Hey everyone! I’ve been diving into some cool smart home projects lately and wanted to share a few things I’ve learned along the way. 
First off, if you’re in Texas and using Smart Meter Texas, I stumbled upon a fantastic GitHub repository that shows how to pull hourly usage data into Home Assistant using Docker. It’s been a game-changer for tracking my energy consumption! Check it out here. Plus, the usage graphs in Home Assistant are super clear and helpful. 
On another note, I’ve been experimenting with different battery brands for my smart home devices. So far, Duracell Plus has been my go-to—they lasted an impressive 530 days on my TRVs! I’m now testing Energizer Ultimate Lithium and will update once I have results. If anyone has tips or experiences with other brands, I’d love to hear them! 
Lastly, I wanted to highlight a neat solution for converting corded blinds to tilt blinds. I found a mechanism converter that works perfectly for mini-blinds and horizontal blinds. It’s an affordable fix (around $7-$12) and makes a big difference. Happy to help guide anyone through the process! 
What smart home hacks or tips have you discovered lately? Let’s share and learn together! 