ALS Automation

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All, I'm a computer security guy that works from home (well, worked from home before COVID, at least) - I typically have hated IoT devices but my wife has been diagnosed with ALS. As such, I'm embracing everything I can to make her life easier without regard for security or privacy.

With that said, I plan on buying a Hubitat today and wanted some opinions. My home has Fiber and I'm going to also purchase or have: (Note: Except for what's noted, I have not purchased anything.. *'s mean I'm looking to purchase today).

  • Network *: Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LITE UniFi AP AC LITE 802.11ac (3 AP's - our neighborhood is overly covered with Wifi so I'm going to ensure I blast our signal for anything in the house. Plan on 3 networks: Normal Wifi, IoT Wifi and Guest network. Absolutely overkill for 2200sqft but when my Mac can get 14 networks at full strength, I don't care about cancer - I'll make sure mine's "the best".
  • Garage: Already have 2 MyQ door openers
  • iRobot: Just purchased an iRobot i3+ (3550). She named it C3-Sweepeo.
  • 2 FireTV Cubes (2020 versions)
  • 1-2 Alexa pucks *
  • Fire 10 tablet * for the Hubitat dashboard. She also has an Android phone but hates connecting it to Wifi since it drains her batter due to updates. I have an iPhone 11. Her MSFT Win Tablet is older as well.
  • Kasa Light Switches: (to start) *
    • HS220 1 pack (Dimmers x2)
    • HS200P3 3 pack (normal switches, the rest of the house switches may be converted to these)
    • HS2010 2 pack (3-way switches)
  • SECO-LARM SL-126Q/R (red strobe light for outside emergency alerting)
  • SECO-LARM SL-126Q/B (blue strobe light for outside emergency alerting)
  • (still looking) driver for the SECO strobes - emergency vehicles look for other emergency lights
  • (still looking): protected momentary switch. (ie: medical panic button). Unlock everything, turn on all lights inside and out, activate emergency red/blue strobes outside, etc. Possibly call 911 (we'll see)...
  • Shower automation: Still looking, but leaning towards Moen TS3302TB U
  • Smart bathroom exhaust fan (still researching)
  • Smart in-flooring bathroom heating (still researching)
  • "U by Moen" smart faucet (kitchen)
  • Master Bathroom faucet (unsure/researching)
  • EcoBee thermostat (I have a C-Wire) * +4 room sensors (2 offices, living room, and master)
  • Whole house backup generator (NOT emergency/standby) - looking at Liquid cooled Natural Gas, possibly a Cummins, based generator. I'm in Oklahoma and people went 2+ weeks without power recently...
  • UPS: I have 3 1500va UPS' - I'm considering a whole-house battery backup, but we'll see.
  • Whole-house surge protector. Lightening is a thing out here...

Thoughts? I'm VERY open to research and other items. Alexa is already in the home due to the Fire TV and Cubes so that seems the way to go.

I SHOULD have posted this last weekend but I'm dumb - I'm looking to purchase SOME of these items today (ie: next 6-hours) and this weekend due to sales, marked by an *.

I apologize to the community for all this but I've been moving, researching, giving infusions, etc. My life got turned upside down in Sept so I'm just getting my head around helping my wife here... She's a full on Combat Vet so she's been accepted for help by the VA and we're waiting on appointments for help with changing the house (read: for the REALLY expensive items, we have financial help). I'm looking get ahead of some of this to start making her life easier. Even getting out of a chair is a chore these days and we anticipate a wheelchair in the next 3-5 months.

As I go through the Hubitat process and all the devices, I'll update the community. I plan on publishing what I have and what works/doesn't. I'm considering a blog as well. Thank you for any help you can provide!

This is not a wishlist, this is a helplist. Any help you can provide would be AWESOME.
~J

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As a note, and what caused this posting is that the GE smart items are on sale with Amazon. I thought I should go with TP-Link but I'm unsure on that side. Bulbs - dont care at all... More interested in Switches and Outlets!

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Pay attention to which GE switches/outlets you pick up. Some are WiFi only (can’t directly attch to HE), others are Zigbee or Zwave (these can connect to HE), and I believe I may have seen a blue tooth variety at one point (also not directly usable).

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Fire tablets work well with fully kiosk loaded

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Note: I just pulled the trigger on Hubitat. I'm waiting on my Amazon cart for a few more hours.

I'm absolutely committed to this community since it seems VERY helpful. I've shied away from stuff like this before due to privacy and.... "welp, the interwebs are broke...no heat for us today?"... I'm very glad to have a community like Hubitat to help out and all that. I have no issues hacking or updating drivers, etc - I've just hated IoT due to my professional job. I kind-of still do (mostly) but in areas, it's extremely helpful.

I think I've found a new passion, at least when I'm off of work. I've read a LOT of postings and you all are awesome! It's so nice to see a vibrant community that figures out the hard stuff these days. I've got more to share, but may I'll do that in a Blog...

Anyone that reads or helps: you're awesome. Have a great holiday weekend if you're in the US or "abroad" If not, try to eat some turkey and thank your family for those around you. 2020 has been such "crap" to all of us this year... When my wife was diagnosed with ALS it was the icing on the cake for us - the cherry came when we had to give up our Foster kids. We wanted to help so much.

All, I mean this: Thank you for your help, even if you just read this thread. You're awesome, you're important to someone (unless you're a bot, then...go and be a bot) and go kiss SOMEONE in your life, even if it's your mother! I thank you, my wife thanks you (in the future). THANK YOU!

~J

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Wherever possible, I would opt for dumb appliances controlled by a smart switch. The 2 on your list that caught my eye were exhaust fan and floor heating.
For the exhaust fan (I'm assuming shower exhaust) I would go with a 'dumb-ish' humidity switch.
I know you can't connect it to HE, but the point is that it runs when its supposed to.