Creating a Privacy-Focused Smart Home with Home Assistant

Privacy in the Age of Smart Homes

I previously mentioned that I migrated my Home Assistant installation from my aging Mac mini to a Raspberry Pi. I’d like to share some details about our current setup, what I’ve learned, and my plans for future upgrades.

One of my primary goals for this project is privacy. I want a smart home that doesn't rely on cloud services, ensuring that companies aren't tracking my daily habits—like when I turn on the bathroom light. With Home Assistant and local-first firmware like Tasmota, I can keep all my smart home activity within my own network.

The Migration Process

Moving my Home Assistant installation was surprisingly painless, thanks to the platform's built-in backup and restore features:

1. Backup: I created a full snapshot (backup) via the Supervisor tab and saved it to a secure location.
2. Setup: Installing Home Assistant on the Raspberry Pi was straightforward—I simply flashed the HassOSimage to an SD card, powered up the unit, and used the web interface to upload my snapshot.
3. Restoration: Within minutes, all my settings, plugins, and devices were restored and ready to go.

Integrating Our Home

Once the basic system was running, I began connecting our devices to create a more integrated environment.

The Smart TV

I initially wanted to integrate our Toshiba Smart TV, but it turns out it’s actually a rebranded Vestel unit. Despite finding a promising plugin, my TV didn’t have the necessary ports open for Home Assistant to communicate with it. It’s a bit frustrating not being able to control the TV directly, but it’s a good reminder to check hardware compatibility before future purchases!

The Living Room Ceiling Fan

To automate the fan, I replaced the original control module with a Sonoff iFan03. It was slightly too wide for the housing, but with a bit of "hardware modification" (cutting the casing and securing it with electrical tape), I got it to fit perfectly. Using the SonoffLAN integration from HACS, I now have full control over both the fan speed and the light directly within Home Assistant.

Entertainment & Media

Adding our media devices was the easiest part of the process. Integrations for PlayStation 4, Apple TV, and Plex are built directly into Home Assistant. I simply navigated to the Integrations section in the Configuration tab, followed the prompts, and they were ready to use.

Unexpected Additions

Beyond the basics, I discovered several useful integrations:

• Printer: To monitor ink levels.
• Modem: Via the uPNP integration for network stats.
• Sonarr & Radarr: Integrated via HACS to track new media.
• Garbage Collection: To remind us when to take the bins out.
• Binance: To track our crypto assets.
• ReversoTTS: For fun text-to-speech notifications.

Future Plans for a Rental-Friendly Home

Because we live in a rented property, every upgrade must be removable. Here’s what I’m eyeing for the future:

• Heating: Automated TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) are high on the list as they are easy to swap out when we move.
• Control: I’m looking into the Broadlink RM Pro to control our IR and RF devices, such as the doorbell.
• Cameras: I’d like to add cameras, though I’m limited by local regulations since we live in a Grade 2 listed building.
• Blinds: IKEA’s smart blinds are great, though they represent a significant investment given the size of our windows.

Automation Goals

While I’ve mostly just used scenes so far, my goal is to implement smarter automations. I’d love to have the living room transition into "Cinema Mode" (dimming lights and closing blinds) when Plex starts playing, or receive real-time notifications for trash day or significant crypto price shifts.

Do you have any cool smart home automations you’d recommend? Or perhaps you have tips for the automations I’m currently struggling to set up? Let me know in the comments!