A-Z Series on Smart Home? Sure — But Secure!

Home Assistant A-Z: O is for Offline – Does Your Smart Home Work Without Internet?

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0200

A Confession at the Start of 2026

Time for a confession: I turn off my Fritzbox every night – completely on purpose! And yes, my smart home keeps running anyway. It wasn’t always like that and took some work to get right. But why is it even worth checking whether your smart home still works offline?

The answer is simpler than you might think. Watch the video and find out why you should review your automations – even if you’d never dream of switching off your own router!

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Why Offline Functionality Matters

You don’t have to be as radical as me and deliberately cut your internet connection. Still, it’s worth understanding when your smart home works offline and where it might silently fail.

Internet Outages Are Not Rare

You won’t always be offline by choice. It happens like this too:

The internet goes down (ISP outage, broken router)
Certain servers become unreachable (cloud services down)
Wi-Fi issues in individual rooms

In all of these cases, your smart home should reliably keep running for core functions!

The Smart Bed Example

A particularly striking (or alarming?) example: a smart bed costing $3,000. When Amazon’s cloud servers went down, users had a serious problem:

❌ The sleeping position could no longer be adjusted
❌ Temperature regulation stopped working
❌ Users were stuck sleeping in uncomfortable positions or sweating through the night

In practice, it doesn’t matter whether Amazon’s server has issues or your internet connection does. The effect would be the same either way.

A Real-World Example From My Smart Home

Let me show you with a concrete example from my own smart home. In the video you can see the automation live, and I walk you through every step in detail!

The Window Reminder Automation

This automation reminds me when I leave a window open in cold outdoor temperatures, to prevent the apartment from cooling down unnecessarily.

Here’s how it works:

Trigger: One of several windows is opened
Condition: Outdoor temperature is below 18°C
Action: After a set amount of time, a reminder to close the window

The Problem With Cloud-Based Sensors

Originally I was relying on my weather sensor – specifically the temperature from a weather forecast integration. If you watch the history in the video, you’ll spot the problem immediately:

At night the sensor was unavailable (which makes sense – I’m cutting the internet, after all).

This meant:

The automation cannot evaluate the condition
The condition is treated as “false”
The automation stops and doesn’t continue
I get no warning, even if it’s freezing outside!

The Fix: Use Local Sensors

The solution was straightforward: I have a heat pump in the basement with an outdoor temperature sensor connected to Home Assistant via MQTT.

Advantages: ✅ The sensor is always available (local via MQTT)
✅ No dependency on internet or cloud
✅ Automation runs reliably even at night

In the video I show you exactly how I updated the conditions!

Resilient Automations With Fallback Values

But simply swapping the sensor isn’t enough. You also need to handle failures gracefully.

Float Conversion With a Default Value

In the automation I check:

`1`	`{{ states('sensor.waermepumpe_aussentemperatur') \| float(default='none') }}`

What’s happening here?

The sensor value is converted to a floating-point number
If that fails (e.g. sensor unavailable), none is returned instead
This lets me react in a controlled way rather than having the automation abort

Safety Through Fallback Logic

My final condition:

`1`	`Is the temperature = none OR below 18°C?`

In both cases the automation should continue running!

Why? Better to be warned once too often than once too few. If I can’t read the value, I assume the worst case: it might be cold, so warn me anyway!

In the video you can see the complete logic step by step!

Second Example: Variable Wait Time

In the same automation I use a variable wait time depending on outdoor temperature:

10°C outside → window can be open for up to 10 minutes before a warning
5°C outside → window can be open for up to 5 minutes before a warning
Below 5°C → minimum wait time of 5 minutes

Here too I had originally used the weather sensor – with the same problems!

The Resilient Solution

`1`	`{{ [states('sensor.waermepumpe_aussentemperatur') \| float(default=0), 5] \| max }}`

What does this do?

Temperature is read and converted to float
On failure: default value of 0
Take the maximum of the temperature and 5
Result: At least 5 minutes, up to 18 minutes (when the condition fires)

This way the automation works reliably even when a sensor is unavailable!

Want to see the exact implementation? Watch the video – I show you the automation live inside Home Assistant!

How Do You Identify Offline-Dependent Integrations?

An important question: How do you even know which integrations require internet access?

In the video I show you:

Weather integration (requires internet):

Home Assistant explicitly labels it as “Cloud Polling” or similar
Not available without internet

MQTT integration (no internet needed):

Connects to a local MQTT broker
Works completely offline

Tip: Take a look at your integrations in Settings. Home Assistant usually marks cloud-based integrations clearly!

Why I Turn Off the Fritzbox at Night

In case you’re wondering why I do this at all:

My reasons:

Save standby power: Around €10–15 per year
Sustainability: I simply don’t need internet at night
Testing smart home resilience: Forces clean solutions
Smartphone falls back to LTE: I remain reachable regardless

It took some thought to get everything in the smart home working properly. But now I’m happy with it!

Important: You don’t have to do the same. This is a personal choice. The lessons from it, however, apply to everyone!

My Three Most Important Tips for You

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You don’t need to turn off your router. But these three things are worth keeping in mind:

1. Make Core Functions Work Offline

Make sure these functions work without internet:

✅ Lights
✅ Blinds and shutters
✅ Heating
✅ Security functions

These are essential to your home. They must not depend on an internet connection!

2. Comfort Functions Can Be Dependent

Comfort functions that you don’t strictly need can rely on internet services:

Weather forecasts on the dashboard
Voice assistants
Cloud notifications
External data sources

That’s perfectly fine – as long as the core functions keep working!

3. Review Your Automations for Resilience

Go through your automations:

Which sensors are used?
What happens if a sensor becomes unavailable?
Are there sensible fallback values?
Does the automation abort on errors or continue in a controlled way?

This is an improvement you won’t notice every day. But when it matters, you’ll be grateful your smart home still runs reliably!

Conclusion: Resilience Is Not Rocket Science

As you can see, resilient automations are not rocket science. All it takes is:

Awareness of which sensors are available offline
Controlled error handling with default values
Sensible fallback logic instead of automation aborts

Watch the video to see everything live and explained step by step. Once you’ve gone through your own automations, I’d love to hear what you found!

Feel free to write your thoughts in the comments below the video or this article.

Note: Links marked with affiliate link are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I receive a small commission if you purchase through these links — at no extra cost to you. The revenue helps me run this blog and YouTube channel and keep creating content. Thank you for your support!
― Joachim

Home Assistant A-Z: N is for Night Mode – Never Blinded at Night Again!

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: N is for Night Mode

In today’s episode of the Home Assistant A-Z Series we tackle a topic that every smart home user knows: How do you stop your hallway from lighting up like an airport runway in the middle of the night?

The answer is: night mode! But not just any night mode – today I’ll show you how to use a central Smart Home status to intelligently control all your automations. From dimmed night lights to closed blinds to gentle radio as you drift off to sleep!

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The Problem: Being Blinded at Night

Sound familiar? You wake up in the middle of the night, need a quick bathroom trip, step into the hallway – and BAM! Full brightness hits you square in the face. Your eyes need five minutes to recover. Any chance of relaxing back to sleep is gone.

It doesn’t have to be this way! With an intelligent night mode you can:

✅ Use dimmed night lights instead of full brightness
✅ Navigate without being blinded
✅ Fall back asleep quickly after your midnight trip
✅ Automatically adapt multiple rooms (hallway, bathroom, etc.)

And the best part: All of this works automatically, without you having to manually switch anything!

In the video I show you the problem and the solution live!

