Are Home Theaters Worth It? What are the advantages of a home theater? Some things that come to mind include not spending money on gas to go to a cinema theater, being able to exchange overpriced snacks with those from Costco, watching a movie in luxury without having to leave home, and being able to feel so comfortable in the theater that I could fall asleep there! From this list alone, are home theaters worth it? Absolutely. Below you’ll find the top three reasons (more thought out) why a home theater is worth it. FlexibilityOne of the best reasons a home theater is “worth it” is that you are in complete control! You decide how much money and time you’d like to spend on your theater. You get to command the design. You are the one who decides the fate of your home theater. How great is that? The less time and money you put into it, the less “luxury” it will be, but you’re the one calling the shots. On the other side of things, the more time and money spent on your home theater, the more automated, luxury, and in detail (of your envisioned design) your theater will be. It’s all up to personal preference. Multi-FunctionalityMost people opt to have an entire room set apart from the rest of the house to be used as a theater room. These rooms usually include the basement, an office, the garage, a spare guest room, or even a separate cottage outside of the home on property. Today, it’s slowly becoming popular for people to make the most of their space. Being able to use a single room as a multi-functional room frees up space and is perfect for the typical minimalist. Take a master bedroom for example. Want to watch a movie in bed with perfect surround sound and a built-in snack bar? Press “theater mode” on your control panel or smart device and watch it transform from a high lit bedroom to moody cinema in 5 seconds. By utilizing automation, there are a million creative ways to change any room into a theater room with the touch of a button. Watch the flat screen or projector lower from the ceiling while the lights dim and the shades close. It’s the best option for those who don’t have an extra room lying around. Home Value IncreaseOf course there are several other ways to add value to your home, but that doesn’t exclude home theaters as being one. Installing a home theater automatically increases your home value. According to DIY Smart home Solutions, the value of your home can be raised from 5% to 35% by installing home automations. Home theaters alone have been making home owners want to remodel their extra rooms into stunning theaters as an investment for a future sale. Hopefully our top three reasons have explained the bulk of why installing a home theater system is well worth the time and expenses. Let We Are More know of all your home theater needs, including design assist, automated products, and installation. 
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 Home/Business Automation: Expectation vs RealityExpectation “I can install it on my own. It’s going to work just as it would if a professional technician did it. I’m going to save so much money!” Reality “Maybe, but probably not.” That’s the truth. Here are a few reasons why: When someone opts to install something on their own, they are trying to accomplish what technicians take years in education and experience to learn. Taking an installation project into your own hands with no foreknowledge on the subject is a gamble. Unprofessional installations may save people some money in the short term, but they risk more money being spent in the future.  Let’s use a simple example and suppose someone is trying to install smart door locks for their home system. Let’s also say this person doesn’t have instructions or guidance on how to do it. The person gets everything hooked up to the house and even hooks the locks up to their smartphone for ultimate control. Everything seems to be working fine. “Do it yourself” installation urges this person to stick with using bluetooth to connect to their smartphone instead of using a lock with WiFi capabilities. We Are More uses products that can utilize both. WiFi enables smart locks to be used more effectively for what they’re worth. Bluetooth works great, as long as the person is within a certain distance from their locks. They can’t count on being in control of their smart locks if they’re out of town. Depending on house size, locks can’t even be monitored from within the home, like in their bedroom, or in the living room. They’d have to be close to the lock. The scenario of bluetooth also restricts giving passcodes to guests, so the person would either have to purchase a remote to leave for guests or they would always need to be present to open and close the doors. As mentioned previously, however, if the lock is using bluetooth then remote access to the door is pretty limited as well. In short, there’s no point in spending extra money to switch from a traditional door lock to a digital one if it’s just going to be the same experience or make locking and unlocking your doors a bigger hassle. If they had a professional do the work, they’d have worldwide access to their locks, including remote control access from anywhere in the world, vacation passcodes for guests to use, and WiFi enabled options for more. Not being able to open a door for people when out of town, not being able to monitor or check the status of the doors being opened and locked, and not being able to simply create and erase passcodes for guests are only a few problems to mention. The scenario only includes a single installation that would seem simple to most. Now imagine larger installations that people try to accomplish on their own. You don’t have to be that person. Trying to install most things that require professional technicians to do, means that you’re going to try and match or do better than the standard and quality they were taught at. We Are More has trained and well equipped technicians that know what they’re doing and can even answer any questions and concerns you might have. We also help with design assist, another huge part of installation processes that you can read about HERE.   Some History on the Beginning of Electricity In HawaiiLet’s go back to the official home of Hawaii’s last monarchs. Why? Because it was electric!
