you need to know before building a smart home

Platforms

By necessity, all smart homes are platform-based. That could be as simple as a single accessory makers Android or iPhone app, but odds are youre going to need accessories from multiple brands. Thats where industry standard platforms come in, the most prominent being Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home. These not only control compatible accessories from multiple brands, but provide a framework for pairing, automation, and voice assistant support. Other platforms are available, such as Samsung SmartThings and Hubitat, but these they tend to have less support, higher costs, and/or more required technical knowledge so if youre just starting out, wed steer clear. Youll also have to avoid HomeKit unless you have an iPhone or iPad for setup and control, and a HomePod or Apple TV 4K to act as a Home Hub for automations and remote access.

Wireless protocols and hubs

There are four main wireless protocols in use by smart home accessories: Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, and Z-Wave. Some accessories may still use Bluetooth, but this is increasingly rare, or included alongside other standards only as a fallback. Some smart speakers offer a direct Bluetooth connection as an alternative to Wi-Fi, for example, and some smart lamps use the tech to be controllable away from home.

Zigbee and Z-Wave are both hub-based standards, meaning you need a compatible hub module connected to your Wi-Fi router to link them with other devices and the internet. They also dont offer much bandwidth, so dont expect them to handle audio or video. A hub does ensure automations will run with or without internet access, however, and the two protocols consume very little power, which makes them ideal for things like sensors and light bulbs. They also form their own mesh networks, allowing them to relay data from distant rooms.

Thread is a newer protocol based on Zigbee, and ultimately poised to replace it. It offers many of the same benefits, but is less dependent on hubs, since some Thread accessories can act as their own border routers for reaching the internet or establishing a local network. Routers can include everything from smart speakers and displays to light panels, but check for support, since some Thread accessories are only endpoints.

Wi-Fi is the most common standard. It not only offers as much bandwidth as you could want, but allows accessories to operate without any hubs or meshes, making for simple setup. You usually forego the advantages of hubs and meshes, however, including offline automations if the internet is unreachable, a Wi-Fi accessory may not trigger. Devices like speakers and security cameras have no choice but to use Wi-Fi if theyre not wired, though some security systems use cellular as backup.

Matter

Matter is technically a wireless protocol too, enabling features like mesh networking and reduced dependence on brand-specific hubs. But it gets own section here because it functions as an application layer on top of other protocols, above all Thread and Wi-Fi theres no such thing as a Matter radio. There is such as thing as a Matter controller, though, which is a device that doubles as a hub for Matter-compatible accessories. Examples of controllers include products like the Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod, and Google Nest Hub.

The most important aspect of Matter is multi-platform pairing. Matter-labeled accessories can be paired with Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home, or SmartThings without a developer having to add specific platform support. Its still early goings Google Home still only supports pairing Matter products via Android, for instance, and only some accessory categories are Matter-compatible but down the road, it could make platform choice purely a question of preference.

Voice assistants

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

There are three main voice assistants associated with smart homes: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apples Siri. There others, like Samsungs Bixby and Sonos Voice Control, but they dont have much use beyond their namesake brands, if any.

As you might guess, the big three are associated with their companies respective smart home platforms. You cant use Google Assistant to control an Alexa home, or Siri to control Google. They also have different strengths, weaknesses, and compatibilities you need to be aware of before settling on a platform.

Types of smart home devices

Speakers and displays

Roger Fingas / Android Authority

These are frequently the foundation of a smart home, since they enable hands-free voice control not just for accessories, but for music, radio, and podcasts. In 2023 they also tend to serve as Matter controllers and Thread border routers, and in the case of HomeKit, you can use a HomePod as a Home Hub. Some Amazon Echo models act as Zigbee hubs.

Smart speakers are mostly self-explanatory, and range from basic models through to ones that support spatial audio, like the Echo Studio or the Sonos Beam soundbar. Smart displays enhance speaker functions with touchscreen controls, extra visual feedback, and streaming video. You might for instance watch Netflix or YouTube, or check who rang your video doorbell. Dedicated smart speakers tend to have superior audio.

Security cameras and doorbells

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

All smart security cameras and doorbells offer some degree of motion detection and the ability to stream footage remotely, but features can differ radically from there. There are wired and wireless models, and indoor and weatherproof ones. Some support local recording, others can only save to the cloud, and often features like (meaningful) cloud recording require a monthly subscription. Better models support person, animal, vehicle, and/or package detection, which cuts down on false alerts. Some subscriptions offer professional monitoring as a top-tier option.

Lights and blinds

Lights can be extremely diverse, but there are three main types. Smart bulbs are often the most affordable, and plug into conventional light sockets. Smart lamps are completely standalone devices. Decorative lights consist of things like panels and lightstrips, and are meant less to illuminate a space than add style to it. Many smart lights are color-changing, and some can sync with your PC, TV, or music playback.

Smart blinds are sold either as complete units or upgrade add-ons for your existing fixtures. Complete units can be prohibitively expensive, since they often have to be customized for your window dimensions, but there are fixed-size options available from brands like IKEA.