The Secret: A Central Smart Home Status

Many Home Assistant users build complicated automations with dozens of conditions. “If the time is between 10 PM and 6 AM AND nobody is in the living room AND…” – it quickly becomes a mess.

My solution: A central Smart Home status that reflects the current state of your entire home!

What is a Smart Home Status?

Talking to other smart home users, I keep noticing: many people don’t bother maintaining a status in their smart home. Yet it is incredibly useful!

A status is simply a Helper (Input Select) that represents the current state of your smart home.

My four states:

Present – Normal operation, everyone is home
Night – Someone has gone to bed
Away – Nobody home
Vacation – Extended absence

That’s it! These four states are enough to keep all my automations running appropriately.

In the video you can see the status live on my dashboard, including the history of the last 24 hours!

Why is a Status so Powerful?

The big advantage: your automations become much simpler!

Instead of:

condition:
  - condition: time
    after: "22:00:00"
    before: "06:00:00"
  - condition: state
    entity_id: group.all_persons
    state: home
  - condition: state
    entity_id: media_player.wohnzimmer
    state: 'off'

You simply write:

condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    state: 'Nacht'

Much more readable, maintainable, and flexible!

Live: My Smart Home Status

Let me show you my status live. I have a helper called “Smart Home Status”.

Currently set to: “Anwesend” (of course – I’m recording a video right now!)

In the history of the last 24 hours you can see:

🟢 Present (daytime)
🌙 Night (from roughly 10:30 PM to 6:30 AM)
🟢 Present (after waking up)

The status is set automatically and moves through different phases over the course of a normal day.

Make sure to watch the dashboard in the video – the visualization makes it even clearer!

How is the Status Set Automatically?

Of course I don’t want to open the dashboard every evening and manually click “Night”. That would be absurd!

That’s why I have various automations, all with the goal of changing the status.

Trigger 1: Zigbee Button by the Bed

The most important automation: I have a Zigbee button next to my bed (e.g. an Aqara Wireless Mini Switch).

When I press it:

Status switches to “Night”
An automation cascade is triggered (more on that in a moment!)

This is perfect, because the button press marks the exact moment when I go to bed – not some arbitrary time, but precisely when I want to sleep.

In the video I show you the button and the automation!

Trigger 2: Alarm in the Morning

In the morning, when my alarm goes off, an automation lifts the Night status again:

trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: input_datetime.wecker_time
action:
  - service: input_select.select_option
    target:
      entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    data:
      option: 'Anwesend'

The entire smart home wakes up along with you!

Trigger 3: Absence

When all household members leave home, the status switches to “Away”:

trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: group.all_persons
    to: 'not_home'
    for: "00:05:00"
action:
  - service: input_select.select_option
    target:
      entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    data:
      option: 'Abwesend'

Check out all the trigger automations in the video!

The Automation Cascade When Night Mode Activates

When the status switches to “Night”, it doesn’t just trigger one thing – it sets off a whole cascade of automations!

What Happens Automatically:

1. Blinds close

All blinds in the bedroom – and possibly the living room – close automatically:

trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    to: 'Nacht'
action:
  - service: cover.close_cover
    target:
      entity_id: 
        - cover.rollladen_schlafzimmer

2. Bedroom light dims

The bedroom light is dimmed to a very low brightness and then fades out slowly over a 10-minute ramp:

- service: light.turn_on
  target:
    entity_id: light.schlafzimmer
  data:
    brightness: 10
    transition: 600  # 10 Minuten

3. Radio plays softly

A radio turns on at low volume, giving me some entertainment as I fall asleep:

- service: media_player.turn_on
  target:
    entity_id: media_player.schlafzimmer
- service: media_player.volume_set
  target:
    entity_id: media_player.schlafzimmer
  data:
    volume_level: 0.15

All of this happens with a single button press! Simple, elegant, reliable.

In the video I show you the complete automations in detail!

The Core Feature: Night Light Instead of Main Light

Now here’s the real trick of night mode: intelligent light control!

My Hallway Setup

In my hallway I have two different lights:

Main light (bright ceiling lamp via Shelly)
LED strip on a built-in cabinet (dimmed as a night light)

The goal: During the day the main light should come on; at night, only the dimmed night light!

The Night Light Automation

alias: Flur Nachtlicht bei Bewegung
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.bewegungsmelder_flur
    to: 'on'
condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    state: 'Nacht'
action:
  - service: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.flur_nachtlicht
    data:
      brightness: 30

The condition is key: The night light only activates when the status is “Night”!

The Main Light Automation

alias: Flur Hauptlicht bei Bewegung
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.bewegungsmelder_flur
    to: 'on'
condition:
  - condition: not
    conditions:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
        state: 'Nacht'
action:
  - service: light.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: light.flur_hauptlicht

Here the condition is reversed: The main light only turns on when the status is not “Night”!

This is how I avoid being blinded when I step into the hallway at night!

In the video you can see both automations live in action!

The Bathroom Has Night Mode Too

I’ve applied the same principle in the bathroom as well:

At night: Dimmed night light (around 20% brightness)
During the day: Full brightness

This gives me a safe path from bed to bathroom and back, gently lit whenever the status is “Night”.

It makes those midnight bathroom trips so much more pleasant!

Why Not Just Use a Time Condition?

Good question! You could simply say: “Between 10 PM and 6 AM, use dimmed lighting.”

But: What if you stay up late on the weekend? Or go to bed early because you’re sick? Or get up at 3 AM and can’t fall back asleep?

With the status-based approach none of that is a problem:

✅ Adapts flexibly to your actual sleep schedule
✅ No rigid time window
✅ Manual override possible (press the button even if it’s only 9 PM)

In the video I explain why the status approach beats time conditions!

Morning: Alarm Cancels Night Status

When my alarm goes off in the morning, the “Night” state is automatically lifted:

alias: Wecker - Status auf Anwesend
trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: input_datetime.wecker_time
action:
  - service: input_select.select_option
    target:
      entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    data:
      option: 'Anwesend'

The entire smart home wakes up!

When I then step into the hallway I get an appropriately wake-you-up light – no longer the dimmed night light, but full brightness.

Perfect for starting the day!

More Use Cases for the Status

The Smart Home status isn’t just useful for night mode! Here are a few more ideas:

Status “Away”

When nobody is home:

🚫 Turn down the heating
🚫 No motion-triggered lights
✅ Activate presence simulation
✅ Arm the alarm

Status “Vacation”

Extended absence:

🌅 Blinds simulate a normal daily routine
💡 Lights turn on and off at “realistic” times
🌡️ Heating set to frost protection
📧 Important notifications via email instead of push

Additional Status Ideas

You can of course define your own states:

“Party mode” – Special lighting, music integration
“Sick” – Higher heating, blinds closed, more quiet
“Work” – Home office mode with notification silencing
“Movie” – Dim lights, optimize TV settings

The possibilities are endless!

How to Set Up the Status

Convinced and ready to set up your own Smart Home status? Here’s how:

Step 1: Create the Input Select Helper

Go to: Settings → Devices & Services → Helpers

Click “Add Helper” and choose “Dropdown”

Settings:

Name: Smart Home Status
Icon: mdi:home-assistant
Options:
- Anwesend
- Nacht
- Abwesend
- Urlaub

Save! You now have input_select.smart_home_status

Step 2: Create Status Automations

Create automations that set the status:

Activate night mode:

alias: Nachtmodus aktivieren
trigger:
  - platform: event
    event_type: zha_event
    event_data:
      device_id: 'dein_zigbee_taster_id'
      command: single
action:
  - service: input_select.select_option
    target:
      entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    data:
      option: 'Nacht'

Wake up:

alias: Aufwachen - Nachtmodus beenden
trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: '06:30:00'
action:
  - service: input_select.select_option
    target:
      entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    data:
      option: 'Anwesend'

Step 3: Use the Status as a Condition in Your Automations

Now you can use the status as a condition in all your automations:

condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: input_select.smart_home_status
    state: 'Nacht'

Done! You now have a working Smart Home status.