In 1882, King Kalakaua finished building Iolani Palace on the island of Oahu. It still stands today and is known as “one of the most recognizable buildings in Hawaii.” It’s a monument of history that brings us back to the time and lives of Hawaii’s former royal family. More so, Iolani Palace is a historic account of Hawaii’s role in electric power. In 1886, it was the first building in Hawaii and one of the first royal occupations in the world to have electricity. King Kalakaua’s interest in Thomas Edison’s light bulb sparked his decision to implement them in the palace. On his birthday, November 16th, in 1886, the palace was fully lit with lightbulbs. Two years after the palace was given electricity, Princess Kaiulani flipped the circuit switch that sent electricity to light the streets of Honolulu for the first time. By 1890 over 700 Hawaii homes had electric lights while the majority of the United States didn’t. The Hawaiian Electric Company, Ltd. was then established in 1891. In a short span of less than a decade, Iolani Palace led the way for electricity in Hawaii. It had electricity before Buckingham Palace and even before the White House. Not to mention it also had indoor plumbing and a telephone system. Innovation through technology being brought to Hawaii led it to being one of the more advanced places to be in the late 1800s. Since then, and especially now, electrical solutions have always helped Hawaii flourish. Utilizing technology leads to improved productivity and reduced costs, better quality of products and services to meet customer needs, a larger product range for higher sales and profit, better handled legal and environmental issues, added value for businesses, and more staff retention for businesses as well. So next time you go to Oahu, go see the palace and think about how cool it is to be looking at one of the first buildings that utilized electricity in Hawaii! Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!  WESTERN WAR MACHINERY IN KING KAMEHAMEHA’S KINGDOM?On December 22nd, in 1871, Kamehameha V chose June 11th as the day the Hawaiian kingdom would honor his grandfather, King Kamehameha “the Great.” Unlike other monarchs before him, King Kamehameha conquered the Hawaiian islands and brought them under his ruling authority.
Though other ruler’s also had gun power at the time of his conquests, they didn’t utilize it the way he did. King Kamehameha obtained guns long before he began his attacks on other chiefs but his plans to unify the islands took off when he found two men named John Young and Isaac Davis. They were foreign, western, allies who helped him rise to power with war machinery that included cannons and muskets. Davis’s ship was attacked by a Big Island chief and his entire crew died. He was said to be the only survivor. Davis was rescued and not only became one of King Kamehameha’s trusted advisors, but also a close friend. Young was also a sailor. After going ashore to see what Happened to Davis’s ship, he was detained by King Kamehameha and within a couple days his own crew left Hawaii without him. He met Davis, and also became an advisor and confidant of the king. Both men offered western strategic battle advice and ended up serving as commanders of King Kamehameha’s infantry. They had voices of influence over most circumstances in the Hawaiian Kingdom under the king’s ruling and also taught the king’s men how to operate and maintain the weapons that were acquired on Davis’s ship. Today you can find petroglyphs at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Big Island that distinctly show images of muskets and men. King Kamehameha became a skilled warrior at a young age, but after witnessing the first attacks of Captain Cook's sailors using firearms, he was said to be intrigued by the powerful weapons. This proved true when his army grew to nearly 11,000 armed warriors and over 900 war canoes by 1795. Though many Hawaiians lost their lives in the battles won by the king, the islands were unified and brought under his single ruling. On June 11th, Hawaiians remember the powerful warrior King Kamehameha was, the strategies and war machinery that aided in his inspiration, and his efforts of bringing the Hawaiian islands together.  9 Tell-Tale Signs You Need to Get a New ThermostatIn our previous blog post we mentioned that thermostats are one of the best automations to implement in a buyers home or office because of climate control. Now we have some things to say to those who already own a thermostat. It’s important to know and recognize the signs of an unusable thermostat so you don't waste time, energy, or finances. Here are the 9 Tell-Tale Signs You Need to Get a New Thermostat: Your HVAC Doesn’t Shut Off / Doesn’t Turn OnGo figure. If your thermostat was previously working fine and now it doesn't work at all, then it's definitely time to get a new thermostat. Your HVAC Turns On / Off Too OftenLike the above, if heat and cooling are no longer being regulated, you might want to get a new thermostat. The Temperature Is Not What You Set It AtWhen the air temperature should be 60 degrees but feels like 89 degrees, there’s a problem. Either the thermostat has been installed in the wrong area, or you simply need a new one. Accurate temperature readings are the core of a thermostat’s purpose. A well functioning thermostat should be doing it’s job correctly. Rapid Temperature ChangesAside from temperature misreading's, thermostats may go completely haywire, swinging between different temperatures. When this happens, it's time for a new thermostat.  