Switches

Smart switches are often the best way to go for lights if youre worried about someone accidentally disabling a smart bulb or lamp by flipping a switch. Most work just like the conventional switches in your house, simply enabling automations and remote control. Be aware that though that if you buy switches that replace your wall units, you wont get any color or media sync functions, and you shouldnt double them up with smart bulbs or lamps. That simply creates chaos.

Sensors

There are many sensor types out there, covering things like motion, water leakage, door and window status, and indoor or outdoor climate. Sensor data can be useful on its own, but its often at its best as a trigger for automations. A motion sensor, for example, might automatically trigger smart lights when you walk into a room, and turn them off when activity is dormant again. A climate sensor might trigger a fan, blind, heater, or dehumidifier.

Thankfully, some smart speakers are beginning to include their own sensors. The 4th gen Echo and 5th gen Echo Dot have motion and temperature sensors, and all current HomePod models can sense temperature and humidity.

Plugs

Roger Fingas / Android Authority

Perhaps the simplest and cheapest product type, smart plugs stick into an existing outlet and turn connected appliances on or off thats it, except for any energy monitoring they might do. Their very strength however is in automating appliances that wouldnt normally have smarts. The main restrictions are that an appliance has to have a permanent on/off toggle, and for high-voltage appliances like dryers, youll need specialized plugs.

Appliances

A growing number of appliances have smarts built-in, ranging from small ones like humidifiers and coffee makers through to washers, dryers, fridges, TVs, and EV chargers. Its usually not worth upgrading a major appliance just for the sake of smart features, but if you need a new one anyway, its probably worth considering how it might integrate into the rest of your smart home plans.

Thermostats

Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority

On top of allowing remote control and automation, smart thermostats can actually save you money by improving the efficiency of heating and cooling say by taking advantage of outdoor weather, or lowering power consumption when they sense people are away. More advanced models may include sensors for carbon monoxide and other pollutants, or double as their own smart speakers.

Media streamers

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Pretty much any modern media streamer can integrate into one of the big three smart home platforms, often enabling two-way control. A Google Chromecast, for example, can not only control the rest of your home via Google Assistant, but integrate into automations. A Hey Google, its movie night command might lower your blinds, dim the lights, and find action movies on your TV.

Locks

These typically replace an existing deadbolt or mount on top of it, letting you control a door via an app, voice assistant, and/or other methods such as a keypad or an NFC-equipped device. You can often enable geofencing triggers and other unique automations. If a smart lock doesnt come bundled with one, its good to pair with a door sensor so you can be sure a door is shut.

Security systems

These arent their own category so much as an amalgamation of sensors and cameras paired to a base station, control pad, and/or a monitoring service. Base stations and control pads are the only unique components, making it easy to arm or disarm security. Some base stations have cellular backup, but where the option exists, youll have to pay for a monitoring subscription to keep it active.

How to set up a smart home

Choosing a platform

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

The most critical decision youll make is choosing a platform. You can use multiple platforms in the same home, but unless youre a tech journalist or some feature absolutely demands it, we recommend avoiding that. Multiple platforms complicate setup and maintenance, and can confuse both yourself and others about which thing controls what.

As for which platform to choose, that depends entirely on the features you care about most. People deeply immersed in the Apple or Google ecosystems should probably pick HomeKit or Google Home, but there are perks and drawbacks no matter which direction you go. Google Home, for instance, has native support for YouTube and YouTube Music, but no option for pairing Google Nest speakers with a TV. Alexa is a relatively neutral platform with the largest number of compatible devices and accessories, including third-party soundbars, but only the 4th gen Echo can act as a Thread border router, and the only Echo product with native (non-web) YouTube support is the Echo Show 15. Check out some of the platform and voice assistant guides linked in this article, and our smart home privacy guide if thats a concern.

If you think you might switch platforms down the road, you can win some flexibility by picking accessories that support two or three platforms out of the box. Products with HomeKit tend to be more expensive than their counterparts, but having the option might be worth the cost, and Matter can sometimes detour both price and compatibility issues.

Wireless tech

For a reliable smart home, youll need a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router as a backbone. Wi-Fi 5 (a.k.a. 802.11ac) just cant handle enough simultaneous connections these days, and when a router becomes oversaturated, it tends to kick older connections off no matter how important they are.

You should probably also make it a mesh router, such as the Nest Wifi Pro or Eero 6 Plus. Mesh systems help eliminate dead zones without requiring separate network IDs (SSIDs) like some Wi-Fi extenders. Some people do prefer using separate SSIDs for the 2.4, 5, and/or 6GHz bands, especially since most smart home accessories use 2.4GHz, but that can make it harder for your devices to see each other. If your smartphone is connected to a 5GHz-only SSID, you might have to switch to the 2.4GHz SSID any time you want to use smart home apps.

