December 01, 2025

Disable automations when door is closed

Prevent frustration when motion-based lighting turns off while you’re sitting still in the bathroom or bedroom. This automation uses a door sensor to intelligently override motion timeout behavior.

⚠️ The Problem: Motion Sensors Can't Detect Stationary People

Sitting on toilet
Taking a shower
Lying in bed reading
Working at desk
Result: Lights turn off unexpectedly, leaving you in the dark

✅ The Solution: Door Sensor Override

Door closed = Someone is inside, keep lights on
Door open = Room is empty (after motion timeout), safe to turn off lights

Use cases

Private Spaces

Bathroom - People sitting still on toilet or in shower
Bedroom - Guest room during naps or sleep
Reading Nook - Sitting still while reading

Work & Entertainment

Home Office - Working at computer without much movement
Media Room - Watching movies in reclined position

Products needed

Essential Equipment

Contact Sensor

Mounted on door and frame

Existing Motion Sensor

Already installed for lights

Smart Light

Switch or bulb

💻 Platform Requirements

Full Support: Home Assistant, SmartThings (with SharpTools), Hubitat, HomeSeer - These platforms support variables or virtual switches needed for this automation
Limited Support: Alexa, Google Home (use workarounds), Apple HomeKit (requires Homebridge for full functionality)

Automation setup

Scenario 1: Bathroom (Keep Lights On When Door Closed)

Original automation (problem): Trigger: No motion for 5 minutes → Action: Turn off bathroom light → Issue: Turns off while someone is sitting still inside

Improved automation (solution):

Triggers

No motion detected for 5 minutes

Conditions

Door is OPEN (not closed)

Actions

Turn off bathroom light

Logic: Only turn off lights if: (1) No motion detected for 5 minutes AND (2) Door is open (meaning no one is inside)

Scenario 2: Guest Room (Delay After Entry)

Prevent lights from turning on automatically when guests are resting:

Triggers

Guest room motion detected

Conditions

Door has been open for 5+ minutes

Actions

Turn on guest room light

Logic: If guest leaves room and returns within 5 minutes, lights don't turn on automatically. Helpful for naps, early bedtimes, and privacy.

Platform-specific examples

Home Assistant

Trigger Bathroom motion sensor no motion for 5 minutes

Condition Bathroom door sensor is "open"

Action Turn off bathroom light

Note: Adjust based on your sensor's open/closed values

SmartThings

Trigger Motion inactive for 5 minutes

Condition Door sensor is "open"

Action Turn off light

Setup: Use SharpTools for advanced conditions

Hubitat

Trigger Motion inactive (canceled) for 5 minutes

Expression Door contact is open

Action Turn off light

Setup: Use Rule Machine for complex logic

Advanced features

Manual disable mode

Add a physical button to manually disable all automations in a room:

Trigger: Disable button pressed
Action: Toggle automation disabled mode
Condition: Add to all automations: mode is OFF

Visual indicator

Use LED strip or smart bulb to show automation status:

When disabled: Set status light to red
When enabled: Set status light to green
Trigger: Automation mode changes

Time-based auto-resume

Automatically re-enable automations after a set period:

Trigger: Disabled mode has been ON for 2 hours
Action: Turn off disabled mode (re-enable)
Prevents accidentally leaving automations disabled

Common issues and solutions

Lights still turn off when door closed

Problem: Condition logic may not match your sensor's behavior.

Solutions:

Check door sensor state in app (is "closed" showing as 'on' or 'off'?)
Verify condition logic matches your sensor's behavior
Confirm automation is actually using the condition
Reverse the door state condition if needed

Door sensor not reliable

Problem: Sensor too far from magnet, battery low, or door doesn't close fully.

Solutions:

Reposition for better alignment
Replace battery
Adjust door latch/strike plate
Use tilt sensor instead of contact sensor

Related automations: