Home Temperature
Using off-the-shelf smart thermostats controlling the temperature in your home is now achievable. Whether it be by voice using a smart speaker or switch access on your cell phone this task can be made easy.
In this video I am demonstrating how I can adjust the thermostat in my home to my desired temperature. I use a nest thermostat and a amazon echo to achieve this task. I use IFTTT triggers to get these devices to interact.
Due to having a spinal cord injury I have a difficult time regulating my temperature which can unusually leave me hot or cold. Being able to change the temperature in my home easily is more important than I would’ve imagined thus being able to easily adjust the temperature contributes to my independence.
NEST THERMOSTAT
(TSF preferred option) For the price point it’s tough to beat the Nest. The user interface on the phone application is very accessible, Very sleek looking design and a unique feature which is its ability to learn your thermostat adjusting habits over time, so eventually you won’t even have to worry about making changes throughout the day. Also standard functions like auto changing schedule are available.
The Nest thermostat wires into your existing thermostat and lets you control the temperature in your home either using your phone or with the Amazon echo. You will need to use IFTTT triggers to get the Amazon echo to connect in the nest thermostat. This is easy to use and I would recommend it.
To control this by voice all you will need is a smart speaker like an Amazon echo or a Google home. For more information on smart speakers please visit our smart speaker section.
Nest Thermostat
$249.00
ECOBEE THERMOSTAT
The Ecobee is very similar to the Nest but with one big difference. The Ecobee is it just controllable by the Amazon echo but rather it doubles as an Amazon echo, essentially giving you a smart thermostat and it Ech Dot all in one device. This can be incredibly helpful if you are just getting started and do not want to purchase two smart speakers.
Ecobee
$249.00
HONEYWELL THERMOSTAT
Can be controlled by voice and your cell phone. Handles the basics and is the least expensive of the bunch.
Honeywell Thermostat
$159.00
In this video I am demonstrating how I can control space heater with voice commands. I use a dyson link space heater and an Amazon Echo to achieve this task. I connect these two devices under these skills section in the amazon app.
Being a quadriplegic I have a difficult time regulating my temperature which leaves me feeling cold quite often. Rather than heating my entire house I am able to use the space heater to heat up only in the room I am spending time in. This increases my independence and comfort level.
DYSON WIFI-ENABLED HEAT + COOL
This is truly a fantastic device. Many people with disabilities have a very difficult time regulating their temperature. When you are having a higher or lower temperature than the majority of the home it is much cheaper to just adjust the temperature in an individual room. This is where the Dyson comes in. You will be able to adjust the temperature to whatever number you will like, set schedules, adjust the timer, adjust the fan speed etc. by voice or by using the phone app. It also heats and cools very quickly!
If you go this route be sure to make sure it is Wi-Fi enabled. If not you will end up only being able to control it with the remote. Consider purchasing a refurbished device to decrease the price.
Connected: WiFi Connected home air purifier and heater; See real time reports, remotely control your machine and create schedules around your day using the Dyson Link app
Alexa Enabled: Voice control using Alexa to turn on/off, turn on auto mode, and update you on the indoor air quality
Dyson Pure Hot + Cool, HP02 - HEPA Air Purifier, Space Heater & Fan
WiFi-Enabled, For Large Rooms, Automatically Removes Allergens, Pollutants, Dust, Mold, VOCs.
$499.99
SPACE HEATER + SMART OUTLET
The Dyson is way out of your price range there is another option. What we can do here is by a standard space heater and plug it into a smart switch. The one thing you will need to take into consideration is making sure the space heater you purchase can be left in the on position. Essentially what you are doing is leaving the space heater on at all times and turning it on and off by either connecting or disconnecting power at the wall.
HONEYWELL Two Position Fan Heater
$25.99
