Hey all,
I’m looking for inspiration on zero-touch automations — setups where your smart home basically takes care of itself while you’re away, without you touching a button.
I’m not talking about just turning a few lights on and off. I mean the whole house running in “autopilot mode”:
Some examples I’ve seen or tried:
- Simulated presence: Randomized lights/blinds schedules so it looks like someone’s home, combined with occasional music or TV noise.
- Energy optimization: Lowering heating/cooling when no presence is detected, but pre-warming the house before you return.
- Security layering: Motion-triggered outdoor lights + cameras + push notifications + audible alerts inside.
- Leak protection: Aqara water leak sensors shutting off a smart water valve if triggered.
- Garden automation: Smart irrigation schedules based on local weather forecasts.
- Package protection: Presence sensors + doorbell camera to detect and record deliveries, trigger a light or voice announcement.
Curious to know:
- What’s in your “away mode”?
- Any clever tricks you’ve set up that go beyond the basics?
- How do you make sure automations run reliably when you’re not there to fix them?
- Any devices or integrations that were game changers for this?
If there’s interest, I can share my “vacation mode” setup, which ties presence sensors, leak detectors, blinds, and lighting into one routine that kicks in automatically when all phones leave the house.
Let’s hear your best set-and-forget automations! 
