The best smart speakers like the newest Apple HomePod and Echo Dot are more than just great devices for streaming music. They now come with built-in environmental sensors, which can detect and inform you about motion or temperature changes in your room. Connecting this speaker to your smart home platform lets you tap into this additional functionality to trigger the best smart home devices.
A great example of this is setting up a routine that automatically turns on your smart lights when you enter a room. Now that the weather is heating up I'm using my Echo Dot's handy temperature sensor to turn on my old window-mounted air conditioner when it gets too hot. Read on to see how easily I set this routine up to automate your own home to make it more comfortable.
Echo Dot monitors room temperatures
This compact 11-ounce sphere is worth its weight in gold. I use it as my assistant to brief me about my day in the morning, control my smart home devices, and keep an eye on my room's exact temperature. Its sensor can detect when my room is too warm and automatically kicks on my ancient Frigidaire air conditioner.
I did this by setting the condition when my room gets too hot (above 70 degrees) to power on the smart plug connected to my air conditioner. Essentially my Echo Dot constantly checks the temperatures and relays that my air conditioner needs to power on when it's too hot. This is a godsend of a workaround for my older house which lacks central air or a smart thermostat. But you can still benefit from this setup for specific rooms if you have a portable air conditioner or window unit.
Smart plug controls my A/C
Just plug your air conditioner into one of the best smart plugs to turn it on or off from anywhere. You can use your smart home's Routine menu to create a slick automation. Set the "When" (trigger) portion of the routine to when your smart speaker temperature sensor reaches what you consider too high. Next you'll make the "Then" (action ) result in powering on your smart plug to make your space more comfortable.
Keep in mind that a smart plug simply kills power flowing to the device. Not every A/C can return to its operation settings after shutting down. Smart plugs lack onboard memory to remember device settings which is one of my biggest problems with smart plugs. I've had success with models as old as 8 years old remembering I keep my room at 66 degrees on a high cool mode. But older models may turn on and sit waiting for your manual input.
Alternative: map your remote control to an IR blaster
Smart plugs aren't going to work in every scenario. If you have a ductless air conditioning system or can't use your A/C's prong with a smart plug, there's still hope. That's assuming that your existing setup has a remote. You can program a wireless remote's inputs into an IR blaster.
This device stores the distinct signal of each button press like power on, temperature up, or mode change. You can then use a phone app to control the A/C while away from home, with your voice, or simply schedule your system to turn on at specific times or temperatures.
For those of you like me living in an older house or somewhere that lacks central air like a garage or basement apartment, this is a much cheaper solution to buying a smart air conditioner, especially so if you already have an existing window or portable air conditioning unit.
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