An ideal mesh router is also a tri- or even quad-band device, since one band has to shuttle data back and forth in the mesh, and you want to avoid overlap with the rest of your data consumption if you can. A few routers have Thread built in, which can be a handy way of growing your Thread network.

Some smart home setups inherently require one or more hubs, and as we mentioned, HomeKit demands a HomePod or Apple TV 4K to act as a Home Hub. If a hub has to connect directly to your Wi-Fi router via Ethernet, you may end up having to buy an Ethernet switch to expand ports. For Matter support youll need at least one device that doubles as a Matter controller probably a smart speaker or display.

Buying speakers and displays

Lily Katz / Android Authority

If youve got a rich friend, you may have seen smart speakers and displays scattered across every room in their house, but dont think you have to follow suit. Determine where youll actually make use of voice control, audio playback, and/or video streaming, then further prioritize how important is for those places to have high-end specs. Cinephiles might want an expensive Sonos Arc hooked up to their TV, but have no problem using Echo Dots in places like a nursery or kitchen. If youre in an apartment, you might be able to get away with just one or two devices total.

You may want at least one smart display if you plan to have a smart camera or doorbell. While you can certainly get along using your phone, tablet, or TV to check video feeds and talk to visitors, a smart display makes this even more convenient. You can use a smart display as a baby monitor as long as a camera stays wired for continuous streaming.

Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority

Smart displays also make for excellent bedside devices. Apart from time and alarm functions, they offer silent control when others are sleeping, and better information for starting your day. You can watch video when falling asleep, or use security functions to see what that bump in the night was. We do recommend switching off a bedroom displays camera if it has one, however.

Choosing and controlling lights

There are a few forks in the road with smart lights, the first being whether to prioritize smart switches or smart bulbs/lamps. Smart bulbs and lamps are often attractive for their color-changing abilities and easy installation, but as we mentioned, smart switches eliminate any worries about control. You cant accidentally disable their smart functions, and that manual fallback is useful for less tech-savvy guests and family members. There is some electrical work involved in upgrading wall switches, but its not that hard, and you can pay for a professional install if youre uncomfortable and have a big budget.

In some homes, the best solution may be a mix involving smart switches in some or most areas, but smart bulbs and lamps for things like a gaming room or home theater. Indeed you can get lamps, lightstrips, and other products that are intentionally designed for syncing with a PC or TV.

If youre going to depend on bulbs and lamps, consider installing motion sensors around your home and setting up automations that trigger lights based on occupancy. Theres a growing category of millimeter wave (mmWave) sensors, like the Aqara FP2, that are sensitive enough to tell when someone is in a room even when theyre laying perfectly still.

Whether or not you install motion sensors, youll want to create lighting automations (using a platforms app) that factor in everyone in your household. Set common area lights to turn on just before the first person rises, for example, and off only during daylight, or when the last person leaves or goes to bed. Dont set bedroom lights to blast full tilt when you wake up if your partner can afford to sleep in.

Climate control

If youre a homeowner, a smart thermostat is a must-have accessory, given that it can actually save you money. Wed recommend models such as the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced or Nest Thermostat, but there are other viable options out there such as the Amazon Smart Thermostat if youre an Alexa user. Check wiring compatibility before buying anything though, and understand that some homes may need more than one thermostat if they have split HVAC zones.

Apart from thermostats, dont worry about climate control accessories unless you have specific problems to solve, such as excessive humidity or dryness. If you dont have a central HVAC system, you can buy smart window or radiator products, and/or set up appliances connected to smart plugs. You can link those smart plugs to indoor climate sensors to trigger them above or below specific thresholds.

Building a security system

If you need professional monitoring, any major security company should now be able to install a complete smart system. If you dont want a monitoring service, or youd rather choose one associated with a particular product brand like Arlo or Ring, your options open up.

As far as camera coverage goes, some people wont need anything more than a smart doorbell and a separate camera for their balcony or backyard. If you live in an apartment, you can sometimes buy no-drill mounts to get around rental restrictions.

There are plenty of reasons you might need additional coverage, though. Your driveway might be too far away from your doorbell, or there might be an alley thieves can sneak through. If you have kids or pets, indoor cameras can keep tabs on them when youre elsewhere.

Cameras may be all you need so long as you know youll get the right alerts when it counts, which is why person and package recognition are so useful. Door and window sensors can verify the presence of intruders if youre worried. Water leakage sensors arent essential for most people, but can prevent floods from spreading unchecked.

A final note here is that youll have to evaluate whether cameras support cloud recording, local recording, or both. Cloud recording offers saved video access anywhere, but requires that your internet access hold up, and usually a paid subscription. Local recording avoids subscription and internet issues, but you may need to buy your own storage, and a thief or disaster can potentially wipe out footage.

Locks, media streamers, and other accessories

Beyond the categories weve discussed, things become increasingly optional. Smart locks are convenient, especially if you regularly need to allow guest entry, but they can also be pricey without necessarily improving your quality of life. They usually only matter for your main entrance, and their best use tends to be in geofence triggers, offering peace of mind when you leave while making it easy to get back in without fumbling for a key.

Its best if your media streamer or smart TV integrates with your smart home platform of choice, if just for maximizing control and automation options, but dont fret about it. Its more important that you like the onscreen interface and content a device provides.

If youre a gamer or cinephile, we would recommend investigating light sync options if you have disposable cash. They can dramatically enhance the atmosphere of a movie or game, projecting onscreen colors into the space around you. The top of the line in this regard is Philips Hue, but on TVs the company forces you to use a pricey HDMI sync box, so you may want to consider camera-based sync options from brands like Govee and Nanoleaf.

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How to build a smart home - Android Authority

Idaho One of the most controversial issues in Idaho and throughout the arid west is water. Even with a wet winter with high snowfall, available water is limited. Homeowners caring for gardens and landscapes should be water-wise, and one way they can do that is by using drip irrigation.

Drip irrigation allows for precisely-controlled application of water; it allows water to drip slowly near the plant roots through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters. Drip irrigation may not be right for everyone, but it is a technique that can reduce labor and increase production using less water. It exceeds 90 percent efficiency, while sprinkler irrigation systems are 50 to 70 percent efficient. In many locations, water utilities exempt landscapes using drip irrigation during drought.

Drip irrigation helps maintain a desirable balance of air and water in the soil so plants grow better. Water is delivered more frequently at low flow rates, with the goal of only giving the plant the water it needs. Weed and disease problems can be reduced as soil in between rows stays dry. Drip irrigation creates an environment where desirable plants get the water they need to outcompete weeds for nutrients and sunlight.

A drip irrigation system consists of a backflow prevention device, a control valve to turn on and off the water, a filtration system, a pressure regulator, mainline and sub-mains, drip lines, drip emitters and air and vacuum release valves. All of these components can be found at an irrigation supply or hardware store.

However, not all components are needed in every landscape or garden system.

The backflow prevention device is required to prevent water from flowing back into the domestic water system after the water has been shut off. The law requires these devices on all home irrigation systems.

Control valves are often attached to a timer or irrigation control device. Alternatively, ball valves may be used so you can manually control the flow of water to each set of drip lines.

One of the biggest problems associated with drip irrigation is the clogging of emitters by small debris. To combat this, good filtration is necessary. Most drip systems use a simple screen filter that can be rinsed periodically.

Pressure regulators are needed when your water source produces pressures that are higher than what the drip system is designed for. Pressure regulators reduce the pressure to the drip line. Excessive pressure causes leaks and causes parts to blow apart.

Depending on the complexity of the system, a mainline and sub-mains can be used to distribute water to individual drip lines. Mainlines are generally made from PVC, while sub-mains and drip lines are made from polyethylene tubes.

Drip lines should be covered with mulch to get the most from the limited water being supplied. In addition, mulch helps keep the drip lines in place during windstorms. Drip lines have small openings at regular intervals, so they should be used in row plantings, where plants are also planted at regular intervals.

Emitters are water-dispensing devices that regulate the flow of water to the soil. Theyre sold according to flow rates and typically come in one-half, one, two and four gph (gallons per minute) models. Emitters are one of the least expensive parts of the system but are one of the first to get clogged by debris. Emitters are used when plants are not found at regular intervals. Emitters can be installed to water hanging baskets, around shrubs, or anywhere drip lines will not supply sufficient water.

Air and vacuum release valves release air out of the system as it fills with water and allows air back into the system when the water is turned off. They should be placed at high points or ends of the system.

To set up a drip system, a backflow regulator is connected to the water supply, followed by the filter and then the mainline. Valves are installed at points where submains are installed. Each sub-main will supply water to drip lines in one zone. Drip lines are connected to the submain using T-connectors and run along the rows within planting beds. Emitters are installed on sub-mains to supply water to plants not being reached with the drip lines. The end of sub-mains and drip lines should have the air and vacuum release valves installed.

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Drip irrigation can deliver efficient water use - East Idaho News

Its hard to make business transactions without the use of the internet. Whether tracking inventory, storing customer information or managing payroll systems, the web is part of our daily lives. The internet is like a car we know how to drive it, but not necessarily what makes the engine run. We need experts in that field to secure our information.

Businesses may either have an internal IT department or an IT support company to manage the companys virtual engine and provide certain protections so email is secure, the supply chain is updated in real time and the business runs efficiently.

But what happens when a system is breached and held for ransom? Maybe an employee mistakenly clicks a link in an email that looks legitimate but has unknowingly downloaded malicious software onto their device. Their system is now locked up and the business comes to a standstill. The company has been hit with ransomware, a type of malware designed to encrypt files and make them unusable. The bad guys will release the system, for a price.

Americans lost more than $10.3 billion last year due to cybercrimes, according to a 2022 Internet Crime Report produced by the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) . Among the complaints received in 2022, phishing, personal data breach and non-payment/non-delivery were the top incidents reported.

