I've automated my home with a software package called Home Assistant. Home Assistant run on a low power Raspberry PI single board computer. Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform that empowers you to control, monitor, and integrate all your smart devices from a single hub. It runs locally, ensuring enhanced privacy and reliability, while supporting a wide array of devices and services through its extensive library of integrations. With Home Assistant, you can create custom automations tailored to your needs—like turning on lights when you arrive home, adjusting your thermostat based on the weather, or even setting up voice commands for complex routines. Its user-friendly interface and flexibility make it ideal for beginners and tech enthusiasts alike, offering full control over your smart home ecosystem without reliance on the cloud. Whether you're building a simple smart home or a highly sophisticated setup, Home Assistant is a powerful tool to make your life more convenient and connected.

Some of the items we control with Home Assistant:
  • Most lights and light switches
  • Three thermostats
  • Garage door
  • Dead bolts on walk through doors
  • Solar system
  • Presence tracking through cell phones
  • Security cameras
  • Smoke/CO detectors
  • Window, door and glass break sensors

Some of the automations we have:
  • All lights turn off, doors lock and HVAC adjusts temperature when no one is home
  • Some lights turn on and the heat adjusts when we arrive home
  • Outdoor lights turn on at sunset and off at midnight
  • All indoor lights turn off every night at 2am, just in case someone left one on
  • Amazon Alexa and phones announce when a vehicle is detected coming up the driveway with a picture of the vehicle
  • Amazon Alexa and phones announce when a person is detected on the front porch with a picture of the person
  • An alert is sent to our phones if no one is home and a door is left open
  • Turn off HVAC system when a door or window has been open for 5 minutes