In the video I walk you through all the steps in detail!

Tips and Tricks

A few valuable tips from my experience:

Tip 1: Place the Status Prominently on Your Dashboard

The status should be clearly visible so you always know what state your smart home is in.

Recommendation: On the home page at the very top, as a badge or large tile.

Tip 2: Allow Manual Overrides

Sometimes you want to change the status manually. Make sure the dashboard element is not read-only!

Tip 3: Keep the History

Enable long-term statistics for the status helper so you can trace how your smart home behaves over time.

Tip 4: Logging for Debugging

During development: log all status changes:

- service: logbook.log
  data:
    name: Smart Home Status
    message: "Status gewechselt zu {{ states('input_select.smart_home_status') }}"

This lets you see in the logbook when and why the status changed.

In the video I go into these tips in more detail!

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

A few typical mistakes I made early on:

Mistake 1: Too Many States

I started with 8 different states. It quickly became unmanageable. 4–5 states are plenty!

Mistake 2: Forgetting to Reset the Status

If the status is stuck on “Night” and you forget to reset it in the morning, your automations will run incorrectly all day!

Solution: Multiple triggers for resetting (alarm, time, manual light control)

Mistake 3: No Fallback Logic

What happens if the button breaks? Always have a second way to set the status (e.g. dashboard, time-based backup trigger)

Conclusion: Maintaining a Status is Worth It!

There really is nothing more to it than that! A simple helper with 4 states, a few automations to set the status, and then conditions in your relevant automations.

But the impact is enormous:

✅ Simpler automations (fewer complex conditions)
✅ Better readability (clear what happens when)
✅ Centralized logic (change the status instead of dozens of automations)
✅ Flexibility (new automations reuse the same status)

A status is useful for many things – not just night mode!

Make sure to watch the full video – you’ll see everything in action and I go into even more depth there!

Your Experiences?

Do you use a Smart Home status?

Home Assistant A-Z: M is for MQTT – The Invisible Glue of Your Smart Home

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: M is for MQTT

In today’s episode of our Home Assistant A-Z Series, we’re diving into a topic that works quietly in the background and yet is absolutely essential: MQTT! It’s the invisible glue that brings almost any device into your smart home. Without MQTT, my smart home would grind to a halt in many places – but why is that?

Today I’ll explain in simple terms (promise: no complicated technical jargon!) what MQTT is, why it matters so much, and how I’ve integrated 52 devices with it in my Home Assistant setup.

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What Is MQTT? 30 Seconds of Theory, Jargon-Free

Let me explain MQTT so simply that anyone can understand it – even if you’re not deeply technical.

The Problem Without MQTT

Normally, Home Assistant has to talk directly to every device. That means:

Home Assistant needs to know how to control the device
What data the device sends
In what units the data arrives
What interface the device uses

For every single device, Home Assistant needs its own dedicated integration. That’s a lot of work and limits the number of supported devices.

The Solution: MQTT as a Middleman

MQTT steps in between and simplifies everything dramatically:

Home Assistant only needs to know how to read from an MQTT server
The device only needs to know how to post its data to MQTT
The MQTT Broker (server) mediates between the two

The Brilliant Advantage

This has a huge advantage:

✅ The device can support MQTT and doesn’t care whether you’re using Home Assistant, OpenHAB, or any other smart home solution

✅ Home Assistant doesn’t care which device you have – as long as it speaks MQTT

MQTT is therefore a supremely universal solution for integrating as many devices as possible into Home Assistant, without Home Assistant needing to explicitly support each device!

In the video, I explain this even more clearly with a diagram!

A Live Look: 52 Devices via MQTT in My Smart Home

Enough theory! Let’s look at a real smart home and see everything I’ve integrated with MQTT.

In my MQTT integration in Home Assistant, I can see: 52 devices connected via MQTT. That’s more than half of all my devices! Without MQTT, my smart home would be capable of considerably less.

Let’s look at some concrete examples:

Aqara Motion Sensors via Zigbee2MQTT

I have several Aqara motion sensors distributed throughout my smart home – in the hallway, bathroom, storage room, and other areas.

How are they integrated?

The sensors speak Zigbee (a wireless protocol)
I use Zigbee2MQTT – the universal gateway for Zigbee devices
Zigbee2MQTT translates Zigbee signals into MQTT messages
Home Assistant reads these MQTT messages

The brilliant part: Zigbee2MQTT supports hundreds of different Zigbee devices from a wide variety of manufacturers. Set it up once, and everything works through the same pipeline!

In the video you can see the motion sensors live in the dashboard!

Philips Hue Lights via Zigbee2MQTT

My Philips Hue lights also run via MQTT – likewise through Zigbee2MQTT!

Why not the official Philips Hue Bridge?

Good question! The Hue Bridge would certainly work too, but:

✅ With Zigbee2MQTT I skip the need for an extra bridge ✅ Everything runs through the same infrastructure (one Zigbee stick) ✅ Completely local – no Philips cloud required ✅ Cheaper (no expensive Hue Bridge needed)

Hue lights also speak Zigbee, so they can communicate with Zigbee2MQTT just as easily as the Aqara sensors!

Where I use Hue lights:

Bedroom (for the wake-up light)
Terrace (for evening lighting)

In the video I’ll show you what the Hue lights look like in the MQTT dashboard!

Sonoff Devices with TASMOTA Firmware

Another great example: Sonoff devices. These are smart relays and sensors – similar to Shelly modules.

My configuration:

I’ve flashed most of my Sonoff devices with TASMOTA firmware. This is an open-source, alternative firmware that:

✅ Works completely locally (no cloud)
✅ Natively supports MQTT
✅ Is far more flexible than the stock firmware
✅ Is more secure (open source, no backdoors)

The Sonoff devices communicate via Wi-Fi (not Zigbee!) and send their data directly to the MQTT Broker.

Examples in my setup:

Smart plugs
Relays for light control
Temperature sensors

In the video I go into more detail on TASMOTA and show you what the devices look like!

Xiaomi Light Sensors for Automations

I have two Xiaomi light sensors mounted on the outside of the building. They continuously measure brightness and help me with various automations.

What I use them for:

Automatic lighting (e.g., terrace lights at dusk)
Blind control (automatically closing when the sun is intense)
Energy management (cloud cover = lower PV output)

These sensors also speak Zigbee and run via Zigbee2MQTT through MQTT into Home Assistant.

In the video I show you the live sensor readings!

Wallbox via EVCC

A particularly cool example: my wallbox for the EV is also integrated via MQTT!

How does that work?

I use EVCC (Electric Vehicle Charge Controller) – intelligent software for managing the wallbox. EVCC can:

PV surplus charging (only charge when the solar system produces enough power)
Use dynamic electricity prices (charge when power is cheap)
Monitor all values (charging power, battery level, costs)

EVCC publishes all these values to MQTT, making them available in Home Assistant.

What I get via MQTT:

Current charging power (in kW)
Total energy meter (total amount charged)
Current charging price (for dynamic tariffs)
Grid price and electricity rates
EV state of charge (in %)

All this data can be used in automations or displayed on dashboards!

More on EVCC is available in my dedicated video – link in the video and description above!

