Home automation articles
Articles explain a technology, tradeoff, or design decision that applies across several recipes. Use them to understand your options and make confident choices for your own rooms and routines. Unlike the recipe library, this section is chronological.
Why motion lights turn off while you are still there
A checklist when a motion light turns off while someone is still in the room. Check timeout, sensor aim, and presence sensing.
Why arrive and leave triggers fail
Phone geofences, battery saving, and Wi-Fi hints often disagree with who is home. Confirm Away and Home before the house acts.
Lights turning on by themselves
A checklist when a light turns on by itself. Check the sensor view, power restore, duplicate rules, or a direct device link.
What to wire and plan before the walls close
Preserve ordinary controls and future options by planning power, neutrals, low-voltage cable, conduit, sensors, and documentation before drywall.
Smart bulbs vs. smart switches after a power outage
Choose between smart bulbs, smart switches, wall modules, and no-neutral options while planning what the lights should do when power returns.
Hubitat vs SmartThings for a family house
A firsthand comparison of Hubitat and SmartThings for a large family home, including daily controls, advanced routines, drivers, reliability, and migration effort.
Motion sensor placement guide
A practical guide to placing and testing PIR and presence sensors so automations respond at the right moment without false triggers.
PIR vs mmWave presence sensors
Choose between PIR motion, mmWave presence, or both for bathrooms, offices, halls, and other rooms without causing false turn-offs.