If your home is anything like mine, then your Friday afternoons are hectic and rushed no matter what time you light candles. There’s a good chance you forgot to turn on the Shabbos lamp or to turn off the lights in the kids’ bedroom. Minutes before lighting you’re probably making sure the hot plate and hot water urn are on and the fridge lights are off. But what if there was a way to preprogram all of your home’s switches and appliances so that everything, from lights to AC to hot plate, can go on and off according to your Shabbos schedule?
A smart home with a Shabbos mode is an affordable luxury that will ease the stress of erev Shabbos and give you the peace of mind of knowing that everything in your home will run smoothly according to plan. Perhaps the greatest part of Shabbos mode is the effortlessness with which you turn it on. A simple voice command and your entire home is ready for Shabbos. No more tinkering with lights and timers, no more frantic last-minute light checks or Friday night nightmare of discovering the fridge light is still on. A quick “Alexa, turn on Shabbos mode” or “OK Google, turn on Shabbos mode”, and you can watch the peacefulness and predictability of your preprogrammed home instantly fall right into place.
Here is a small snapshot of the systems you can integrate into your Shabbos mode.
Hot plate
Use smart outlets to have your hot plate (yes, the regular old hot plate you already have!) turn off when it is not mealtime and turn on a few hours prior to your guests arriving.
Heating/Cooling
If you are someone who likes it cool at night and warm during the day, program your HVAC system accordingly. Or if you’re expecting many guests, program the cooling to be slightly stronger during those hours. Whatever your plan, always be comfortable in your home on Shabbos.
Refrigerator
Don’t ever again forget to turn off the fridge lights on erev Shabbos by programming them to turn off in Shabbos mode. (Compatible models only)
Oven
Enjoy a warm Shabbos meal by taking advantage of your oven’s Sabbath mode. Automatically engage it with your home’s Shabbos mode so that you can heat your food without heating the entire house for the coming day. (Compatible models only)
Lights
Program the lights in your entire home to turn on and off according to your schedule. For example, leave on your living room lights till midnight to enjoy company or a good book, but keep them off at night to conserve energy and sleep peacefully.
Sensors
Many people are worried about using sensors in their homes because of the possible issues they may bring up on Shabbos. But with Shabbos mode, you have the opportunity to have your cake and eat it too! Use an array of sensors during the week to automate your home and disable them instantly on Friday afternoons so that you can freely move about your home and property throughout Shabbos. (Consult with your Rav if this is of interest to you.)
Smart Lock
Another important feature of the smart home is the smart lock. Your smart lock uses a code instead of a key to keep track of who is entering and leaving your house, and when. This also means you can give one-time codes to your delivery people or your guests, and program it to auto-lock when the door has been closed for a period of time. On Shabbos, turn off the automation of your smart lock and use the physical key, avoiding the auto-lock feature and forgoing the code for the key.
Security System
Don’t leave your home vulnerable to security breaches on Shabbos. Selectively enable security sensors at night according to your schedule and preferences: you may want to engage the sensors of your back door or windows at night but disengage the sensors to the front door so that you can come and go throughout the evening.
Electrical Devices
Essentially any electrical device plugged into an outlet can be placed on Shabbos mode. For instance, you may want to turn off your cholent pot on Shabbos afternoon. Or you may want your humidifier to turn on only at night. Whatever device it may be, Shabbos mode can include it in your home’s automation.
As with much of the smart home experience, Shabbos mode is tailor-made for your schedule, needs and preferences. If there is something you would like to include that you do not see on this list, there’s a good chance we can do it!
Next Shabbos, bask in the comfort of knowing that the systems are all functioning exactly according to your preprogrammed preferences, so that you can completely relax and refocus on the essentials of the day.
Get in touch with us and find out how you can automate your own home according to your needs, schedule, and preferences!
P: 973-619-9915