In the video I show you the wallbox entities live in the MQTT dashboard!

Why MQTT Is So Important

After all these examples, it’s clear: MQTT is the backbone of my smart home!

The Advantages at a Glance

Universal: Almost any device can speak MQTT
Vendor-independent: Whether Aqara, Philips, Sonoff, or Xiaomi – they all use MQTT
Protocol-agnostic: Zigbee, Wi-Fi, even Ethernet – everything ends up at MQTT
Future-proof: New device? If it speaks MQTT, it works
Local: No cloud required, everything stays on your own network

In the video I go even deeper into these advantages!

Installation: How to Get MQTT Into Home Assistant

Convinced and ready to use MQTT? No problem – the installation is surprisingly easy!

Option 1: Home Assistant OS (recommended for beginners)

If you’re running Home Assistant OS, MQTT is just one click away:

Step 1: Go to Settings → Add-ons

Step 2: Search for “Mosquitto broker” (this is the MQTT server)

Step 3: Install the add-on and start it

Step 4: Home Assistant automatically detects the Broker and suggests the integration

That’s it! No complex configuration needed. The Broker is running and ready to use immediately.

Option 2: Home Assistant Core / Docker

If you run Home Assistant Core and manage everything via Docker, you can start the Mosquitto Broker as a separate container:

Docker Compose example:

mosquitto:
  image: eclipse-mosquitto:latest
  ports:
    - "1883:1883"
  volumes:
    - ./mosquitto/config:/mosquitto/config
    - ./mosquitto/data:/mosquitto/data

Then add the MQTT integration in Home Assistant and provide the IP address and port (1883) of the Mosquitto container.

In the video I show you both installation methods!

Configuration: Almost None Required!

The beauty of MQTT: it requires almost no configuration!

The default port (1883) works out of the box
No complex settings
Ready to use immediately

Of course, for added security you can also:

Set up a username and password
Enable TLS encryption
Configure Access Control Lists (ACLs)

But for getting started, the default configuration is perfectly sufficient!

Connecting Devices to MQTT

You now have an MQTT Broker running – but how do devices connect to it?

Zigbee Devices: Zigbee2MQTT

For all Zigbee devices, I recommend Zigbee2MQTT:

What you need:

A Zigbee USB stick (e.g., ConBee II, Sonoff Zigbee 3.0)
The Zigbee2MQTT software (as an add-on or Docker container)

Setup:

Plug in the Zigbee stick
Install Zigbee2MQTT
Enter the MQTT Broker details (usually done automatically)
Pair devices (put them into pairing mode)

Done! All Zigbee devices appear automatically in Home Assistant.

Wi-Fi Devices: Native MQTT Support or TASMOTA

Some devices (e.g., Shelly, ESPHome devices) natively support MQTT. Simply enter the MQTT Broker IP in their settings – done!

Other devices (e.g., Sonoff) can be flashed with TASMOTA and then have MQTT enabled.

In the video I walk through concrete examples!

Software Integrations: EVCC and Others

Many software tools like EVCC can publish their data to MQTT. In the respective configuration, you enable MQTT and provide the Broker details – and the data flows straight into Home Assistant!

Creative Use Cases for MQTT

Beyond plain device data, you can also use MQTT for creative purposes:

Build Your Own Sensors

With ESPHome or TASMOTA you can build custom sensors and integrate them via MQTT:

Temperature and humidity sensors in the garden
Water level sensors for plants or cisterns
Door contacts in unusual locations
PIR sensors for motion detection

Exchange Data Between Systems

MQTT is perfect for sharing data between different systems:

Home Assistant → Node-RED → MQTT
MQTT → Grafana (for beautiful dashboards)
MQTT → InfluxDB (for long-term data analysis)

Trigger External Automations

You can trigger external tools via MQTT messages:

Start the 3D printer when the solar system has enough surplus
Activate the irrigation system when soil moisture is low
Arm security systems based on presence

The possibilities are endless!

Pitfalls and Tips

To wrap up, here are a few important tips from my own experience:

Tip 1: Plan Your Topic Structure Early

MQTT uses Topics for organization. Think through a sensible hierarchy from the start:

1
2
3

home/living-room/temperature
home/living-room/humidity
home/bedroom/temperature

Not:

1
2
3

temp_living-room
humidity_living-room
temperature_bedroom

A clear structure will save you a lot of headaches later!

Tip 2: Use Retained Messages

For status values, you should enable Retained Messages. This way the Broker stores the last known value – even if a client restarts.

Tip 3: Understand Quality of Service (QoS)

MQTT defines three QoS levels:

QoS 0: Fire and forget (fast, but unreliable)
QoS 1: Delivered at least once
QoS 2: Delivered exactly once

For smart home purposes, QoS 1 is usually sufficient.

Tip 4: Use Discovery

Many tools (e.g., Zigbee2MQTT, TASMOTA) support MQTT Discovery. This means devices register themselves automatically with Home Assistant – no manual configuration needed!

In the video I go into these tips in more detail!

Conclusion: MQTT Is Indispensable

After all of this, it’s clear: MQTT is absolutely indispensable for my smart home!

What I wouldn’t have without MQTT:

52 fewer devices
No Zigbee devices
No flexible wallbox integration
Far fewer options for custom projects

MQTT makes a smart home flexible, open, and future-proof. It’s one of the reasons I value Home Assistant so highly!

Make sure to watch the video – there you’ll see everything in action live!

Your Experiences?

What do you integrate with MQTT?

Let me know in the comments:

Which devices do you use over MQTT?
Do you have creative use cases?
Are you using Zigbee2MQTT or other gateways?
What questions do you have about MQTT?

Home Assistant A-Z: L is for Light – From Simple to Creative

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: L is for Light

In today’s episode of the Home Assistant A-Z Series we’re tackling the absolute classic for beginners: light! For many people, their first lighting automation is the magical moment when an idea becomes a real smart home. But there’s so much more to it than just on and off!

Today I’ll show you how I use light in my smart home – from simple motion-sensor automations to gentle wake-up lights and creative visual reminders. Let yourself be inspired!

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How I Control My Lights: The Hardware

Before we get to the exciting automations, let me show you which hardware I use for my lighting control. Spoiler: it’s a colourful mix – and that’s exactly what makes Home Assistant so flexible!

Shelly Modules: The In-Wall Solution

The bulk of my lighting runs through Shelly modules that I’ve fitted behind existing wall switches. There are several advantages:

✅ The existing wall switch still works
✅ Additional control via Home Assistant
✅ Completely local, no cloud required
✅ Affordable retrofit for existing lamps

In my home these cover, among others:

Guest bathroom
Hallway
Bathroom
Dressing room
Storage room

The Shellys are integrated directly into Home Assistant via the Shelly integration and respond instantly – whether I use the physical switch or trigger an automation.

In the video I show you exactly what that looks like in the dashboard!

Philips Hue: Colour and Flexibility

I also have some Philips Hue lights in use, which I control via Zigbee2MQTT. The advantage: no Philips Hue Bridge needed – everything runs through my Zigbee stick!

Where I use Philips Hue:

Bedroom – for the gentle wake-up light (more on that in a moment!)
Terrace – for atmospheric evening lighting

Depending on the model, Hue lights can:

Change white tones (from cool white to warm white)
Display full RGB colours
Dim softly over long periods

In the video you’ll see the difference between the various Hue models live in the dashboard!

ESPHome LED Strip: The DIY Project

My personal highlight is a custom-built LED lamp in the hallway, made from an LED strip with individually addressable LEDs. Control is handled by an ESP32 microcontroller running ESPHome.

