I wanted to share a success story about integrating my wood stove with my smart home setup. I recently implemented a rule in OpenHAB that automatically detects when my wood stove is burning and triggers the HVAC fan to circulate heat throughout the house. This was a fun project and I thought I’d walk through my process in case anyone else is looking to do something similar.The Problem: I have a wood/coal stove located near a Nest thermostat. The challenge was to detect when the stove was actually burning (as opposed to just being in the room) and use that information to control the HVAC system.The Solution: I used the temperature readings from the Nest thermostat. The idea is simple: if the observed temperature is higher than the target temperature, it means the stove is likely burning and we should circulate the heat. If the observed temperature is lower, it means the stove isn’t active and we can turn off the fan.Here’s the rule I created:plaintextrule "Automatically turn on HVAC Fan if Target Temp is less than actual Temp"whenItem HVAC_Temp changedthenvar int target = (HVAC_Target_Temp.state as DecimalType).intValuevar int temp = (HVAC_Temp.state as DecimalType).intValue//TODO: IF WINTER && !HOUSE_FIREif (target < temp) { //Fire going, circulate air via HVAC Fan postUpdate(HVAC_Great_Stove, ON) postUpdate(HVAC_Fan, ON)} else { //Fire is out, turn off HVAC Fan postUpdate(HVAC_Great_Stove, OFF) postUpdate(HVAC_Fan, OFF)}endCaveats and Future Improvements: 1. Seasonal Consideration: I plan to expand the rule to only activate during the winter months using the Astro binding.2. Fire Detection: I’m also looking into adding a smoke/co2 detector to ensure we don’t accidentally detect a house fire as stove activity.Why This Matters: This integration has made my home more comfortable during the colder months. It’s a great example of how smart home technology can enhance traditional heating methods. Plus, it’s been a fun way to get more familiar with OpenHAB’s rule engine.If anyone has questions or suggestions for improving this setup, I’d love to hear them! It’s been a rewarding project and I’m excited to see how others might adapt this idea for their own homes.