Braden’s Reliable, Low-Cost Home Automation System With Zero YAML Powered by Home Assistant
Braden’s Reliable, Low-Cost Home Automation System With Zero YAML Powered by Home Assistant  
Podcast: Home Assistant Podcast
Published On: Wed Apr 08 2026
Description: Electrical engineer Braden joins Phil and Rohan to share practical Home Assistant wins. From migrating to Zigbee2MQTT, taming a Whirlpool ice maker with ESPHome, building a garage door opener, and planning a sensor-packed greenhouse lab.Watch this episode on YouTubeShow notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA229Support the PodcastGet early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.https://homeassistant.fm/patreonShare your storyWe wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and home automation enthusiasts sharing their stories. To register your interest to come share your home automation journey, head over to homeassistant.fm and click share your story.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:23 - Meet Brayden in Windy Indiana00:03:35 - From Hue to Home Assistant00:08:50 - Greenhouse Lab Plans00:12:45 - Nursery Voice and Motion Tactics00:18:20 - RFID Cards for Kids’ Media00:29:00 - Zigbee2MQTT, Aqara, Litter Box Hack00:36:40 - ESPHome: Ice Maker and Garage00:43:40 - Power Monitoring and Breakers00:47:00 - Unifi, Cameras, and ZBT-200:52:30 - Agents, Dashboards, and Presence01:00:20 - Wrap-up and ThanksThis episode was made possible thanks to our sponsorsHome Assistant Cloud by Nabu CasaEasily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.Apollo AutomationApollo Automation are the makers of open source smart home sensors built for the Home Assistant ecosystem. They're an official Open Home Foundation commercial partner and their devices are built with local control, privacy, and reliability in mind, giving you full control and flexibility right out of the box.ZoozIf you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.For the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to https://thesmartesthouse.comNotionNotion is an AI-powered, connected workspace for teams. Notion brings all your notes, docs, and projects into one space that just works. Try Custom Agents now at https://notion.com/homeassistantHostsPhil HawthorneWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @philhawthorneBluesky: @philhawthorne.comBuy Phil a CoffeeRohan KaramandiWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @rohank9Buy Rohan a CoffeePrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy