Smart Home Devices

[honda99ex]

As a corollary to my Home Security thread want to know what you all recommend for Home Automation? I was thinking something that I can get to easily for supplies/parts like the IRIS from Lowe's or Whatever Amazon has to offer.... I guess since I don't have anything thing yet what is a good system overall? I don't want to have 8 different systems to monitor...


I was thinking mostly thermostat, smart locks, maybe lights? What is good and what can I skip?

 

[cfranck1]

I don't have much in the way of home automation, but when I need something I usually check these guys out first..
Home Automation

 

[BettysNephew]

I ended up going with a Samsung Smart Things hub. I wanted a high current switch to control my espresso machine and Aeotec had one that worked with Z Wave. I have since added a lower powered outlet switch for a lamp and a smart thermostat. Very happy with my choice. I like being able to control things while away from home and the Samsung also offers many timing options. It is a bit more dollars than some of the WIFI systems but suited my desires.

 

[TK-422]

I also have a Samsung Smart Things hub. I use it to control my front door with a Schlage electronic door lock that I can lock / unlock remotely and a garage door that I can see if it's open or closed. I have not bothered to get any extra accessories since then but there are many.

 

[honda99ex]

I also have a Samsung Smart Things hub. I use it to control my front door with a Schlage electronic door lock that I can lock / unlock remotely and a garage door that I can see if it's open or closed. I have not bothered to get any extra accessories since then but there are many.

Nice I'm pretty much set on Schlage for the locks. What garage door device do you have? I want to minimize hubs...

 

[TK-422]

Nice I'm pretty much set on Schlage for the locks. What garage door device do you have? I want to minimize hubs...

Ecolink Intelligent Technology Z-Wave Garage Door Tilt Sensor

The door lock.
Schlage Z-Wave Connect Camelot Touchscreen Deadbolt with Built-In Alarm

We rarely use a key anymore. Just use the keypad or phone to unlock the door.

 

[jon.salpas]

Whatever you decide to go with, sit down and plan out what all you want it to do before you buy. That way you can get as few different systems as possible and have the most control. I skipped that step and now have multiple systems controlling everything and it's a PITA.

 

[TK-422]

I have been using one of the original Smartthings hubs since it first came out. I did buy a Samsung Hub about 2 years ago but I forgot it on a shelf until this post came out. The old one worked so I had not changed it.

Tonight I bit the bullet and decided to switch it out since I just ordered a First Alert smoke/CO2 detector with Z-Wave. I knew I would have to pair the lock and garage sensor again and I was too lazy.

I had my password changed since it was so long I forgot it, installed and setup the Samsung hub. Now I have to re-pair the lock and garage sensor. I will do that this weekend. I will add the smoke alarm as well.

Now I will want to add some more things to it. My Thermostat will be first.

My smoke alarm went off at 3AM this morning with a 6 month old dead 10 year battery, that's what got me going.

 

[honda99ex]

Whatever you decide to go with, sit down and plan out what all you want it to do before you buy. That way you can get as few different systems as possible and have the most control. I skipped that step and now have multiple systems controlling everything and it's a PITA.

I finally decided on a system but things add up fast. My issue is that I have a lot of windows and they are essentially such that I need 2 sensors per window which doubles the price... That's how the old ADT system is set up now, each window double sensors. I've read about using aftermarket flat magnets to get it to 1 sensor per window but I don't know if I want to chance it and have them read improperly... If any one can throw any insight on that front would be appreciated. I've also toyed with using just glass break sensors which would work ok in one part of the house but probably just as costly in another part... But not sure about false alarms.... And IR motion sensors. Can I or can I not aim toward at radiators/ multi splits? It seems every zone I can use a single motion sensor would eventually intersect an HVAC component.... Arg analysis paralysis

 

[jon.salpas]

I finally decided on a system but things add up fast. My issue is that I have a lot of windows and they are essentially such that I need 2 sensors per window which doubles the price... That's how the old ADT system is set up now, each window double sensors. I've read about using aftermarket flat magnets to get it to 1 sensor per window but I don't know if I want to chance it and have them read improperly... If any one can throw any insight on that front would be appreciated. I've also toyed with using just glass break sensors which would work ok in one part of the house but probably just as costly in another part... But not sure about false alarms.... And IR motion sensors. Can I or can I not aim toward at radiators/ multi splits? It seems every zone I can use a single motion sensor would eventually intersect an HVAC component.... Arg analysis paralysis

I'm not sure about the IR motion sensors. But have heard and experienced improperly set-up glass breaks. An old house of mine had them; dogs barking, car alarms, car horns, really bad thunder would set them off randomly.

I'm assuming your window issue is that they're double hung so the top and bottom halves can open independent of one another. If this is the case you should be able to install a wireless sensor in the middle where they both meet. Or depending on how often you plan on opening them use a solid bar to force one to stay closed and only put a sensor on the other half.

I personally only have sensors on half my windows right now (back and side) since my neighborhood is always full of nosy house wives and anyone coming in through the front will be seen entering. Or at least leaving if they survive the initial encounter with the dogs.

 

[Off-choader]

Best smart home device besides my Abode which I use as the hub is Nest thermostat 3rd gens. I hate google with a passion but they did it right with these thermostats.. The nest smoke alarm is nice too, notifies with alerts and can act as a night light.

Ive always been schlage smart lock curious but something about smart locks just makes me feel uneasy, plus the foundations or doors always seems to slightly shift making locking more difficult.

 

[TK-422]

The best part about the Schlage is not the Zwave but they keypad.

With the Zwave you can have a code to say give to a neighbor that is watching your house without giving them the key. When they are done you can remotely shut it down.

