Blog
Guides for a home that works on its own.
Plain answers to the questions homeowners in Quebec and Ottawa actually search. No product hype, sources at the bottom of every article.
3 min read
Talking to your house: Claude, ChatGPT and the ha-mcp server
How an open-source MCP server lets Claude or ChatGPT read and change a Home Assistant home, what it exposes, and the guardrails to set first.
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Water leak detectors in a Quebec condo: what the law says and what insurers want
No Quebec law makes leak detectors mandatory, but insurers and the Civil Code can. What that means for owners, boards and an automatic shut-off.
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Smart thermostats for electric baseboards in Quebec: why Nest and ecobee do not fit
Quebec heats with 240-volt baseboards, so Nest and ecobee do not fit. What to buy instead, what the wiring needs, and how to keep schedules local.
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Hilo, the Flex D rate and a local-first home: what fits together
How Hydro-Québec's Hilo peak events and the Flex D rate work, which thermostats qualify, and how to take part without one gateway running it all.
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Security cameras without a monthly subscription: how local recording actually works
How local recording works, the three ways to do it, why wired beats battery, and what to check before you buy a camera in Canada.
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Which parts of a smart home keep working when the internet goes down
Why some smart home devices stop the moment the connection drops, why others carry on, and what Matter and Thread change.
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