Many home automations make up our home control system so I thought I would share the ones that I like the most. All of the automations in this list are setup using Node-Red and Home Assistant.
Temperature triggered curtains
We have been enduring 2 record breaking heat waves in the UK recently and we seem to spend all our time opening and closing curtains\windows to try and keep our house as cool as possible.
We installed switchbot curtains on our front room curtains recently and have an automation to close the curtains when were not home and it is hot outside, this helps to keeps the temperature down by a few degrees.
As a bonus it also shuts the curtains after sunset and warns us via an alexa announcement if a window behind the curtain is still closed.
Light Mode
Around the house there are a few colored LED light strips running WLED, most of the time these have a white glow but if it is a special event like a birthday the lights will change to the birthday persons favourite color.
DIY Ambilight
Not exactly an automation but great to showoff at a party. Using Hyperion on an old Raspberry Pi 3 with some LED strip around the outside of the TV we have our own ambilight effect. I am always very unimpressed with the colors and accuracy when watching a philips ambilight TV, DIY with Hyperion works even better!
Night-time
With a single command to Alexa before going to bed Home Assistant will turn off all the downstairs lights, turn on our bedroom lights, ensure that all plugs not needed are turned off (garden water feature, office desk, TV etc) and close the curtains. Alexa will also let us know if we have left a window open or forgotten to schedule the dishwasher to run overnight.
Once we have been in bed for around 5 mins the alarm system is armed.
Good Morning
Home Assistant knows when we are awake based on the alarms going off on our mobile phones in the morning so the house alarm is auto disabled and automatic lights are re-enabled. The first time that movement is seen downstairs it will run our ‘flash briefing’ on Alexa followed by an update of any chores that need doing followed by some music that is unique to the day.