I continue to play around with home automation products. As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, it’s ok to take baby steps into home automation. I’ve been slowly adding devices in my home and started with installing outlets around my home that I can use with HomeKit. I’m not sure yet if any of these smart outlets will help to reduce my energy usage in a significant way, but it sure makes me feel better to know my kids are really turning off the lights.
Over the past week I’ve installed and have been playing around with the Elgato Eve wireless weather sensors. Both units measure temperature and humidity. The room sensor adds air quality and the outdoor sensor measures air pressure. Setting these sensors up is quick and easy. Simply download the free app from the App Store, sync them to your phone by verifying a serial number and you’re ready to go!
The Eve wireless weather sensor installed quickly outside. The sensor reports the temperature, humidity, and air pressure with what I would consider fairly high accuracy. I did initially set up the unit inside and one observation on the negative is it took quit some time to accurately report on the outside temperature. It’s also important to note that it’s only water resistant, so you’ll want to install it in a location outside where it’s out of direct contact with the elements. I set up the Eve room in my bedroom. I have some allergies and wondered if I would notice a difference in some of my symptoms based on its air quality readings and humidity. I’ve been making a greater effort to let fresh air circulate through my room, a challenge sometimes in Vermont winters. I have noticed my breathing is better since being able to monitor the air quality closer.
Aside from the ability to simply better monitor weather conditions via HomeKit from anywhere, the Eve app itself provides you with accumulative data. I can look for example and see what my average room humidity has been over the last week specifically in my room. To see this more detailed information you do need to use the Eve app. HomeKit cannot provided the detailed maps and statistics, but the benefit of HomeKit is I can see all of my various HomeKit enabled devices at a glance.