What makes it special: the lamp consists of several rings that I can address individually with different colours. I use this for creative automations – more on that shortly!

Make sure to watch the lamp in action in the video – the effects are impressive!

What Can I Do With the Different Lights?

Now it gets interesting: what are the possibilities of the different light types?

Shelly: Simple but Reliable

The Shelly-controlled lights are the simplest in my setup. They can:

✅ Switch on and off

Sounds underwhelming? It is – but that’s exactly what makes them so reliable and fast. For rooms like the bathroom, hallway, or storage room, I don’t need anything more. The main thing is that the light comes on when I need it!

Philips Hue: The Colour Artists

With the Hue lights things get considerably more interesting. Depending on the model they can:

Warm white / cool white lights:

Change colour temperature (from cosy warm white to energising cool white)
Dim brightness continuously
Smooth transitions over minutes or even hours

RGB lights:

Display any colour in the RGB spectrum
Colour-change animations
Combinations of colour and brightness

In the video I show you both variants live in the dashboard – the difference is striking!

ESPHome LED Strip: The All-Rounder

My custom-built LED lamp can do everything Hue can – and more:

Full RGB display for every individual LED
Individual control of separate rings with different colours
Special effects such as running lights, rainbow, or pulsing
Dynamic displays for smart home status

I use this flexibility for the most creative automations – more on that shortly!

The Interesting Automations

Now for the exciting part: what do I actually do with all these lights? Here are my favourite automations!

Motion Sensor + Shelly: The Classic

The simplest and simultaneously most useful automation: light comes on automatically when I enter a room.

How does it work?

Motion sensors distributed throughout the rooms
Trigger: Motion detected
Action: Switch on Shelly light
Timeout: Automatically switch off after X minutes without motion

Where I use this:

Hallway
Storage room
Dressing room
Guest bathroom

Sounds trivial, but it’s incredibly practical! You come in from the car with your hands full and don’t have to feel for a light switch. The light is simply already on.

In the video I show you the automation and how it responds live!

Wake-Up Light: A Gentle Start to the Day

This is where it gets more interesting: my Philips Hue lights in the bedroom serve as a gentle wake-up light.

The problem: A normal alarm clock tears you brutally out of sleep. With light, it’s so much gentler!

How I implement it:

Trigger: Wake-up time (weekdays only)
Action: Gradually dim lights up over 20 minutes
Starting point: Very warm, dimmed light (simulates morning sun)
End point: Bright, cooler light (gently wakes you up)

The trick: Home Assistant can slowly brighten lights using a transition parameter. This means the light continuously changes brightness and colour temperature over 20 minutes!

Additional feature: At the same time I also switch on the radio and slowly increase the volume. The perfect start to the day!

Make sure to look at the automation code in the video – I’ll show you the transition parameter!

I use the custom-built LED lamp in the hallway as an intelligent night light:

The idea: When someone needs to use the bathroom at night, the hallway should be subtly lit – but not so bright that you’re fully awake.

How it works:

Motion sensor detects movement in the hallway
Condition: It is between 22:00 and 06:00
Action: LED lamp switches on with very low brightness and warm light
Timeout: Automatically switches off after 2 minutes

The brilliant part: the lamp is bright enough to navigate by, but not so harsh that it wakes you up completely. The perfect compromise!

Bin-Day Reminder: Never Forget Visually Again

Now it gets really creative: I use the individually addressable rings of my LED lamp as a visual reminder for bin collection!

The problem: I regularly forget to put the bin out in time.

The solution: The lamp shows me in colour which bin is being collected tomorrow!

How it works:

Trigger: Afternoon at 16:00
Condition: Check whether a bin is being collected tomorrow
Action: Show a coloured ring on the LED lamp
- 🟢 Green = Food/garden waste bin
- 🟡 Yellow = Recycling/yellow bag
- 🔵 Blue = Paper bin
- ⚫ Black = General waste

Every time I walk through the hallway I see the coloured ring and am reminded. Better than any push notification!

In the video I show you the complete automation and what the lamp looks like when multiple bins need to go out at the same time!

By the way: how I integrate bin collection schedules into Home Assistant is covered in a dedicated article about the bin collection integration. Definitely check it out if you’re interested in that topic!

More Creative Ideas for Light in Home Assistant

You can see: light is so much more than just on and off! Here are a few more ideas I haven’t implemented myself, but which might be interesting for you:

Presence Simulation While on Holiday

Use your smart lights to simulate presence when you’re away:

Lights come on and go off at random times
Different rooms are lit in sequence
Timings oriented around realistic patterns (living room in the evening, bedroom at night)

Alarm Visualisation

If movement is detected in the garden or a window opens while you’re away, lights can:

Flash red as a warning
Alert you acoustically and visually
Act as a deterrent to intruders

Mood Modes

Create different scenes for different situations:

🎬 Movie mode: Dimmed, warm light
🍽️ Dinner mode: Bright, cosy light over the dining table
🎉 Party mode: Colourful colour changes
📚 Reading mode: Bright, neutral white light

Daylight Adaptation

Automatically adjust the colour temperature of your lights to the time of day:

Morning: Cool, energising light
Midday: Neutral white
Evening: Warm, relaxing light (supports your natural sleep rhythm)

Why Light Is the Perfect Entry Point into Home Assistant

If you’re new to Home Assistant: light is the ideal starting point!

Reasons:

Immediate feedback – you see straight away whether your automation is working
Not critical infrastructure – if something goes wrong, it’s not a disaster
Many hardware options – from affordable (Shelly) to comfortable (Hue)
Simple automations – perfect for learning the basics
Plenty of room for creativity – once the basics are in place, you can experiment

In the video I give you even more tips for beginners!

Hardware Recommendations

Want to get started smart? Here are my hardware recommendations based on my own experience:

For Wall Switches: Shelly

Shelly 1 or Shelly 1PM for simple on/off lights
Works with existing switches
Completely locally controllable
Affordable to purchase

For Colour and Comfort: Philips Hue

Zigbee2MQTT instead of a Hue Bridge (saves money and increases flexibility)
White Ambiance for colour temperature control
White and Colour for full RGB control

For Makers: ESPHome

WLED-compatible LED strips with WS2812B LEDs
ESP32 or ESP8266 as controller
ESPHome for easy integration into Home Assistant

Affiliate links to recommended hardware can be found in the video description!

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

From my experience there are a few typical mistakes when getting started with lighting control:

Mistake 1: Too Many Automations for One Light

When multiple automations control the same light, they can conflict with each other. Example: a motion sensor switches the light on, but at the same time another automation wants to switch it off.

Solution: Use conditions in your automations or central logic helpers.

Mistake 2: No Manual Override

It’s annoying when an automation switches the light off while you’re still in the room!

Solution: Build in manual override options, for example via an Input Boolean.

Mistake 3: Motion Sensor in the Wrong Spot

A poorly positioned motion sensor detects you too late – the light stays off.

Solution: Test different positions and pay attention to the detection range of your sensor.

In the video I go into these pitfalls in more detail!

Watch the Video!

I’ve told you a lot, but you’ll understand it best when you see it! In the video I show you:

✅ All lights live in the dashboard
✅ The automations in detail
✅ The custom-built LED lamp in action
✅ What the bin-day reminders look like
✅ The code for the wake-up light

Click the video above and watch it now!