David Colter, owner of the DJ Colter Agency, American Family Insurance, with offices in Fargo, Grand Forks, Rugby and Cando, wants the regions business community to be aware of cyberthreats and know theres protection available.

Theres this big myth and fallacy: I have everything backed up with an IT company, I dont need cyber insurance. That is a huge fallacy. Not only do you need cyber, you need to have certain coverages, Colter said.

Cybertheft is on the rise and isnt relegated to large corporations in big cities its happening to small organizations across the U.S., including the upper Plains region.

Chicago-based Hiscox, a leader in business insurance, reports the top three drivers of the increase are the higher number of attacks, more people working from home and more employees using their own devices for work.

Cyber insurance protects against computer-related crimes and losses. This could include targeted attacks such as malware and phishing, as well as the occasional misplaced laptop containing confidential material, according to Hiscox.

Submitted

Zac Paulson, CEO of TrueIT in Fargo, said his company has seen an increase in email takeovers, where somebody is taking over an email account and sending emails on a persons behalf.

Typically whats happening is wire transfers theyre changing bank routing information, he said.

Colter said cyber insurance is a new type of coverage in the insurance industry and theres a lot to learn. He relies on experts like Paulson to help his customers understand how cybercrimes can happen, and what businesses can do to make sure they have the correct protection.

My biggest fear is people assume its part of their general liability, and its not, Colter said. I talked to someone in town, a business owner and this (ransomware) shut them down for months. They told me that if they didnt have the coverage, theyd be done.

Paulson said he wants to make clear that the coverage an IT department or business offers is not the same coverage as insurance protection.

There are some companies, thats what they do, but theyre the firefighters, the hotshot people that dive into forest fires and have a whole other level of excitement, Paulson said. Thats not what a managed IT company does. The IT company is doing their best effort to protect you, but thats like saying the sprinkler system is keeping the building from burning down.

Thats not right the sprinkler system is turned on once the fire starts to help put out the fire. But theyre not a guarantee. You dont buy a sprinkler system and not buy insurance, which is also why youre seeing insurance companies demanding a certain level of protection from the IT organizations, too.

IT security costs a company about $25-50 a month per employee on average, Paulson said, and he expects that cost to double in the next three years.

From a support standpoint, its somewhere between $50-100 a month per employee. Now its about half the cost of supporting an employee to securing them. In the future, three years from now, Id say it would be the exact same cost, if not more, just to secure them.

So what does cybersecurity cover? It may vary but typically protects the following: breach costs, cyberextortion, cybercrime, business interruption and data recovery. Additional coverage may include a digital media upgrade.

Whats not covered may include claims brought in the form of criminal proceedings, transfer of funds lost due to cyber crimes, infrastructure interruption, intentional acts by the business or employees, prior acts or knowledge, subsidiary outside control of named insured and business interruption from systems under the control of third parties.

It doesn't have to be complicated. We just want to educate people, Colter said. We have someone like Zac that can help in that realm, and like us, to determine what policy best fits their situation. Getting something in place is better than nothing.

The Federal Trade Commission has cybersecurity guidance that can help small businesses when reaching out to insurance providers.

See the article here:
Consider cybersecurity insurance - Grand Forks Herald

John Badman,Staff Writer

May 13, 2023Updated: May 13, 2023 11:39a.m.

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Family members take pictures as guests to a 10-year-old's birthday party were allowed to sit in a fire truck Friday after a one-room fire on the first floor at the Alton Best Western Premier hotel. Thefire was confined to one room and the hotel was evacuated for more than 40 minutes.

The party moved outside for a group using the meeting rooms Friday night after a fire broke out in a guest room at the Best Western Premier hotel, 3559 College Ave. in Alton. The fire was confined to one room and the hotel was evacuated for more than 40 minutes.

ALTON Firefighters were called to the Best Western Premier hotel at 3559 College Ave. in Altonat 9:18 p.m. Friday for a one-room fire.

According to authorities, a fire in the couch of an unoccupied room set off the hotel's sprinkler system, which extinguished the blaze before firefighters arrived. The hotel immediately evacuated more than 100 people including those who hadgathered for a function in a meeting room and a 10-year-old's birthday pool party.

Tired guests wanting to sleep stood and sat outside of the hotel on all four sides. Firefighters scrambled to shut off the sprinkler system as water poured out of the room and into the first floor hallway.

The room was reported to have been heavily damaged. Fire department officials on Friday night said they had not determined how the fire started in the unoccupied room.

Firefighters made sure the fire was completely out before guests were allowed back in the hotel at 10:01p.m.

The night wasn't a complete disappointment, as firefighters let the birthday girl and her guests sit in a fire truck before they left.

The cause of the fire is under investigation; no injuries were reported.

John Badman is a 1982 graduate of SIU-Carbondale, with a major in cinema and photography and a minor in law enforcement administration of justice. He has worked at The Telegraph in Alton full-time for 39 years and has been named the National Press Photographers Association's Region-5 Photographer of the Year six times.

