Pointless Argument

So instead of asking someone to change the driver, why not add some safety protocols to your buttons? Sure, maybe it sounded like a good idea, but I'd probably just arrange my dash so that I couldn't hit another button on it.

1 Like

Why would your garage door be set to set off the alarm? Seems like a poor point of entry for someone try to break in. You can also prevent the alarm from arming if the door is open already.

Because I figured that improving the app/driver (either or both) would benefit more folks and improve the functionality... Not have a bunch of ambassadors tell me that the better solution is to hack to workaround the issue.

Our street has had more break-ins by the overhead garage door than any other method. Not securing that with the alarm would be extremely foolhardy.

The break-ins have occurred by different approaches... Fishtape to pull the emergency handle, stolen "clicker", and unknown approaches.

Edit: also, at least one of those break-ins was only to the garage. They didn't bother to enter the house from the attached garage, just taking items from it.

I am not trying to argue, I am genuinely curious.

  • How do they know you have an Alexa?
  • How do they know your garage is integrated with it?
  • Do you leave windows open when you are away? (That seems like a bigger issue though)
  • Is the Alexa so close to the window that it would work with the window closed?

This is normally how things work.... don't arm if a door is OPEN that's not supposed to be when it's in an alarm zone..... that way you're aware the door is open and to close it... but then that's why we automate to close doors.

1&2: observation using it to close the door when leaving
3: no
4: I can hear her talk through the garage window (not open, doesn't open) haven't tried to see what it would take.

Again, sort of wondering. Doesn't the tile ask "Are You Sure"? Mine asks for confirmation just like the door locks do.

Maybe you are using the wrong tile on dashboard?

1 Like

In my case, the alarm arms with it bypassed (until it closes) if the door is open when arming.

The issue is the alarm being armed and the door going up unexpectedly.

So you have an Alexa in the garage?

I don't recall seeing it ask previously. It is a "Door (control)"

Yup. That's how I listen to music when working out there or close the door when walking away.

Don't you have one out there?

I'm failing to see how disabling the device within Hubitat is going to help with anything.

Question... are you using Hubitat as a make shift alarm system?

2 Likes

No, on the off chance I do want music, I have an old boombox. I don't think it would be that great for the Alexa with the heat and cold and whatever else in the garage.

And in a related question, what type of thief hangs around your garage, or what are the chances they will hear you? How loud do you shout when leaving? Genuinely fascinated that people think about this stuff.

Those were listed because the question was posed as to why the overhead garage door would be alarmed.

They have nothing to do with the feature request, only with the implied solution that the door shouldn't have a sensor that triggers an alarm.

HECK NO! I keep my HA distinct from the alarm so that if one is breached (e.g. by yelling at Alexa to open the garage door), the other will still be around to alarm.

That unexpectedly going up.... that's kinda the purpose of an alarm right? Usually people connect the garage to the alarm system so if the door opens and the alarm is armed it actually goes off....

So you're looking for a workaround with HE to prevent this?

1 Like

We've got a lot of construction on our street right now, and unless the machines are running, it's relatively quiet (no traffic noise). And it only takes one wrong person hearing it once, right? It's spoken in a relatively normal voice at the edge of the garage. Though there's no telling whether the toddler will subsequently repeat it at top volume for the whole 'hood to hear.

Ever heard "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? If I can prevent a would-be thief from opening the door in the first place, that prevents the alarm from going off and anything being stolen before the alarm is responded to.

The other "unexpectedly" is hitting the wrong tile... which makes for a false alarm that potentially wakes up neighbours and kids.

So you're thinking some petty thief is going to gain access to your network and access your Hubitat and open your garage door? Ok..... Common thieves are opportunistic and do things the easy and fast way. Yet if it's a concern you should be focused more on your network security and access controls to your automation system.

2 Likes

I think you're missing the fact that I'm trying to address two issues:

  1. controlling the garage door by a thief by yelling a command to Alexa
  2. accidentally triggering the garage door to open via Hubitat directly (when the alarm is set)

I don't expect that any petty thief would bother to try to get access to my network -- it's fairly well-secured. But I wouldn't be shocked if there happened to be one that figured out (with a minor amount of observation) how to get Alexa to open it from just outside the door.