A Ridiculously Smart Garage Door & More

A frequent contributor to our Build forum writes us to explain how he uses SmartThings to get the everyday objects in his home to react to his presence.

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“I had a constant fear of leaving my garage doors open.  We’ve had some theft in the area where bikes or other things were taken from garages that were left open, so my fear is somewhat understandable.

[pullquote]Yet this is only the start… the proverbial tip of the iceberg.  Using additional sensors, outlets, switches, and available SmartApps I get a great many additional benefits.”[/pullquote]With the distraction of trying to get my daughter ready and take her to school, making sure she had her books, her lunch, her instrument, and anything else she needed (as well as remembering everything I needed for work), it was easy to forget if I’d hit the button or not to close the garage as we drove off.  Too often I’d find myself turning around at the end of the block and swinging back too double-check the garage door.

Now with SmartThings, I don’t have to do that.  I can not only easily see on my phone if my garage is open or not, but close it from anywhere!

Yet this is only the start… the proverbial tip of the iceberg.  Using additional sensors, outlets, switches, and available SmartApps I get a great many additional benefits.

When I leave, my garage automatically closes, and I get a text saying it’s closed.  When I come home my garage automatically opens, and my side door unlocks.  If my garage is left open too long, I get a text message about that as well.  And if I’m leaving early in the morning before sunrise or coming home late after dark, an outdoor light turns on for five minutes, providing enough light to see as I walk from the garage to the house.

Having my garage doors and outdoor light automated helps make my life a little easier.  Having the security of knowing when my doors are open or closed and being able to do something about it–even when I’m miles away–helps me feel safer and more secure.” – Chris


How To:
“I connected my garage door opener push button to a relay controlled by a Z-Wave outlet. A SmartThings Multi sensor is used to determine if the door is open or closed, and a presence sensor in my car alerts my system to when I leave and when I come home. I then installed the Ridiculously Automated Garage Door SmartApp to make everything work automatically.”

I used apps like Turn It On When It Opens to turn on outdoor lights connected to a Z-Wave switch when my garage door opens and Unlock It When I Arrive to unlock my Kwikset Z-Wave door lock.”

Related: Learn how to wire an Evolve relay switch to a garage door here.

Category:
Stories

Join the conversation! 16 Comments

  1. This is one of my favorite, simple benefits of having SmartThings in my own home.

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  2. Great idea and a surprising decision!!!

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  3. That is awesome! I will have to get my roommate one of those. She is always leaving the house and thinking she forgot to close the garage and so she has me go and check to make sure. We live in Edmonton where our garage door is a way for people to get into the house. So it can be kind of risky.

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    • Trust me, you’re better off checking the garage door yourself than trusting ST to provide accurate and reliable information.

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  4. So how did you connect the Z-Wave to your push button relay? Are there any guides around?

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  5. Its same like my story really smart garage gives you piece of mind. its a great idea. It happens many time i forgot to close the door and as i leave alone than nobody at my home who can kept eye on this. Than i also installed smart garage door from Garage Door Restore in perth its very useful for me. i love this one. Now i am enjoying my work.

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  6. Ok, I am going to put myself out there – is there a complete idiot’s guide on what pieces are plugged into what pieces/devices? I can figure out the software part but I am trying to figure out where the Z-Wave outlet goes, etc. Thanks!

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  7. How about the doors on the rest of the house?

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  8. its very useful for me. i love this one.Otomatik kapı

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  9. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this information together.

    درب اتوماتیک

    Reply
  10. You have placed some useful information about garage door in this post. Thank
    کرکره برقیدرب اتوماتیک

    Reply
  11. I am also curious about how one connects the push button to the Z-wave GE module in the link. I found some of the GE modules on sal today and bought some. Thank you.

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  12. This information is very useful for every user. Automatic garage door is so much easier than conventional doors. درب ضد سرقت

    Reply
  13. This is a warning!!!!!!!

    Do not use ST for any automation that you cannot verify every time and in person. This system is absolutely unreliable and outright dangerous. Saying that this system is a joke is being very generous.

    For over a month, my wife and I kept finding our front door unlocked and garage door open in the morning. After blaming each other for several weeks, we eventually figured out that ST was the culprit.

    ST was delaying the automation to open the garage door and unlocking the front door upon arrival; instead, ST was executing these tasks hours later when my entire family is fast asleep.

    It is absolutely irresponsible (even criminal) for SmartThings to claim that their system provides safely and security, when it in fact, it places individuals and families at extreme risk. It’s just a matter of time before ST is sued for causing direct harm or contributing to personal loss and/or injury.

    ST is clearly and fully aware of these problems based on endless postings on ST’s community forums and the companies own acknowledgments and apologies for the same.

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  14. if I’m leaving early in the morning before sunrise or coming home late after dark, Casquette Obey

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