Insights
Clear thinking for a calmer smart home.
Practical notes on planning, privacy, energy and the Australian details that make automation trustworthy.
Automating around Australian electricity tariffs
Low feed-in tariffs, time-of-use pricing and free midday windows change what a good energy automation looks like.
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Australia · 6 minute read
Smart home work in Australia: what needs an electrician
What you can safely do yourself, what must be done by a licensed electrician, and how to brief one well.
→ Planning · 6 minute readStart with the foundations, not the gadgets
A useful smart home begins with outcomes, boundaries and failure modes. Product selection comes later.
→ Privacy · 7 minute readA privacy-first Home Assistant design
Local control is a strong foundation. Network boundaries, data minimisation and recovery planning complete the picture.
→ Energy · 5 minute readMeasure energy before trying to automate it
Build trustworthy baselines before changing schedules or promising savings.
→ Platform · 5 minute readWhat the Home Assistant Companion App can do
Dashboards, notifications, presence, phone sensors and history, and how to use them sensibly.
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