Like many people in Europe this summer, I've been dealing with the heat wave.
My apartment turns into an oven during the day, so every evening follows the same routine: close the shutters, live in the dark for a while, and rely on a few trusty fans to circulate the cooler night air.
The problem wasn't cooling the apartment. It was knowing when to open the windows.
Of course, the obvious answer is "when it's cooler outside than inside." But in practice, that's not always convenient. Sometimes I'd like to prepare everything before going to bed instead of checking temperature graphs every 30 minutes.
So I automated it.
Home Assistant already knows the outdoor temperature from my weather stationsand the indoor temperature from my sensors. Using those values, I estimate when the outdoor temperature will drop below the indoor temperature and display an estimated opening time.
And yes, I used ChatGPT to help build the YAML, then adapted and integrated it into my setup.
Anyways, no more staring at graphs or wondering whether it's finally worth opening the windows. Everything is calculated automatically, giving me a simple estimate of the best time to let the cooler air in.
It's a small automation, but during a heat wave it's surprisingly useful.
While I was at it, I also looked into something called the wet-bulb effect.
It's closely related to how effectively your body can cool itself. When both the temperature and the humidity are high, sweat evaporates less efficiently, making you feel much hotter than the air temperature alone would suggest. In extreme conditions, it can even become dangerous.
I noticed this after taking a shower. The bathroom humidity would spike, and even if the temperature hadn't changed much, the room suddenly felt far more uncomfortable.
So I automated that as well.
Stay hydrated !
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