Seeing that the cabin is 4 hours away from our home and in the middle of the northwoods, it can be a bit scary at times not knowing what is going on with the cabin. That is why, we have discretely adding a bunch of technology to keep track of the cabin remotely. Here are some of the things we have used to keep an eye on things.
ChoiceTel
We are super lucky that we have fiber optic Internet service, provided by ChoiceTel right to the side of the cabin. That makes all of the technology possible. Without their rock-solid service, we not be able to do what we want to do.
Tempest WeatherFlow Weather Station
Quite possibly the best weather reporting station you could have. This station keeps an eye on everything from temperature, humidity, dew points, nearby lightning strike, rain, wind, and more. A great way to keep tabs on what is going on. The data from it will soon be used to trigger the EdgeMelt Ice Dam Prevention system as well. When the temperature is between 18-34 degrees and snow/moisture is sensed, then some smarthome rules kick in to activate the four ice dam prevention zones. See current readings here.
Bond Remote Automation Hub
This allows remote control of things such as the ceiling fans and associated lights remotely. We have it set to control (if needed) all bedroom ceiling fans and lights along with the fan and light in the TV Room as well. It can control most anything that has a remote control from the convenience of the app. It also integrates into Google Home as well for voice activation.
Philips Hue
Yes, they are expensive as hell, but we are using Philips Hue bulbs in a number of spots. These allow us to control lighting intensity and color as well as remotely activate lights based on certain schedules or other criteria and rules. It also integrates well into Google Home to pull everything together.
The “Hub” of Things
I chose the Alarm.com ecosystem for the basic life safety, security, and Z-Wave integration options. I used Surety Home for the purchase, monitoring, etc. They have very reasonable plan pricing, outstanding customer service, and a very active user base/forums.
The system uses a combination of cellular technology and wi-fi to connect and pull the various things together. These include:
- QOLSys IQ Panel 2 Plus
- Door and window sensors
- Temperature sensor (heat, cold, freeze)
- Smoke detectors
- Carbon Monoxide detectors
- Water/Leak sensors
- Indoor and outdoor cameras with night vision, AI motion sensing, and onsite and cloud DVR
- Integration with Chamberlain MyQ Garage Door System
- Integration with Nest Thermostats with monitoring and alerting
- Schlage Z-Wave Entry Deadbolts with alarm, remote lock/unlock and remote accessible entry codes, timing, etc. (For example, I can assign a temporary unlock code to a contractor to be used during business hours and expire it after three days or on demand)
All of the items above can be monitored and viewed and activated remotely and most have alerting and other aspects that can be set. In addition to those items, I had to go outside the Alarm.com ecosystem for a few unique items. They are listed below.
GE Z-Wave Plus Heavy Duty Smart Switches
These are 40A smart switches that are wired in line with the well pump, the hot water heater, and for each zone of the EdgeMelt Ice Dam Prevention system. They allow for remote control of each item and also can have rules set so that from my phone, when I tap on “Away” the hot water heater and well pump will automatically be turned off to both save energy and also prevent any flooding or other issues.
Moen Flo Water Valve System
The Flo water valve was installed near the well pressure tank and main water line. It allows for you to remotely turn the main valve on and off as well as monitors for unanticipated water usage and possible leaks. Where it senses that something is not working as anticipated, it will automatically shut water off and alert you.
Tank Utility LP Tank Monitoring System
We use LP for heat, cooking, and the backup generator. It was important to know how much LP was left in our 500 gallon tank to schedule fills. The Tank Utility monitor hooks into a “Remote Ready” gauge that was installed by our LP provider on the tank. It then connects to the cabin wi-fi and sends one reading per day to the cloud. That reading can then be viewed via a smartphone app. Alerts and other items can be set if the tank level falls below a certain threshhold. Works well!
GE SmartHQ App/Appliances
The fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer, and dryer are all GE Cafe/GE appliances that connect to the GE SmartHQ app for monitoring and ongoing ordering of supplies (water filters, etc.). This means we know when laundry will be done, what temperature the fridge and freezer are, and even how full the ice maker is.