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Friday fire forces evacuation of Alton hotel - Alton Telegraph

Dry, dry, dry! That is the only way to describe the ground around here.

The pond I use to irrigate the garden is about 16 inches below normal. That is the lowest I have seen it this time of the year.

Looks like we will need a watering plan earlier than usual. Most of the time, I put the watering system in first then plant. It's easier that way. I thought about this topic the other day when I was watering the garden and a gardening friend reminded me it was supposed to rain the next day. I reminded him we are in Mid-Missouri and you can't count on the weather.

Sure enough, it didn't. Most plants in the garden require 1 to 1 inches of water per week.

If Mother Nature does not provide the water, it is up to the gardener. It is best to plan a watering schedule and not stray too far from it. Plants get stressed when they do not get enough water which makes them more susceptible to diseases.

Although it is good to be aware of Mother Nature, weather is not easily predicted. Holding off your watering for a day if rain is predicted might be fine, but if it turns into several days as the clouds pass over without delivering any rain, it can put your plants in a stressed situation. Then when they do get the water they will soak it up too fast. This can cause problems; from splitting in plants like cabbage to cracking in tomatoes, and to a host of other problems.

As the days start to heat up, if you are using a sprinkler system, it is best to water in the morning. This gives the plants the chance to draw up the water before the sun and wind can evaporate it. This will also help protect the plants from wilting in the hot afternoon sun. If you can't water in the morning, try late afternoon -- late enough to avoid the hot sun but early enough for the plants to dry before the sun goes all the way down. Leaving the foliage wet too long (overnight) promotes fungal diseases. If you are using a drip or soaker hose system, timing is not as crucial, although some gardeners believe morning is best whatever the system.

Although seeds and seedlings need moisture close to the soil surface, the more mature plants require deep watering to develop roots that go down into the subsoil. This will give them some protection during the summer dry spells. Of course the other side of the coin is too much water. You want the soil to be damp (not soggy) about 6 inches below the surface. In waterlogged, soggy soil, roots are robbed of oxygen and may not be able to draw up water. If your plants' foliage begins to brown at the edges or starts to turn yellow and fall from the plant, you may be over watering.

Mixing organic matter such as compost in the soil will improve the soil's ability to absorb and retain moisture. The dense clay particles so commonly found in Mid-Missouri will highjack most of the soil's moisture, making it inaccessible to the garden plants. By adding in some organic matter, you'll give water a place to remain until your plants need it most. A 2- or 3-inch layer of mulch like straw, grass clippings, etc. will help retain the moisture in the ground. Mulch will also help keep the soil temperature a little cooler, and who doesn't like to cool their feet on a hot summer day? Everybody also likes a cool drink of water on a hot day -- so do your plants.

Happy gardening.

Peter Sutter is a lifelong gardening enthusiast and a participant in the MU Extension's Callaway County Master Gardener program. Gardening questions can be sent to [emailprotected]

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Ask a Master Gardener: What's the importance of watering? - Jefferson City News Tribune

The Eve Aqua is a great way to keep your plants or lawn watered without needing to lift a finger. You simply attach it to any outdoor faucet to automate watering. Compatible with Apple HomeKit, you can use the Apple Home app and Siri for quick and easy control. The Eve app is a great way for more control options, including scheduling, along with additional features like showing how much water has been used.

The key to keeping your lawn or plants healthy is something we all love to hate: frequent watering. Especially in the summer, when we all want to stay cool and comfortable, its probably time to head outside and find the sprinkler for the grass or the hose to keep your flowers hydrated.

Thankfully, Apple HomeKit fans can take advantage of the Eve Aqua to help automate the watering process, to save time while keeping your patch of the great outdoors healthy. Let's take a look at the smart irrigation controller.

Eve Aqua is a small irrigation control valve that screws into any existing hose faucet on the outside of your home. Before doing that, youll need to insert two AA batteries into the rear of the controller. That should provide you with up to five months of power before needing to be replaced and should last through the spring and summer. Youll want to remove it during winter to prevent it from freezing up.

Another big plus of the Eve Aqua is that it doesnt need a full-time internet connection; especially important since your Wi-Fi signal might not reach the furthest areas of your yard. Once you set it up, its completely autonomous and doesnt need any additional internet connection.

To get the most use of the controller, youll need an Apple Home Hub. Once you set up a Home Hub (which can be an Apple TV, HomePod, or HomePod mini), you can unlock a number of other features including scheduling and additional automation features.

While the Eve Aqua will normally communicate with a Home Hub via Bluetooth Low Energy, it can also use the Thread network if you have a compatible hub and another full Thread device like a lightbulb. A Thread network provides several advantages, including longer range and more stability than Bluetooth. Ive been using the Eve Aqua on my Thread network and have been impressed with the stability of the connection.

Getting the controller set up takes just a few minutes. After installing the batteries, attach the Eve Aqua to the hose faucet. Then attach the hose to the controller itself.

If you havent already, download the Eve app for iPhone. While you can still add the controller to Apple HomeKit using the Home app, the Eve app is a must-have. Along with being able to add the device to your Home setup, it provides a number of other features not available through Apples app.

