Z-Wave technology and home automation are making things a whole lot easier at home. With smart home products being popular more than ever before, smart homeowners are constantly looking for ways to simplify their day-to-day activities at home before, after, and when they’re at work. Z-Wave friendly products come in a variety of options, allowing for endless ways to integrate them into home automation scenes so that the days are less stressful, more productive, and easier to manage. Z-Wave technology is helping to change the way we live at home for the better, and having smart home automation scenes will most likely be experienced by the majority of homeowners just as much as the features used daily from smartphones and smart TVs.

Please keep in mind, if you plan to convert your home into a smart home and you want to do it using Z-Wave technology, you’ll need a Z-Wave home automation controller. Here’s a list of some of our most popular controllers:

• Aeotec Smart Home Hub

• FIBARO Z-Wave Yubii Home Hub

• Vera Ezlo Plus Smart Controller

• Vera Ezlo Secure Smart Security Controller

• Zipato ZipaTile2 Z-Wave Home Automation Controller

Below, we put together some of our favorite home automation scenes that can easily make your days easier and more enjoyable. Also, for those of you who like to use voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit, you’ll be pleased to know that some of these automation scenes can easily be activated using voice commands.

Leaving Home/Arriving Home Scenes

These are two of the most commonly used home automation scenes: which activate or deactivate devices when your front door is used. With so many Z-Wave products available, these scenes can vary depending on how you want your smart home to work. We recommend the following items when creating Leaving Home and Arriving Home automation scenes.

This Z-Wave Plus touchscreen keypad lever lock can activate all of your Z-Wave devices when you leave your home and when you arrive. Once you access your front door, whether you’re locking or unlocking it, your other Z-Wave devices will be activated to turn on or off. There are many Z-Wave smart locks available as well with nice designs that come in stylish colors and offer a wide range of security features.

 Add these dimmers throughout your home and you’ll be able to ensure all of your lights inside your home turn off after you lock your door. Once you arrive home, you can have your lights turn on in specific rooms. Alternatively, switches with built-in occupancy sensorscan automatically turn off lights and fans when no motion is detected within a specific room.

GoControl Z-Wave Plus Garage Door Controller 

Automatically open/close your garage door when you leave or come home when a camera or motion sensor is triggered. There are even some Z-Wave garage door controllers that can be activated while you’re at work, plus, you can set it up to receive notifications if your garage door has been accessed when you’re away.

Leviton Decora Smart Z-Wave Plus v2 Fan Speed Controller, Gen7

Add Z-Wave control to your ceiling fan to help cool down a room once you arrive home from work. This Z-Wave Smart Fan Speed Controller works with 4 speed AC powered ceiling fans and has multi-tap and multi-way trigger options.

Z-Wave Security Sensors

There are a variety of Z-Wave motion sensors and door/window sensors that can be added to your home. These can be activated as soon as your front door is locked and deactivated as soon as the door is unlocked. You can also add them to your home security system if your system is compatible with Z-Wave.

Wake Up Morning Scene

Adding a Wake Up automation scene to your daily routine introduces creative ways to help you kick start your day or give you that needed push to get out of bed. Pick and choose which Z-Wave devices you want to wake up with you whenever your day begins. And if your schedule changes throughout the week, you can easily change the start time of the scene. 

Leviton Decora Smart Z-Wave Plus Plug-In Appliance Module, Gen5

Waking up to the freshly brewed smell of hot coffee can instantly start your day off right. Just plug your coffee maker into this smart plug and load up your coffee grounds the night before. Make sure its switch is set to on and once your Wake Up Morning scene activates your coffee will start brewing. No more trying to set up your coffee maker in the morning while you’re half asleep!

Aeotec Z-Wave Plus Recessed Door Sensor 7

If you’re anything like my wife in the morning, then you know all too well that waking up from a good night of sleep can leave you drowsy and fumbling for light switches. Well, you can easily eliminate this by integrating this door sensor with other Z-Wave devices, such as closet and bathroom light, and adding it to the Wake Up Morning scene. So basically, by adding this sensor to the closet/bathroom door, your Z-Wave controlled light will automatically turn on once the sensor is triggered due to the door being opened.

Home Theater Scenes

Setting the right mood and lighting for watching movies and television shows at home is key for getting the perfect theater-like experience. Z-Wave technology can help you do that. I have a Home Theater scene at home that is integrated with Amazon Alexa. This means all I have to do is get the popcorn and beverages ready, sit on my comfortable couch and say out loud, “Alexa, turn on the Home Theater.” And just like that, the lights in my living room turn off (some dimmed at specific lighting levels) and my smart TV and streaming device turn on automatically. I can also access this scene with my smartphone, which I always seem to have at the ready.

Leviton Decora Smart Z-Wave Plus Dimmer Wall Switch, 600W

Add these Z-Wave controlled dimmer wall switches to control all of your lights in your room. Set them to turn On/Off and at specific lighting levels for the perfect darkness to mimic a movie theater. Smart switches like these can also be controlled from your smartphone, so you don't have to get out of your seat when you forget to lower the lights.

2GIG Z-Wave 700 Programmable Thermostat

Ensure the right temperature is set in your entertainment room once you activate the Home Theater scene with this Z-Wave thermostat. It will control the temperature in the room via Z-Wave technology to ensure your movie-watching experience in the room isn’t too hot or cold.

Holiday Scene

My mother is a big-time holiday-lights fanatic, especially when it’s Halloween and Christmas. Not only does she have Christmas and Halloween lights hung year-round, but also plenty of mechanical decorations to match. So it’s no surprise that she has two holiday scenes (Christmas Lights and Halloween Lights) that she uses each year. All she has to do is switch out the mechanical decorations from Halloween themed to Christmas, and the following Z-Wave devices allow her to easily turn them on.

Qubino Flush 2 Relay

I installed this Z-wave friendly relay module behind the wall switch in my mom’s garage. All she has to do is plug in extension cords to it and run them to the front yard to provide power to her holiday decorations. Modules like these are solid choices for homeowners that can't or don't want to replace their light switches when upgrading their home.

Aeotec Z-Wave Plus v2 Smart Switch 7, Gen7

If you prefer not to add a Z-Wave relay module behind a wall switch in your garage, you can instead use this Z-Wave Plug-in appliance module. Just plug it in, add it to your Z-Wave network, and you’re ready to power your decorations with Z-Wave technology.

If you would like to add some of these Z-Wave home automation devices to your smart home we can help. Just call us at 858-693-8887 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific, Monday – Friday) for free tech support and product advice. You can also email us at service@homecontrols.com or visit http://www.homecontrols.com.