Further Articles and Videos

If you’re interested in the topic of lights and automations:

Never forget the bins again – How I use the bin collection integration
Installing Shelly roller blinds – If you want to learn more about Shelly modules
Blueprints – How to easily import automations

The complete A-Z Series can be found here: Home Assistant A-Z Overview

Home Assistant A-Z: K is for AI – Why Artificial Intelligence Does (Not) Belong in Smart Home

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: K is for AI

In today’s episode of our Home Assistant A-Z Series, we tackle a controversial topic: Artificial Intelligence in your Smart Home! AI is everywhere right now – but does it really align with the core principles of Home Assistant? Today I give you 10 reasons why AI actually doesn’t belong in Home Assistant – and at the end I’ll still tell you where AI can make sense.

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The Uncomfortable Truth About AI in Smart Home

Artificial intelligence is the buzzword of the moment. Every manufacturer advertises it, every app wants to be “intelligent.” But let’s be honest: Does your Smart Home really need AI? Or is it just marketing?

Home Assistant was built with clear values: Local control, privacy, independence, and reliability. And this is exactly where the problem with AI models begins. In the video I show you why these two worlds actually don’t fit together – and why that’s actually a good thing!

Reason 1: Cloud Dependency vs. Local Control

The foundation of Home Assistant is local control. Your data stays with you, your system works even without internet. This is one of the main reasons many of us switched to Home Assistant in the first place!

AI models, on the other hand? They run almost always on external cloud servers. Why? Because they need enormous computing power. That’s the complete opposite of what makes Home Assistant special.

In the video I explain why this cloud dependency is not just a philosophical problem, but has real practical disadvantages.

Reason 2: Unpredictability – Smart Homes Need Determinism

Imagine: You come home and sometimes the lights turn on, sometimes not. Or the heating decides today that it’s not that cold after all. Sounds absurd? That’s exactly what happens when you let AI run unchecked in your Smart Home!

AI always works with probabilities. “With 87% probability the mail carrier is at the door” – fine for a notification. But for critical automations? Absolutely not!

When It’s Cold, the Heating Must Come On

A classic example from the video: When the temperature drops below 19 degrees, the heating should kick in. Period. No discussion.

You don’t want an AI model “thinking” about whether it currently makes sense to turn on the heating. You’re cold right now – there’s no time for probability calculations!

Watch the video to see where this difference between deterministic rules and AI probabilities really becomes critical!

Reason 3: Explainability Is Completely Missing

With a classic automation you can precisely trace what happened:

You look at the traces
You see which conditions were met
You find the error and fix it

With AI you only get: “The model decided it was A.” Why? No idea. What can you change? Unclear.

Classic debugging as in software development is simply impossible. In the video I show you why this is a massive problem for the maintainability of your Smart Home.

Reason 4: Hallucinations Are Fatal in Smart Homes

You’ve surely heard of “hallucinations” in AI models – when the AI makes up things that don’t exist. This is an inherent property of AI and cannot be completely eliminated.

AI Cannot Say “I Don’t Know”

AI models have an extremely hard time admitting they don’t know something. Present them with a choice between A or B, and a decision will be made – even if the underlying data isn’t there at all.

In your Smart Home, this can have fatal consequences. In the video I give you concrete examples of where such hallucinations can become truly dangerous.

Reason 5: AI Is in Constant Flux

What works today with a particular AI model may be completely different tomorrow with the next version. AI models are in an extremely fast development cycle.

You’ve set up your automations perfectly, everything’s running? Then the next AI model update comes along and turns everything upside down. That’s the opposite of what a Smart Home should be – stable, reliable, low-maintenance.

In the video I explain why this constant change turns your Smart Home into a perpetual work-in-progress!

Reason 6: Computing Power – Local or Cloud?

If you want to run AI locally (which would actually be the only Home Assistant-compatible option), you need massive computing power.

Most of us run Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi or similarly lightweight hardware. That’s enough for hundreds of automations – but not for compute-intensive AI models.

So back to the cloud? Then we’re back at Reason 1: cloud dependency. A vicious cycle!

Watch the video to see what hardware you’d really need for local AI – the numbers are sobering!

Reason 8: Privacy – Your Private Life

Yes, Reason 7 is missing from the transcript – probably a small mistake during recording! But Reason 8 is all the more important: Privacy!

Smart Home data is extremely private:

Camera images show your home and your family
Presence data reveals when you’re home and when you’re not
Sensor data shows your habits in the finest detail

Should this intimate information really end up in a cloud AI? Absolutely not!

In the video I explain why Smart Home data in particular is so sensitive and why you should be very careful about who you trust with this data.

Reason 9: Home Assistant Already Has Everything

Let’s be honest: Look at the list of integrations! Over 3,000 integrations, countless sensors, helpers, template functions – Home Assistant can already do just about everything.

What You Really Need

You can derive precise decisions from your sensors:

Motion sensors tell you if someone is home
Bluetooth beacons track your devices
Temperature sensors control the heating
Brightness sensors regulate the lighting

All of this deterministic, reliable, and with the precision you define in your automations.

In the video I show you that the real use cases for AI in Home Assistant can be counted on one hand!

Reason 10: AI Solves Problems You Can Solve Differently

The last reason is perhaps the most important: Do you really need AI for these problems?

Example 1: Presence Detection

Do you need AI to detect if someone is home? No!

Motion sensors in every room
Bluetooth beacons from smartphone or watch
Door sensors

All of this gives you deterministic, reliable presence detection – completely without AI!

Example 2: Heating Control

Do you need AI-powered heating control to squeeze out the last percent of optimization? Or would a simple day and night temperature be completely sufficient?

The answer is almost always: The simple solution is enough! In the video I give you more examples where AI seems complicated but the solution is actually simple.

But: AI Can Still Help!

After all the critical points, I promised: There are actually sensible use cases for AI in Home Assistant! Just not where most people expect them.

Use Case 1: Analyzing Log Files

Who doesn’t know this? Home Assistant floods you with log files, and you desperately ask yourself: “What’s actually going wrong here?”

AI models or language models are perfect for processing large amounts of text.

Simply copy the log files into ChatGPT or another language model and ask: “What’s the problem here?” Even if a direct solution doesn’t always come out, you at least get ideas for further research.

In the video I show you how this works in practice and which prompts work well!

Use Case 2: Debugging Jinja Templates

You’ve gotten tangled up in Jinja templates again and are completely at a loss as to why it’s not working?

Copy the template snippet into an AI and let it analyze it. The chances are good that you’ll get valuable tips on where the error lies.

This is, by the way, one of my personal main use cases for AI: understanding and debugging complex template syntax!

Use Case 3: Object Detection

The third sensible use case: Object detection in camera images.

“Is that the mail carrier at the door or the neighbor?” – this is actually a legitimate use case for AI (or more precisely: for machine learning).

Important distinction: Here we’re talking less about language models, but rather classical machine learning for image recognition. In the video I explain the difference and why it actually makes sense here.

Conclusion: AI Doesn’t Replace Logic

After all these arguments, the conclusion can be stated very clearly:

AI doesn’t replace logic in Home Assistant. At best, it can help build it better.

Home Assistant thrives on:

Deterministic rules
Local control
Privacy
Reliability

And these are exactly the values you should not sacrifice for the AI buzzword. Use AI where it truly adds value – in debugging, in development, in specific recognition tasks. But build your Smart Home on solid, transparent automations.

Make sure to watch the complete video – I go even deeper into each argument and show you practical examples!

What’s your take on AI in your Smart Home?

Write in the comments:

Are you already using AI features in Home Assistant?
Did I convince you, or do you see other sensible use cases?
Where would you like AI support?

Home Assistant A-Z: J is for Blinds - More Than Just Up and Down

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: J is for Blinds

In today’s episode of the Home Assistant A-Z Series we tackle a topic with far more potential than most people realize: blinds and roller shutters! From elegant dashboard control and time-based automations to fully automatic, sun-dependent shading – I’ll show you how to make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable.