In the Eve app, head to Settings and choose the + in the top right-hand corner. Follow the instructions to complete setup.

As mentioned, the Eve app provides the most functionality for anyone using the Eve Aqua. First up, you can easily turn the water flow on and off. While the controller uses HomeKit and the Eve app, you can also turn the flow on and off with a button on the front of the Eve Aqua itself.

Another great feature is the ability to schedule watering. You can create up to seven different schedules with a specific time to begin and the watering duration. There is also an opportunity to use times around sunrise and sunset.

Ive been using the scheduling feature for a few weeks, and it has been great. While I have an automated sprinkler system for my lawn, I have a large flower pot that needs to be hand watered. Ive set the Eve Aqua to water for a few minutes late at night for maximum water retention. You can set a maximum of seven watering periods per day. While I just have a single flower pot, you can easily add a larger irrigation system.

Below the scheduling feature in the app, you can see exactly when the Eve Aqua was turned on. You can also customize the default duration for how long the Aqua will turn on after manually starting the water. If youve ever started watering and forgotten to turn off the hose and woken up to a flooded lawn, that feature is priceless.

At the bottom of the Eve Aqua control settings is a quick view of approximately how much water youve used with the control valve.

You can also use the Home app to control the Eve Aqua, even though there are fewer features available.

Through Home, you can turn the controller on and off. You can also change the default run time and view the battery. One of my favorite HomeKit features of the Eve Aqua is Siri control to turn the hose flow on and off.

My hose faucet is tucked behind a number of bushes and is difficult to get to, but I can use a quick Siri command to turn the water flow on or off from anywhere. That has turned out to be massively helpful when watering and even washing my car. Even if I dont have an iPhone nearby, I can just use Siri on my Apple Watch.

The Eve Aqua is a great way to help automate your watering on a daily basis. But there may be days when rain is forecasted, and you dont want to over water. Eve includes a great way to help you easily suspend watering for the day when the weather is rainy. You can use a Check Watering shortcut that taps into Apples own built-in Shortcut technology.

To install the Check Watering shortcut, open the Eve app and select the Eve Aqua. Next, choose Schedule and select the gear icon under Schedule. Scroll down and then tap Schedule Suspension. Finally, tap Install Siri Shortcut and then follow the on-screen instructions. Youll need to set your homes location and the chance of rain threshold above to pause watering.

When set up, there are two ways to run the shortcut. Along with a quick Siri command, it can also be accessed through the Shortcuts app. If you run the Shortcut before 12 p.m., the chance of rain is checked for the day in Apples built-in Weather app.

If the precipitation chance is above your set threshold, watering will be paused for that day. When accessing the Shortcut after 12 p.m., it will check the forecast for both today and tomorrow and adjust the watering accordingly.

Ive used the shortcut since I installed the Eve Aqua, and its worked exactly as advertised. It is a nice way not to use water when its not needed.

While the Eve Aqua is a bit expensive for what it provides, it does exactly what it promises. Even though youll need to be an Apple HomeKit user to take advantage of the watering automation features, it provides a truly set-it-and-forget-it way to keep your lawn and plants healthy.

Along with making life a bit easier indoors, smart home technology also makes working outside your home simple. So, enjoy keeping cool indoors while the Eve Aqua takes care of the thankless watering task.

Original post:
Eve Aqua Review: Easily Turn Any Hose Into a Smart Irrigation System - MUO - MakeUseOf

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Barrington Plaza Apartments -- which has been the scene of two fires over the past decade, including one that killed a 19-year-old foreign exchange student -- will be closing to all renters and begin vacating occupied units so the high-rise complex can be renovated with fire sprinklers and other safety upgrades, the owners announced Monday.

The move will force tenants in 577 units to vacate the complex by Sept. 5. "We got notices that they weren't going to take our entire complex off of the rental markets and we are going to be evicted," said resident Andrew Rahn.

According to firefighters, the 25-story apartment complex had gotten away with not having a sprinkler system since it was built in 1961 and sprinklers were not mandated until 1974.

Shortly after the Barrington Plaza blaze, Eyewitness News filed a public records request with the Los Angeles Fire Department seeking to identify all the high-rises without sprinkler systems.

On the list were 55 residential high-rises and one hotel. See our full report from 2020 below.

READ MORE | Does your building have fire sprinklers? Map shows LA high-rises and a hotel that don't

Does your building have fire sprinklers? Here's a map of LA high-rises and one hotel that don't

"We were literally planning to stay there until we died if need be, given that it was rent stabilized," said Rahn, who pays $2,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment at Barrington Plaza.

It was a sweet deal he landed during the pandemic and said it will be nearly impossible to find something similar now.

According to a spokesperson for Barrington Plaza Apartments, the renovations will cost up to $300 million and will take years to complete.However, current residents said they are not being invited back when renovations are done.

Officials said tenants can meet with those who can help with relocation services and are eligible for relocation compensation.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.

