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What is Home Automation?
If you live in a tent, say, somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness, you probably ought to just skip this section. There's wood to chop and dinner to find, apex predators to avoid, and plenty of other things to concern yourself with. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine. However, if you live indoors, your home likely has a lot going on. Devices and systems are everywhere. Electricity and water course through your walls. There's lighting, climate control, audio, security, and appliances... so many appliances. It's a lot. Home automation brings the control of these elements together, allowing them to be utilized to their full potential and to interact seamlessly. In this way, you can, in real-time, transform your home environment to suit a mood, facilitate your work, and otherwise meet your needs. You can combine ease with enjoyment, safety with comfort, and achieve efficiencies that are otherwise out of reach. Spaces can be kept at money-saving temperatures when you're away and returned to your preferred settings before you arrive. You can arrive home at night to find your place bright and welcoming. You can double-check that your doors are closed and locked or that the hose is turned off, no matter your location, freeing yourself from worry and frustration. You can automate as much or as little as you wish and add capabilities as you go . How is this done? By placing little devices throughout your home that allow you to operate things, such as light switches and thermostats, just as you do now, while adding the capability of remote control.
When more of your place is automated than is not, you will have established a "Smart Home" and with that, added some real market value. Ten years into my automation journey, I have over sixty devices in play. Below, you will find some of my favorites. For more information on how you can enrich your home life with automation please reach out to me via the link below!
Samsung SmartThings and the Aeotec Hub V3
At the center of every home automation system is a hub. The hub is an Internet-connected gadget that "talks" to every smart device in your home and centralizes their control. Everything is in one place and accessible via a smartphone app, a web interface and a range of in-home controllers such as tablets and wall-switch-like keypads. Nifty, right? There are a few different hubs out there and opinions about them vary. These products are similar in function but are differentiated by their graphic interface and user-friendliness and that of their associated smartphone app. Other variables include processing speed, their degree of reliance on cloud services and, of course, the types of devices they communicate with. Hubs with varying capabilities are being built in to certain appliances and home assistant devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home products.
Samsung is all-in on Home Automation and operates the SmartThings platform. SmartThings has evolved from a DIY product that required a certain amount of technical knowledge and perseverance to manage, to something more polished and easier to use. While there have been some bumps along the way, I'm still a fan. SmartThings builds hubs into many of their appliances and TVs. Their standalone hub is manufactured for them by Aeotec but utilizes Samsung's SmartThings software and infrastructure. It is an excellent product.
Smart home devices communicate using one of three common standards: These are Z-Wave, Zigbee and Wi-Fi. Z-Wave and Zigbee are low-power and ideal for the home's battery-powered devices. Wi-Fi devices are best served with house power. In order to take advantage of all the technology out there, it's best to use a hub that supports all three. The Aeotec hub does just that.
Find the Aeotec Hub here: https://amzn.to/4kf6ZCz
Sentinare Fall Detection & Activity Sensor
Sentinare Fall Detection & Activity Sensor
Sometimes a piece of tech is so good that I get genuinely excited. This was the case after I installed five of these devices at my father-in-law's home. If you're looking after anyone, especially if they are at risk of falling, this is a product you ought to know about. The CDC reports that "Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, more than one in four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again." Three million ER visits per year. Seriously. These feature-packed cameras use AI to convert people into stick figures to maintain privacy. This enables them to be placed in bedrooms and bathrooms where the risk of falling is high. They detect falls and notify family members and caregivers via a smartphone app. Facial-recognition differentiates individuals in the room. Each camera contains an intercom, enabling clear two-way conversation. Also, by monitoring the presence and absence of activity in living spaces, caregivers can be notified at a specified time if, say, a person has yet to emerge from their bedroom. The devices are a bit pricey, but there are no monthly fees unless users want to retain hours upon hours of "exciting stick-figure action." This tech may significantly extend the time during which the people you are looking after can live independently.
The product can be found here: https://amzn.to/4gJYkFo
Flo Smart Water Monitor & Shutoff
Flo Smart Water Monitor & Shutoff
Major water leaks are devastating. My neighbors will be in a rental for six months due to one. They had a washing machine installed on their second floor, and faulty plumbing work precipitated a serious and spontaneous leak while they were away for a weekend. The interior is virtually totaled. Water damage is six times more common than burglary and eight times more frequent than fire. 40% of homes will experience water leak damage. The Flo device is an automatic shut-off valve installed by a plumber (choose wisely) at the point where your main water line enters the home. All of your water passes through it. During its first week, it learns your water usage patterns. Afterward, it can detect anomalies, such as excessive water flow for extended periods. If an issue is detected, it automatically shuts off the water at the source, and you're alerted via its dedicated app or your smart home app. Crisis averted. If it's a false alarm, you can restore service in a jiffy, directly from your phone. It's pretty great. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3XqrfXZ"
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