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More Than Just Up and Down

Most people use their smart roller shutters only for the basics. But there’s so much more potential hiding in them! In this article and the accompanying video I’ll walk you through:

Dashboard control with live feedback
Time-based and event-driven automations
Groups and template sensors for a quick overview
Fully automatic, sun-dependent shading
Seasonal adjustments to your setup

Dashboard Control: The Foundation

The first step toward smart roller shutters is intuitive control through your dashboard.

Position Control with Live Feedback

If your roller shutters can report their position back, you can see in Home Assistant not just the current status, but also:

Move to precise intermediate positions using a slider
Watch live as the shutter reaches the desired position
Use classic Open/Close/Stop controls on a secondary level

In the video you’ll see how elegant this looks in practice!

Visualization on Floor Plans

Things get especially clear when you project your roller shutters onto a floor plan of your home. At a glance you can see:

Which shutters are open
Which are currently closing
The status of all windows at the same time

Under the hood: A simple picture-elements card with positioned shutter controls. I show you exactly how this works in the video!

Time-Based Automations: The Smart Home Classic

Constantly tapping buttons isn’t smart – so let’s automate!

Automation 1: Close Automatically at Night

The first useful automation makes sure roller shutters are closed at night. You can use various triggers:

State-based: When you go to bed (Smart Home state “Night”)
Time-based: At a specific time (different for weekdays and weekends)
Condition-driven: Only when it’s cool outside (to make use of the insulating effect)

In the video I show you concrete examples from my own setup!

Automation 2: Open Automatically in the Morning

Symmetrically, when you get up in the morning the shutters open again automatically. Alternatively, you can use the sun’s position as a trigger.

Intelligent Schedules with Helpers

For different schedules (weekday vs. weekend) schedule helpers are perfect. You can define them as “quiet hours” and reference them in your automations.

Groups and Overview: Everything Under Control

Grouping Roller Shutters

You can create any groups of roller shutters you like – for example:

All shutters in the living room
All shutters on the south-facing side
All shutters in the entire house

With a single click you can then open or close all shutters in that group.

Template Sensor for an Overview

A small template sensor shows you on your dashboard how many roller shutters are currently closed:

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      closed_covers_count:
        friendly_name: "Closed Roller Shutters"
        value_template: >
          {{ states.cover 
             | selectattr('state', 'eq', 'closed') 
             | list | count }}

This way you always have a clear overview! In the video you can see how I use this on my dashboard.

Automatic Shading: The Game Changer

Now things get really interesting: fully automatic, sun-dependent shading!

The Two Components

My system consists of two automation groups:

1. Sun Position Calculation per Facade

The first group calculates for each cardinal direction whether the sun is currently shining on that facade:

Blueprint-based: I use a blueprint that I’ve instantiated four times
One helper per facade: North, South, East, West
Dynamic calculation: Takes the current sun position into account

I cover the technical details and the blueprint thoroughly in the video!

2. Individual Control per Window

The second group controls each individual roller shutter:

One blueprint per shutter: Each shutter can be configured individually
Window contacts taken into account: Window open? Shutter stays up!
References the sun-position helpers: Only closes when the sun shines on that facade

Example from my setup: The roller shutter in the utility room on the north side closes as soon as the sun (even in summer, only at the edges of the day) shines on that facade.

Why One Automation per Window?

This approach enables maximum flexibility:

Each shutter can be individually enabled or disabled
Different rooms can be controlled differently
Seasonal adjustments are easy to make

Seasonal Configuration: Adapting Throughout the Year

The great thing about this system: you can adjust which rooms should be shaded as the seasons change.

My Scenarios

Winter (currently):

✅ All shading automations disabled
🌞 I enjoy every ray of sunshine that enters the apartment

Transition periods (spring/autumn):

✅ Only bedroom automations enabled
🏠 Rest of the apartment: sunshine welcome
😴 Bedroom: should stay cool

Midsummer:

✅ All shading automations enabled
❄️ Maximum cooling through consistent shading

On my dashboard I have an elegant overview where I can see at a glance which automations are active. I show you this view live in the video!

Hardware Basics

Wondering how to make your roller shutters smart in the first place?

In my Shelly roller shutter video I cover in detail:

Hardware selection (Shelly Plus 2PM, Gen3, Gen4)
Wiring in the flush-mount box
Software setup and security
Home Assistant integration

👉 To the Shelly Blinds Video

The Blueprints in Detail

The blueprints for sun-position calculation and individual control are the core of my system.

Interested in the details? Let me know in the comments under the video! If there’s enough interest, I’ll make a bonus video dedicated to these blueprints, covering:

Complete code
Step-by-step explanation
Customization options
Download links

Practical Benefits in Everyday Life

What does this actually get you?

Comfort

Automatic adjustment to sunlight
Never need to manually intervene again
Smart Home thinks ahead – even when you’re not home

Energy Efficiency

Cooler rooms in summer through consistent shading
Warmer rooms in winter through the insulating effect at night
Less air conditioning/heating required

Security

Presence simulation while on vacation
Automatic closing during storms possible
Integration with alarm systems

Level 1 – Basics:

Add roller shutters to Home Assistant
Set up dashboard control
Create first time-based automations

Level 2 – Comfort: 4. Create groups 5. Add template sensors for overview 6. Visualize on floor plan

Level 3 – Pro: 7. Implement sun-position calculation 8. Set up individual shading automations 9. Configure seasonal adjustments

I walk you through every step in detail in the video!

Further Links

Do you already have a dynamic electricity tariff? Tibber is one of the first providers to offer such a tariff in Germany. I’ve been a customer since October 2022, and it’s been a thoroughly positive experience. Tibber offers a clearly structured, modern app where you always have full oversight of your electricity tariff and costs. Pricing is very transparent: Tibber only charges what electricity actually costs on the exchange at any given moment (plus standard grid fees, etc.), plus a service fee of just €3.99 per month.

If Tibber sounds like an option for you, I’d be glad if you sign up via my referral link. That gets both you and me €100 for the Tibber Store, where you can buy various IoT hardware for your smart home. If you’re already a Tibber customer and haven’t used a referral link, you can still do so within 14 days — use code vkccaupl.

Have questions or still unsure? Don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help you figure out whether Tibber is the right choice for you. And if it turns out it isn’t — you can cancel Tibber month by month at any time!

Thank you for your support! It makes it possible for me to keep creating videos for you.

― Joachim

More helpful articles from the A-Z Series:

Hardware:

Shelly Blind Control

The Home Assistant A-Z Series brings you the most important Home Assistant concepts in short videos and in-depth articles. A new letter every Sunday, a little more knowledge each time!

Home Assistant A-Z: I is for Integrations - The Power of Connections

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the A-Z Series: I is for Integrations

In today’s episode of our Home Assistant A-Z Series we dive into one of the most powerful concepts in the smart home universe: integrations. These small software building blocks are what transform Home Assistant from a mere collection of devices into a genuinely intelligent, interconnected system.

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What Are Integrations?

Integrations are the bridges between different systems and services. They allow Home Assistant to communicate with a wide variety of devices, services, and APIs. Without integrations, your smart home would be nothing more than a collection of isolated islands.

