Blog
Guides for a home that works on its own.
Plain answers to the questions Montreal homeowners 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 an AI assistant read and change a Home Assistant home, what it can do that the built-in server cannot, what leaves your network, and the guardrails worth setting before you try it.
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Water leak detectors in a Quebec condo: what the law says and what insurers want
No law forces a Quebec condo to install leak detectors, but insurers increasingly do, and the Civil Code lets a board impose them. What that means for owners, and how an automatic shutoff valve fits in a unit.
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Smart thermostats for electric baseboards in Quebec: why Nest and ecobee do not fit
Most Quebec homes heat with 240-volt electric baseboards, and the best-known smart thermostats are built for 24-volt furnaces. What to buy instead, what the wiring needs, and how to keep the schedule running locally.
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Hilo, the Flex D rate and a local-first home: what fits together
Hydro-Québec's Hilo program pays you to lower heating during winter peaks. Here is how it works, which thermostats qualify, and how to take part without handing your whole home to one gateway.
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Security cameras without a monthly subscription: how local recording actually works
Cloud camera plans add up. Here is how a camera system records to a drive in your own home, what the three local options are, and what to check before you buy.
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Which parts of a smart home keep working when the internet goes down
A plain explanation of local control: why some smart home devices stop the moment your connection drops, why others carry on, and how Matter, Thread and Apple Home change the answer.
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