As I’ve mentioned a few times, my family is in the process of building a home, so I’ve documented some of my HomeKit plans in previous articles. For the moment, I am debt-free since we’ve sold our current home, but our new house won’t be finished until October.
We’re in the final days of this home, so we’re moving into a temporary living situation for the summer. So many HomeKit products and projects assume you’re the homeowner and can easily mount items, drill home, etc. Today, I want to consider some beneficial HomeKit setups for renters.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
Table of contents
Outdoor cameras
If you’re a renter, you likely won’t be in a situation where you can install outdoor cameras that require drilling holes, so you’ll want to rely on cameras that can be installed without drilling. For an outdoor are like a porch, you can set up the Logi Circle View on a porch or outdoor window and plug it into an outdoor outlet. The downside here is the camera will be at risk of theft, but the footage will be stored in HomeKit Secure Video.
Outlets
For outdoor outlets, you can use a HomeKit Outlet adaptor to convert a normal outdoor outlet into a HomeKit compatible option. This product is beneficial if you have outdoor Christmas trees or other outdoor lighting that’s stationary.
For indoor outlets, you have countless options for outlet adaptors. One of the benefits of using adaptors over changing out your outlets is how easy they are to install and remove.
Some of my favorite options are:
With a switched outlet, you can easily convert normal lamps and other appliances into HomeKit compatible ones.
Security system for renters
With legacy home security systems, you need to run wires, drill door sensors, and mount keypads. Modern security systems can be installed within a few minutes and easily removed in the future. If you’re in a renting situation, a HomeKit compatible security system like abode can be installed without drilling any holes. The aboda Iota security system comes with a built-in camera and motion sensor. You can then use the slip strip door sensors to hide inside the door frame. They’ll peel off when you’re ready to move, so the homeowner won’t have any damage to repair. They’re so small you could leave them in there, and no one would likely notice.
Once you have this HomeKit security system configured in the Home app, you’ll get access to automations based on abode’s door sensors or motion sensor. The external motion sensors require wall mounting, so if you need an extra outside of the base station, I like the abode multi sensor for a tabletop option you can easily point at a door.
Wrap up on HomeKit projects for renters
Cameras, security systems, and outlet adaptors are just a few options you might want to consider as a renter. You can also use HomeKit bulbs if you want to bypass the outlets for Wi-Fi control of your lights. Don’t forget the Home Hub as well. You’ll want either a HomePod mini or an always plugged-up iPad to bridge all your devices where you can quickly access them when away from home.
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