 

[honda99ex]

I'm not sure about the IR motion sensors. But have heard and experienced improperly set-up glass breaks. An old house of mine had them; dogs barking, car alarms, car horns, really bad thunder would set them off randomly.

I'm assuming your window issue is that they're double hung so the top and bottom halves can open independent of one another. If this is the case you should be able to install a wireless sensor in the middle where they both meet. Or depending on how often you plan on opening them use a solid bar to force one to stay closed and only put a sensor on the other half.

I personally only have sensors on half my windows right now (back and side) since my neighborhood is always full of nosy house wives and anyone coming in through the front will be seen entering. Or at least leaving if they survive the initial encounter with the dogs.

I'm afraid of blanket type sensors for that exact reason. False alarms which I bet would get old quick.... But a bow window though. Just not economical to do 5 sensors vs 1 glass break... Grrr. Better start saving I guess!

The windows are sliding left to right, essentially double hung on it's side. But the center portion has only 1 ledge/ The opposing side to the ledge is already glass. So the issues is space because I need to be able to slide the window still. I have a few MMs at most... Wedging one window closed is a potential solution! Have to think about that more...

Thanks!

Though my electrical contractor just said to me, all this stuff just keeps the honest people away. The thieves will work around it if they want it bad enough...

 

[TK-422]

You don't point motion sensors toward the windows and doors. You point them from above the door away from outside motion. If you have motion sensors placed correctly you don't need window sensors. This reduces false alarms. You just need good door sensors to start the alarm warning when you enter. If someone enters thru a window the motion sensor will catch it.

None of that works if you have the alarm set when people are in the house.

 

[cb1111]

Somebody mentioned the need to plan all this out in advance and this is vital.

While everybody is jumping on the home automation bandwagon, there are few people that actually use it to any degree.

Do you really need/want to dim your lights from an app on your phone? Figure out how many eggs you have without opening the refrigerator door? Turn on the TV from 3000 miles away?

I did the X-10 stuff 20 years ago and thought it was the cat's meow. Ended up ripping most of it out because it was a PITA to set up, it never worked reliably and I ended up giving Goodwill about $1k of stuff. Trying to explain this to visitors was also next to impossible.

In my new house, I decided that all I needed was the thermostats - and even that isn't vital since I have geothermal. In another house I have a couple of light switches that are really badly placed, so I just got a highly rated set of phone controlled wall plugs from Amazon that also has a stick-on wall switch - easy to explain to people.

Alarm systems take even more planning. Will you use it while you're home (then using only motion sensors won't work) or will you use it only when away?

Simpli-Safe is a good combination of various sensors and, quite frankly, you don't need to do every window and door. Most break-ins are through garages and front/rear doors. If you are using motion sensors, then you don't need to cover every square inch of the house. If you have one staircase going upstairs, then a motion sensor there will "protect" the entire upstairs and so forth.

The bad guys aren't going to break into a house that has an alarm - they'll just go next door. What many people have done is use motion sensors in a few strategic places and then bought the cheapest piece of crap Chinese window sensors they could find and stuck them on all windows without hooking them up.

While the bad guys have gotten smart about random alarm signs stuck to the mailbox or the front door, they will do a visual check for visible alarm panels and sensors. If they see a stick on sensor on a window, then they have to assume that it is protected.

Me, I have a large government agency as my neighborhood watch, a system that was over-engineered into the house and a portable alarm/active deterrence device (AKA trained GSD)

 

[ran]

So a 10-yr Lithium 9v battery failed in 6 months??

 

[Bumbo]

The comments around planning are spot on. I did lighting the thermostat just for convenience and energy savings.

I have plenty of smart home stuff... but I just can't get myself to do it to my locks, which includes my garage door as it's possible to exploit.

I stick with good ole mechanical high security locks and a reinforced jam. I have key control as well. You can't duplicate the key and it's physically tough as shit and extremely resistant to brute force attacks like drilling.

 

[cb1111]

The comments around planning are spot on. I did lighting the thermostat just for convenience and energy savings.

I have plenty of smart home stuff... but I just can't get myself to do it to my locks, which includes my garage door as it's possible to exploit.

I stick with good ole mechanical high security locks and a reinforced jam. I have key control as well. You can't duplicate the key and it's physically tough as shit and extremely resistant to brute force attacks like drilling.

Yep, there is one place in the US to duplicate my keys. Without the key, you're not getting into the lock.

 

[Bumbo]

Yep, there is one place in the US to duplicate my keys. Without the key, you're not getting into the lock.

Sounds like we use something similar... I love high security locks

My locks came with a ownership/duplication key card which is required to make or copy a key. Having the key itself isn't enough.

On top of that, the keyway is registered to a single locksmith in the entire US so there is accountability/traceability as key blanks are only available from one source.

It's a nice system, as you can master-key it and reduce the number of keys you need while maintaining security/permissions. Plus most all my pad locks use the same core. Aside from my car key, I don't have much else on the ring.

 

[cb1111]

Sounds like we use something similar... I love high security locks

My locks came with a ownership/duplication key card which is required to make or copy a key. Having the key itself isn't enough.

On top of that, the keyway is registered to a single locksmith in the entire US so there is accountability/traceability as key blanks are only available from one source.

It's a nice system, as you can master-key it and reduce the number of keys you need while maintaining security/permissions. Plus most all my pad locks use the same core. Aside from my car key, I don't have much else on the ring.

Protec2. I figured I was the only one in the US that used these things.On top of that, all the entry doors (except for one) have inside locking deadbolts that I lock when I'm away, so if somebody breaks in through a window they'll have to leave that way too because they ain't going out a convenient door. Yep, padlocks and gate locks are keyed that way too - as was my phone box at the office.