Skyrocketing Energy BillsNotice an unusual rise in your electric costs? Don’t worry, the neighbors aren’t tapping into your electric line, the thermostat may be to blame. Consider replacing it with a new one to continue saving money. Thermostat Technical IssuesIf your thermostat has stopped displaying information on screen there could be a list of foolproof factors causing it; check the batteries, there may even be a blown fuse or the wires have been covered in dust. If all of these check out, your thermostat may be done for. It Turns Off or On Before It's Supposed ToThis issue can be traced back to a thermostat’s location. Make sure that a professional is installing or relocating your thermostat so it is not put too far from the rooms receiving heat/cooling and can accurately measure temperatures. On the other hand, you may just have a broken thermostat and need a new one. Thermostat AgeThermostats aren’t eternal. They will eventually age and need to be replaced. In rare cases, the lifespan of a fully functioning thermostat can last up to 10 years with no problems or technical difficulties. Regardless, some thermostats will need to be switched out long before that. Newer thermostats use better technology that makes them more efficient for better use, so it’s ideal to replace them more frequently.  If you’re noticing any of these signs, contact We Are More so we can do a full assessment and lake sure a new thermostat is what you need before you buy one. We also install and supply multiple thermostats for a customized solution that fits your specific needs.
Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!  WHAT FIRST TIME BUYERS ACTUALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SMART HOME AUTOMATIONWe talk a lot about home theaters, automated lighting, locks, audio, and so on. But what are the most important automation topics for first time viewers? What are the best products or systems for first time smart home builders? What is the downfall of automated services that scare new people away? Keep reading for some answers and a little reassurance. Most Important Automation Topics For First Time ViewersMoney. It’s always the topic of concern. Those who’ve never customized their own smart home or business are the ones who immediately jump to worrying about costs. It’s safe to say that long term investments in smart home automations are where the savings come from. The longer someone has automated solutions, the less they spend. The initial purchase price of any given product or set up might look steep to a first time buyer, but anyone who’s owned or operated smart systems knows that it isn’t how it looks. Smart automations are valuable. A one time purchase for a long time system is a great deal. We Are More provides and installs customizable automated systems that are reliable, financeable, and inexpensive. With routine updates and check ups every couple years, our installed automations will not only be cost efficient, but they’ll also last a lifetime.
Best Product Or System For First Time Smart Home Builders
After installation, users are thoroughly briefed by our team on how to use their thermostat so they can get to saving in no time! It’s pretty simple, but even if questions or concerns arise after installation, our team is only a dial away.  The Downfall Of Automated ServicesAn overwhelming amount of choices isn’t always a good thing. Every system We Are More offers is completely customizable with a seemingly endless supply of what someone would need. However, when people are presented with smart system solutions, they don’t always know what to choose. We understand that having too many options can leave people lost, scare them away, or put them into a middle ground where they never make a decision.
One of the reasons why We Are More offers free consultations and assessments is so we can help people find exactly what caters to their needs. We don’t want first time users to be confused or misinformed. Our team has expertise in every automated field so buyers can get the best solutions possible. Unlike big, impersonal companies, our personalized options aren’t just for those who know what they want, they’re also for those who need help in choosing. We like installing systems that anyone would be completely satisfied with. We hope this blog was something you were actually interested in. If you’re currently looking to implement automated solutions in your home or business, We Are More would love to accommodate you on your journey. Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!  Interior Design Ideas for Automated Installations [3]It’s week three of our “interior design ideas” series! Our first and second blog posts were on interior design ideas for automated lighting and sound system installations. We hope you can find some inspiration for how to implement these systems in your living spaces. If you’re new to the series, We Are More does design-assist for every installation that needs it. Some people envision the exact way they want things to look after an install, others need a lot of help figuring out their vision. If you’re one of the “others,” this blog is a short version of the help we offer in order to give you design inspiration for your installations. We’ve been keeping design elements simple and easy for anyone to implement. Let's move on to something a little more complex. Safety, security, and peace of mind. Security System DesignSecurity systems are important for multiple reasons. The biggest of these is safety. Homes and businesses usually house valuables that owners want to protect. Whether that be information, items and assets, or people, security systems are a form of protection. Being at home 24/7 isn’t always possible, and even if you are home every second of the day, you are not omnipresent. Security systems offer wide ranges of surveillance so no matter how far we are from an area we can still keep an eye on it. However, security systems are more than just visuals. These surveillance systems can be controlled and automated to lock doors, turn lights off and on, set alerts/alarms, utilize two way audio and so much more. If you don’t have a security system, read our blog on the Things to Know About Smart Security to decide if you should get one or not. If you choose not to get one, also read 16 Ways to Secure Your Home Without a Security System.  