48 articles on smart home gear, setup and buying decisions — newest first. Page 2 of 8.
Most Australian gas ducted heaters and hydronic boilers won't accept an off-the-shelf smart thermostat. Here are the upgrade paths that actually work in older homes - manufacturer Wi-Fi modules, relay retrofits, OpenTherm room stats and smart TRVs - plus where a licensed trade is legally required.
Winter mould in Australian bathrooms is a moisture problem, not a cleaning problem. Here's how to use a humidity sensor and a smart exhaust fan automation to pull damp air out before it condenses on your grout, ceiling and window reveals.
Your split system is probably the biggest single load in the house, and your solar is probably being exported for a few cents. Here's how to line the two up using pre-cooling, smart aircon controllers and real-time energy monitoring - plus where an electrician is legally required.
Zoning a ducted reverse-cycle system is the single biggest add-on cost most Australian homeowners face at quote time. Here is how the price bands break down for new installs and retrofits, where the cheap workarounds actually work, and what to check before you spend.
Australian summer is brutal on outdoor entertainment gear: 40°C afternoons, UV, driving rain and salt air. Here's how to choose an outdoor TV, projector or speaker that lasts more than one season, what the IP ratings actually mean, and where a licensed electrician is non-negotiable.
Plug-in lamps, a couple of smart bulbs and a backlight strip are enough to build a proper cinema scene in an Australian lounge room - no wiring, no electrician, and nothing your landlord can object to. Here's how to lay it out, dim it and trigger it.