See more here:
Barrington Plaza, scene of 2 fires in past decade, to close for renovations; hundreds of tenants forced out - KABC-TV

A new image captures a winding jet of material that looks like a garden sprinkler expelled by a young stellar object.

The stellar object, formally known as 244-440, resides in the Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery that lies about 1,350 light-years from Earth. Taken using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in northern Chile, the photo captures the striking "S" shape of the jet of matter.

The curved nature of the jet suggests it may be coming from one star orbiting another star, according to an ESO statement (opens in new tab).

Related: Amazing space views by ESO's Very Large Telescope (photos)

"Very young stars are often surrounded by disks of material falling towards the star. Some of this material can be expelled into powerful jets perpendicularly to the disk," ESO officials wrote in the statement. "The S-shaped jet of 244-440 suggests that what lurks at the center of this object isnt one but two stars orbiting each other. This orbital motion periodically changes the orientation of the jet, similar to a water sprinkler."

Another possible explanation is that the radiation from other stars in the Orion cloud an extremely active star-forming region could alter the shape of the jet, creating the S-shaped stream of matter observed, according to the statement.

The MUSE instrument was used to map the distribution of iron, nitrogen and oxygen around the young star, which is the red, green and blue colored gas captured in the photo. MUSE captures data at different wavelengths, or colors, simultaneously, allowing astronomers to map the composition of the gas and how it moves.

MUSE is installed at the VLTs Unit Telescope 4, which is equipped with advanced adaptive optics technology that corrects for the blurring effect of Earth's atmosphere that would otherwise distort images of astronomical objects.

This technology enables MUSE to deliver images even sharper than those captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. In fact, the new photo of 244-440, which ESO shared on April 17, is the sharpest image ever taken of this stellar object, offering valuable insight on how stars are born in massive clouds like Orion, ESO officials said in the statement.

The recent observations have been accepted for publication (opens in new tab) in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Follow Samantha Mathewson@Sam_Ashley13 (opens in new tab).Follow us@Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or onFacebook (opens in new tab)andInstagram (opens in new tab).

Original post:
Young star shoots out jet like a garden sprinkler in Orion Nebula ... - Space.com

According to the complaint, Mount Vernon Mills sends more than 3 million gallons of industrial wastewater to the Trion water facility daily, accounting for 94% of all wastewater the plant receives.

The plaintiffs claim Trions water treatment facility has the capacity to remove and treat domestic waste, but not forever chemicals. As a result, the water treatment plant has been continuously discharging PFAS-laden wastewater directly into the Chattooga River for years, in violation of its state-issued permit and the federal Clean Water Act. Concerns about those discharges have impaired the use and enjoyment of the waters downstream, the lawsuit said.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Trions wastewater treatment plant should have required the textile mill to modernize its treatment technology to remove PFAS prior to discharging them to Trions public treatment works, said Chris Bowers, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which represented the CBRI in the case.

The settlement the parties agreed to calls for Mount Vernon Mills to halt the use of PFAS at its facility by the end of this year. In the meantime, the defendants agreed to truck the plants contaminated wastewater offsite to be incinerated and to conduct regular PFAS sampling of Mount Vernon Mills wastewater before its sent to the citys treatment plant.

Mount Vernon Mills and the city of Trion also agreed to pay $5,000 in civil penalties to the U.S. Treasury. Neither of the defendants responded immediately to a request for comment.

Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman, the executive director of the CBRI, said in a statement that he was pleased with the resolution.

Ending use of PFAS in textile production at this facility is an important step to finally dealing with ongoing contamination in our region and should serve as an example to others that there are alternatives to using these chemicals in manufacturing in the first place, he said.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Several other major cases involving PFAS pollution in Georgia remain unresolved. Many of those also concern pollution in the Northwest corner of the state, where Georgias vast carpet and flooring industry is located and where PFAS have been used for decades.

In two separate lawsuits, the city of Rome and a resident claim that the wastewater treatment methods used by Dalton Utilities the city of Daltons provider of electricity, gas, water and wastewater services do not remove PFAS chemicals. They allege that a vast sprinkler system the utility uses to spray treated wastewater on the land has fouled rivers that supply drinking water to Rome and other cities downstream.

To remove PFAS from its drinking water, the city of Rome is building a new, $100 million water treatment plant and has raised residents water bills to cover the cost. Rome is seeking to hold Dalton Utilities, plus several chemical and flooring manufacturers, responsible for paying for the plant, plus other damages.

The citys case is set to go to trial in less than a month, on June 5. The other case, filed by Rome resident Jarrod Johnson, is seeking class-action certification with other Rome water customers. The U.S. District Court overseeing the case, which is also in Georgias Northern District, has not ruled on that request.

Continued here:
Georgia textile maker to stop using 'forever chemicals' - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

May 9, 2023 11:14 am EDT | Updated May 9, 2023 4:00 pm EDT

Hello and happy Wednesday! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening these days in Marietta.

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