Security Camera Placement for Interior DesignWhen it comes to cameras outside the home, visibility is important to ward off intruders. As opposed to within the home, depending on personal preference, you can either choose to have your cameras blend in or stick out. Regardless, camera placement is extremely important for surveillance. With or without wires, there are certain ways you can set security cameras up to blend into your interior or hide them completely. Though blended or hidden, you still want the camera to do its job in viewing everything it needs to. Here are a few versatile design ideas for your interior camera placement: -First things first. No one likes the look of wires. Get wireless cameras! Cameras without wires are easier to work with, easier to install, and easier to be creative with. Not to mention they’re less expensive because they require less tools and less time to install. However, wired cameras have their benefits. Talk to We Are More about what cameras will fit your specific needs, there are multiple choices for a reason.  -Think about shelf spaces with multiple items on it. Mix and match different items to help the camera blend in while also letting your design shine through. -Corners! Mounting cameras in the corners of your rooms give you great surveillance coverage. This spot also allows cameras to blend in nicely because corners are rarely the focal point of any room. -Have cameras installed on your window sills. This is a discrete area that gives a great surveillance view. -Wireless ceiling camera’s blend in nicely when mounted on ceiling fans. They can blend in nicely with most fans and look like part of the design. -Some people are more concerned about keeping interior cameras completely out of sight. If this is the case, hide cameras in miniscule fixtures like tissue boxes, flower pots, lamps, book casings, speakers and other objects that people don’t normally pay attention to. Extra tip: Walk into the room where a security camera needs to be placed, where is your attention immediately drawn to in the room? Avoid having any cameras installed in that area. You can do this from every corner of the room to steer clear of any unwanted recognition. We hope you found something that inspired you for your security camera placement needs. These options are basic, but most often overlooked in design. Should we continue this series for more design assist tips and tricks? Check back next Friday to find out. Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!   Interior Design Ideas for Automated Installations [2]Welcome to season two! Episode two? Our number two blog- The second article in our blog series on “interior design ideas.” If you haven’t already read our first one, it’s on interior design ideas for automated lighting and you can find it by clicking HERE. Don’t miss out on simple lighting tricks that can pull a whole room together! As stated in the previous blog post, We Are More does design-assist for every installation that needs it. Some people envision the exact way they want things to look after an install, others need a lot of help figuring out their vision. If you’re one of the “others,” hopefully you can find some design inspiration below. This week We Are More wanted to touch on something a little more hidden. It’s not always noticed the way lighting is, but it’s just as fun to utilize. A sound system! Speakers in particular. Sound System Design IdeasWe have multiple blogs on the best sound systems, their uses, and places to implement them. Every room in your home could have a sound system installed. However, here we’ll be discussing how to position a sound system throughout the dining and living room. These ideas will fit in with any home design. Sound systems aren’t just great for big functions but also for movie nights, dinner parties, game day, and relaxation. You can turn your dining and living areas into a personal oasis that changes for every scene. Set different moods and times for automatic entertainment, or manually take charge of your system through voice activation, hand held control, or both for ease of use. Living Room + Dining Room Sound SystemDid you know that you don’t need to install two different sound systems for two different rooms? Whether the rooms are connected or not, opt in for whole home audio (or choose between the rooms you prefer) to have a single synchronized sound system implemented for all spaces. This single unit sound system will travel throughout the home or within the rooms you choose- perfect for dining and living rooms. Here are a few versatile design ideas for your sound system: -For a clean and sleek look that doesn’t draw any attention to itself, we recommend installing speakers in the ceiling (check the photos below for examples). These hidden speakers are pretty easy to miss, but the surround sounds are loud and clear. -Have fun with your style. Do you like retro? Modern? Old school? Minimalist? If you want your speakers to add to your decor, think about what kind of design element you need your speakers to have. Play around the different options for what you want your living room to look like, then decide on the type of speakers you want to implement. -Use different heights. The amount of space you have and the amount of speakers you want to include can make the design of your space look so much better. We Are More can supply you with all the speaker stands you want or need, including different styles and heights. Then we’ll help with placement so you can get ultimate use. Using speakers with different heights can elevate the whole look of your room, perfect for any room design. -Don’t line up speakers next to each other. A common sound system mistake is only placing speakers in the front of the room. Surround sound system placement is key to getting the absolute best sound! Utilize your corners, the ceiling, front walls, back walls etc. It's called “surround sound” for a reason. You should be surrounded by sound! It will also declutter the space around your tv for better design.  That’s all folks! We hope you found something that inspired you for your sound system needs. These options are basic, but most often overlooked. What’s your favorite way to set up speakers for your sound system? Check back next Friday for another automated installation interior design idea.
Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!  Interior Design Ideas for Automated Installations [1]You may or may not have known, but We Are More does design assistance (design-assist) on every project that needs it. Some people envision the exact way they want things to look after an install, others need a lot of help figuring out their vision. If you’re one of the “others,” hopefully you can find some design inspiration below. We realize that the topic of design can be a lengthy one. With that in mind, this article will be one in a series of blog posts throughout the coming weeks. In each post, we’ll go through a few design options for a certain home area using one of the more popular automated installations that we do. The first of these is lighting.  Automated Lighting Design IdeasLighting is a huge design element that is often overlooked. The type of lighting you use can pull the whole area together. Check out our blog on “Seven Forms of Lighting for Every Occasion and Atmosphere” to read more on types of lighting to choose from. If you have a certain design you’re considering, don’t forget to include the right kind of automated lighting to accentuate your look. You can use automated lights to illuminate certain home features, light up and control different mood lighting for walkways, driveways, hallways, your kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, patios, porches, living rooms, theater rooms, and everywhere else you’ve ever seen a light switch. Paying attention to the details of lighting placement and different hues are the key to beautiful lighting solutions.  Bedroom Lighting IdeasAn easy and useful way to utilize automated/wireless lighting is in your bedroom. Deciding on the kind of lightbulbs you want are the most fun. Our personal favorite are full color wifi led bulbs. Color changing bulbs are great for any style of bedroom due to all the color choices. Using color changing lights or not, here are a few versatile ideas for your bedroom:
We hope you found something that inspired you for your lighting needs. These options will give you beautiful ambient and task lighting to match with any interior design. What’s your favorite way to utilize lighting? Check back next Friday for another automated installation interior design idea.
Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!  7 Questions You Should Always Ask ... Your Electrician / InstallerBelieve it or not, there are a number of people who don't think it's important to double check the companies they're involved with. Thankfully, there's an easy way to determine your electrician/installer choice. Here's a list of the questions you should be asking. "Are you a licensed installer/electrician?" If you’re paying someone to implement something on your property, make sure they are licensed. It's a good way to see if they actually know what they’re doing, and it will save you money to have the job done correctly the first time. "Will this be a permanent solution?" Installations are usually a one time deal, while other electric work is extensive. If your electrician says they have a “permanent solution” for an electrical issue that actually requires annual upkeep, go with a different electrician. "How long will it take to install?" Having a time frame between you and your installer is important for multiple reasons. Knowing how long a project will take sets up boundaries for you and the contractor. You'll also know when the project will be finished, and the contractor will have a completion deadline to stick to. "Does this project need a permit?" Your technician should be able to answer this question. If not, one of you needs to find out. Make sure everything is being done legally so nothing sneaks up on you in the future. "Is there anything I should know about the installation?" You should definitely be made aware of the alterations that may occur during any installation process. Likewise, your installer should be informed on the nitty gritty of what you need and expect. This type of communication is vital to both the contractor and client for project satisfaction. "How many times have you done this type of job?" The answer to this question shouldn’t determine if you change contractors or not. Your installer / electrician should be fully trained and educated on the subject, even if it’s they’re first time. Proceeding to make sure they are knowledgeable on what they’re doing would be the only factor in hiring someone else. "Will you be able to fix problems that pop-up after the installation?" Find a reliable contractor. They should be willing to give you their personal contact information so they can respond to any issues that come up. If you have to go through piles of phone numbers and wait times to get help from the company you chose, find a different one. We Are More works on all type of jobs, so we've had the experience of answering these important questions. Commercial and residential electrical installations are our specialty. If needed, we'd be more than happy to set you up with the perfect technician for your next project. Let us know how we can help! Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!
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Our AuthorSamara Towers does We Are More's PR & Marketing which includes writing our blogs! She was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from Corban University with a Bachelors Degree in Creative Writing. She produces content to give our audience more insight and opinions on technical solutions big and small. 
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