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Home automation is all the rage. There are so many products on the market now, it’s hard to know where to start. But the beauty of today’s home automation is you can start small to understand the concept, without needing to spend a lot of money.<\/p>\n
In fact, in the 8 years I have been covering home automation, I have seen the prices drop tremendously while the features just get better. With Apple coming on the home automation scene four years ago, it’s even easier if you own an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. No need to buy a hub like other automation systems, you already have it.<\/p>\n
As a home automation hub usually costs well over $100, you’ve already saved money. So what do you need to do?<\/p>\n
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To get started with HomeKit, you will need…<\/p>\n
1. An Apple 10.0+ version iOS Device – either an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV<\/p>\n
2. To purchase one or more Apple HomeKit enabled accessories (there’s a hundred of them!)<\/p>\n
3. Open your Home app and add your HomeKit accessories<\/p>\n
It’s very easy to set up HomeKit enabled products, anyone can do it. HomeKit products come with a 7-digit number either on the product itself or on the manual that comes with it. <\/p>\n
After pressing the + button to add an Accessory in the app, your device’s camera allows you to find the number in the viewfinder and enters the number for you. Or you can add it in manually.<\/p>\n
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After adding an accessory, you name it and state which room it is in. Then physically place the accessory in the room you’d like it in.<\/p>\n
Now your Home app will monitor that accessory.<\/p>\n
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To try out the Apple HomeKit, I used these three HomeKit accessories by Fibaro:<\/p>\n
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All of these products can be used in helpful ways to monitor your home.<\/p>\n
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Flood Sensor<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Fibaro Flood Sensor is a leak and temperature sensor that alerts you with an audible alarm and through HomeKit if it senses water on its sensor contacts. It will also alert you if it feels that it is being tampered with.<\/p>\n This is the type of sensor you hope you never hear from. <\/p>\n Useful for detecting water\/temperature for under the:<\/p>\n Basically, anywhere you can imagine that water would leak is a good place to put a flood sensor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Motion Sensor<\/strong><\/p>\n The Fibaro Motion Sensor is a very cool cat-eye looking monitor, that senses motion, light, temperature, and an accelerometer that senses when it’s been moved or someone attempting to open it up.<\/p>\n With just under 2 inches in diameter, it’s a convenient sensor you can stick anywhere – even on a wall or ceiling. It comes with a battery which will last 2 years.<\/p>\n Use the Fibaro Motion sensor to keep you updated on the temperature in the room you place it and any movement it senses. <\/p>\n Use it for:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Door\/Window Sensor<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Fibaro Door\/Window sensor is very stylish, lightweight, and comes in a variety of colors. It comes in two pieces. You put one piece on the door and one piece on the frame of the door. When the sensors separate, you are alerted that the door has opened. <\/p>\n As with the other sensors, it includes a temperature sensor and it will alert you if it’s tampered with.<\/p>\n Use if for:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sensors are great for detecting water, movement, temperature, and more. Sometimes people don’t want a camera in their home but want to know if there’s movement. A motion sensor can do this for you without invading privacy.<\/p>\n If you are concerned about again parents living at home, the door and motion sensors are ideal for “keeping an eye on them” without physically watching them through a camera’s lens.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Beginning your home automation with sensors are a great way to test out how home automation works. The next step is to add lighting or a HomeKit thermostat. Once HomeKit detects someone is home, it can turn on a light after sunset.<\/p>\n Or if the temperature falls below 68 degrees, HomeKit can turn on the heater. No more needing to get out of bed to a cold room on a cold snowy day.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2018\/10\/Fibaro-flood-sensor-HomeKit-home-automation-e1540686848981.jpg?resize=300%2C296&ssl=1\")
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