Hi everyone, I wanted to share my recent experience of moving away from Smart Home Monitor (SHM) to a more customized automation setup. After spending quite some time researching and experimenting, I’ve found that creating my own system has brought a lot of flexibility and satisfaction to my smart home setup.
The main reason for the switch was the inflexibility of SHM, especially when it came to motion sensor pairing and presence sensing for arming/disarming. I wanted a system that could adapt better to my daily routines and provide more reliable alerts. So, I decided to use ActionTiles as my primary interface and build automations directly within the SmartThings app.
Here’s a quick overview of what I’ve set up:
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Mode Toggling: I have a button in ActionTiles that switches between Home and Away modes. This was crucial because I wanted a seamless way to arm or disarm my security without needing to open multiple apps.
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Automatic Home Detection: Whenever one of my arrival sensors is triggered (like when I walk through the front door), the system automatically switches to Home mode. This means I don’t have to manually disarm the security system upon entering, which is a huge convenience.
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Dual Motion Sensor Alerts: To reduce false alarms caused by things like sunlight or pets, I paired two motion sensors in each monitored area. Both sensors need to detect movement before an alert is triggered. This has significantly cut down on false positives.
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Customized Alerts: Depending on the type of alert, the system now responds differently. For instance, if motion is detected while the system is in Away mode, all my sirens go off, and I receive push notifications. For water leaks, only a single siren sounds, making it easier to pinpoint the issue without causing a full-scale alarm.
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Silence Button: I added a button in ActionTiles to silence all sirens instantly. This has been incredibly helpful, especially during late-night alerts or when I need to quickly assess the situation without the noise.
The implementation was straightforward, and I documented each step meticulously. I also made sure to test every automation thoroughly to ensure there were no gaps in security.
One thing I particularly appreciate is how this setup integrates seamlessly with my existing smart devices. It’s been a while since I switched, and I must say, I’ve never felt more in control of my home security. The flexibility to tweak automations as my needs change is a massive plus.
If anyone is considering moving away from SHM or exploring custom automations, I’d highly recommend starting small and gradually building up your system. It’s incredibly rewarding to see everything come together and work exactly as intended!
Thanks for reading, and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about my setup. Cheers! 