Winterizing your home used to mean lots of physical labor - caulking windows, installing heavier drapes, maybe even changing out older windows and doors that were too efficient at releasing insulated air. Winter prep can still mean all of the above, but new Z-Wave technology has made certain aspects of winterization easier while adding another level of protection as those temperatures drop.
Here’s what we’re using to stay cozy and make sure our energy bills don’t make us freeze in our tracks:
This is one of our winter must-haves. It’s the first Z-Wave line voltage thermostat in North America (but be careful, it won’t work with forced air systems!). Use it to control electric baseboards and convector heaters all from your Z-Wave hub’s app interface. Reduce your energy consumption by 30% with custom heating schedules, or just switch to the thermostat’s built-in Economy mode to keep things efficient.
This tiny device puts no limits on your smart home creativity. Use it to automate electric radiators, electric water heaters, hot water pumps, and floor heating systems. Not only is it small enough to fit behind a standard wall-switch, it comes with a digital temperature sensor so you can monitor your heating systems closely and make custom rules based on temperature.
Looking for a way to automate a humidifier so you can get rid of the dry air and save on electricity this winter? If you tried controlling larger motors and appliances with Z-Wave you’ve probably seen many plugs fail rather quickly. The Power Switch was designed for heavy duty control, so use it freely with any 120 VAC equipment up to 15 A. It’s also great if you need to remotely monitor a sump pump. It’s an affordable, user-verified favorite.
Like the Zooz Power Switch, this new plug can reliably control a variety of loads and devices, including fans, humidifiers, and even your coffee maker for those chilly winter mornings. It’s small, comes with a bunch of advanced features, and a much nicer-looking plug than the Zooz Power Switch, if we do say so ourselves. Did we also mention that it’s officially integrated with SmartThings? That means NO custom device handler for a fully functional smart plug and power monitor, just plug and play!
We can all agree -- there is nothing worse for homeowners than a burst pipe and a flooded basement. This Dome device adds a crucial layer of protection for any kind of winter water disaster by allowing you to remotely open and close your water main. When paired with a Z-Wave flood sensor, you can even shut off the water automatically as soon as the sensor detects a leak. And check your homeowners insurance - some will give you a discount for installing this type of device!
Got winterizing ideas of your own? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Smart home tech isn’t just for indoors anymore—it’s transforming yard care too. While we’re used to voice assistants and smart thermostats, outdoor tools like sprinkler systems are catching up. Instead of wasting water on rigid schedules, smart systems adapt to the weather, skip rainy days, and keep your lawn healthy with minimal effort.
Smart sprinkler control makes it easy to upgrade your existing irrigation system with a device like the Zooz ZEN17 Universal Relay. Compatible with SmartThings, Hubitat, Z-Box, Home Assistant, and HomeSeer, it fits into most smart home setups without locking you into one platform. This post covers the benefits of automating your sprinklers, how to set up the ZEN17, control options, and real user tips to help you get the most from your system.
Imagine this: it’s a stuffy summer night, and you’re already in bed when you realize the ceiling fan is off. Or maybe you’ve left the house and can’t remember if the bathroom fan is still running. What if your fan could turn on automatically when the room gets too warm—or shut off when no one’s around?
That’s the beauty of smart fan control. It’s not just about convenience (though turning your fan on with your voice or a tap on a smart remote is pretty great). It’s about making your home more energy-efficient, more responsive, and just... smarter.
Home Assistant is slowly but surely becoming the ultimate platform for comprehensive home automation. It allows users to create a truly customized and connected environment with the most integrations we've ever seen. Home Assistant has a pretty powerful automation engine too so you can program anything from simple lighting control to complex, multi-device routines. And it's open source which means we can all contribute and the basic software is free.
The secret to making your Home Assistant set-up better than ever? Add Z-Wave to it! You can instantly increase the functionality, reliability, and device compatibility of your smart home environment. Z-Wave brings a vast range of new device options that can communicate securely and consistently. They are feature rich with tons of advanced settings to choose from so you can find a good match for any use case.