The Power of Connection

Integrations solve three fundamental problems:

Compatibility: They translate between different protocols
Functionality: They extend Home Assistant with new capabilities
Automation: They provide the foundation for intelligent rules

Three Practical Integrations in Detail

1. Workday Binary Sensor - Intelligently Detecting Working Days

The Workday Binary Sensor is a perfect example of a simple yet powerful integration. It automatically detects whether today is a working day, taking into account:

Weekends
Public holidays
Vacation days
Different countries and regions

Example configuration:

# Example configuration
binary_sensor:
  - platform: workday
    country: DE
    workdays: [mon, tue, wed, thu, fri]
    excludes: [sat, sun, holiday]

Automation examples:

Turn up the heating early only on working days
Activate the alarm clock only on weekdays
Increase garden irrigation on days off

2. Thermal Comfort - The Perceived Temperature

The Thermal Comfort integration calculates how temperature actually feels. It takes into account:

Air temperature
Humidity
Additional environmental factors

Why this matters: 20°C at 30% humidity feels completely different from 20°C at 70% humidity. This integration helps you understand and automate the actual comfort climate in your home.

Automation potential:

Control heating based on perceived temperature
Intelligently regulate a humidifier
Optimize comfort levels in different rooms

3. Waste Collection Schedule - Never Miss Trash Day Again

The Waste Collection Schedule integration connects to local waste collection calendars and automatically informs you about:

Upcoming collection dates
Different waste types (general waste, recyclables, paper, organic)
Rescheduling due to public holidays

Smart home magic:

# Example: trash reminder
automation:
  - alias: "Put out trash reminder"
    trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "20:00:00"
    condition:
      - condition: template
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.waste_collection_bio', 'days') == 0 }}"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app
        data:
          message: "Organic waste will be collected tomorrow!"

Integration vs. Add-on - What’s the Difference?

A common source of confusion: What is the difference between integrations and add-ons?

Integrations:

Extend Home Assistant with new sensors and services
Run within the Home Assistant Core
Primarily used for external services and APIs

Add-ons:

Standalone applications
Run in separate containers
Examples: Node-RED, ESPHome, Mosquitto

Exploring the Integration Library

Home Assistant offers over 3,000 official integrations. The main categories:

Hardware Integrations

Philips Hue
IKEA TRÅDFRI
Shelly
Sonos

Service Integrations

Weather APIs
Calendar services
Streaming platforms
Smart meters

Utility Integrations

Template sensors
Input helpers
Scene controllers

Best Practices for Integrations

1. Less is more

Only install integrations you actually need. Every integration consumes resources.

2. Read the documentation

Each integration has specific configuration options. The official documentation is your friend.

3. Use a test environment

Test new integrations in a copy of your configuration first.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Integration won’t load

Check dependencies: Are all required Python packages installed?
Validate configuration: Any syntax errors in your YAML?
Check the logs: What do the Home Assistant logs say?

Performance issues

Adjust polling intervals: Not every sensor needs to be queried every second
Disable unnecessary attributes: Reduce the amount of data
Optimize entity names: Use descriptive names

Developing Your Own Integrations

For advanced users: Home Assistant is open source! You can:

Customize existing integrations
Develop new integrations
Contribute to the community

Get started with the Developer Documentation.

Integration Recommendations for Beginners

Must-have integrations:

Weather - Weather data for automations
Sun - Sunrise/sunset for lighting
Mobile App - Notifications and location
Time & Date - Time-based automations

Advanced integrations:

Node-RED - Visual automation editor
InfluxDB - Long-term data history
Grafana - Advanced dashboards
AppDaemon - Python-based automations

The Future of Integrations

Home Assistant is constantly evolving. Emerging trends:

Matter/Thread support - The new smart home standard
Cloud-native integrations - Better performance
AI/ML integration - Artificial intelligence in the smart home
Voice assistants - Even more natural interaction

Managing Your Integrations

Via the UI

Since Home Assistant 2021.3, most integrations can be managed through Settings > Devices & Services.

YAML configuration

Some integrations still require manual YAML configuration in configuration.yaml.

Custom integrations

Through HACS (Home Assistant Community Store) you can also install community integrations.

Summary

Integrations are the heart of every successful smart home. They:

Connect different systems
Extend functionality without new hardware
Enable intelligent automations
Solve specific everyday problems

The three integrations covered here - Workday Binary Sensor, Thermal Comfort, and Waste Collection Schedule - show just how versatile and practical these small helpers can be.

Next Steps

Explore the integration library in your Home Assistant installation
Experiment with the three integrations presented here
Stay tuned for the next part of our A-Z Series

You’ve reached the end of this article. Did I help you out? Did you enjoy the video? I’d be really happy if you thought it was worth €5. You can find more on the About me page.
― Joachim

A-Z Series on Smart Home? Sure — But Secure!

Home Assistant A-Z: O is for Offline – Does Your Smart Home Work Without Internet?

A Confession at the Start of 2026

Why Offline Functionality Matters

Internet Outages Are Not Rare

The Smart Bed Example

A Real-World Example From My Smart Home

The Window Reminder Automation

The Problem With Cloud-Based Sensors

The Fix: Use Local Sensors

Resilient Automations With Fallback Values

Float Conversion With a Default Value

Safety Through Fallback Logic

Second Example: Variable Wait Time

The Resilient Solution

How Do You Identify Offline-Dependent Integrations?

In the video I show you:

Why I Turn Off the Fritzbox at Night

My reasons:

My Three Most Important Tips for You

1. Make Core Functions Work Offline

2. Comfort Functions Can Be Dependent

3. Review Your Automations for Resilience

Conclusion: Resilience Is Not Rocket Science

Home Assistant A-Z: N is for Night Mode – Never Blinded at Night Again!

Welcome to the A-Z Series: N is for Night Mode

The Problem: Being Blinded at Night

The Secret: A Central Smart Home Status

What is a Smart Home Status?

Why is a Status so Powerful?

Live: My Smart Home Status

How is the Status Set Automatically?

Trigger 1: Zigbee Button by the Bed

Trigger 2: Alarm in the Morning

Trigger 3: Absence

The Automation Cascade When Night Mode Activates

What Happens Automatically:

The Core Feature: Night Light Instead of Main Light

My Hallway Setup

The Night Light Automation

The Main Light Automation

The Bathroom Has Night Mode Too

Why Not Just Use a Time Condition?

Morning: Alarm Cancels Night Status

More Use Cases for the Status

Status “Away”

Status “Vacation”

Additional Status Ideas

How to Set Up the Status

Step 1: Create the Input Select Helper

Step 2: Create Status Automations

Step 3: Use the Status as a Condition in Your Automations

Tips and Tricks

Tip 1: Place the Status Prominently on Your Dashboard

Tip 2: Allow Manual Overrides

Tip 3: Keep the History

Tip 4: Logging for Debugging

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Mistake 1: Too Many States

Mistake 2: Forgetting to Reset the Status

Mistake 3: No Fallback Logic

Conclusion: Maintaining a Status is Worth It!

Your Experiences?

Further Reading and Videos

Home Assistant A-Z: M is for MQTT – The Invisible Glue of Your Smart Home

Welcome to the A-Z Series: M is for MQTT

What Is MQTT? 30 Seconds of Theory, Jargon-Free

The Problem Without MQTT

The Solution: MQTT as a Middleman

The Brilliant Advantage

A Live Look: 52 Devices via MQTT in My Smart Home

Aqara Motion Sensors via Zigbee2MQTT

Philips Hue Lights via Zigbee2MQTT

Sonoff Devices with TASMOTA Firmware

Xiaomi Light Sensors for Automations

Wallbox via EVCC

Why MQTT Is So Important

The Advantages at a Glance

Installation: How to Get MQTT Into Home Assistant

Option 1: Home Assistant OS (recommended for beginners)