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Best Practices

Tom Grounds - Personal edited this page Jun 19, 2026 · 2 revisions

These recommendations will help you get the most accurate, reliable, and useful results from Asset Intelligence.


1. Start with Rooms (Areas)

Define your rooms correctly in Home Assistant first.


Why It Matters

  • Rooms determine environment context
  • Assets inherit room conditions
  • Sensors are mapped at the room level

Best Practices

✅ Use consistent room names
✅ Ensure sensors physically belong to the correct room
✅ Avoid duplicating room concepts


2. Configure Sensors Thoughtfully

Do not rely on default assumptions.


Focus on What Matters

Different rooms require different sensors:

Room Type Recommended Sensors
Living Space Temperature, Humidity
Art / Sensitive Lux, UV, Humidity
Mechanical CO₂, Air Quality
Storage Humidity, Mold

Best Practices

✅ Map one clear sensor per measurement
✅ Avoid overlapping or duplicate sensors
✅ Add Lux/UV where exposure matters


3. Define Realistic Environment Limits

Avoid overly strict or unrealistic thresholds.


Why It Matters

  • Too strict → constant alerts
  • Too loose → missed risk

Best Practices

✅ Start with reasonable ranges
✅ Adjust over time based on behavior
✅ Align with asset sensitivity


4. Use Labels Consistently

Labels are your primary categorization tool.


Best Practices

✅ Keep labels simple (tv, artwork, wine)
✅ Reuse labels across assets
✅ Avoid duplicates (tv vs television)
✅ Use multiple labels where useful


5. Provide Accurate Asset Context

The more contextual information you provide, the better the system performs.


Important Fields

  • Near window
  • Facing direction
  • Placement details
  • Exposure sensitivity

Best Practices

✅ Set placement accurately
✅ Identify window proximity
✅ Use orientation when relevant


6. Complete Sensor Coverage for Critical Rooms

Partial sensor coverage reduces system confidence.


Common Gaps

  • Missing Lux
  • Missing UV
  • Missing air quality

Best Practices

✅ Prioritize complete coverage in sensitive rooms
✅ Accept partial coverage where appropriate
✅ Use advisory messages as guidance


7. Understand Risk vs Advisory

Do not confuse system outputs.


Best Practices

✅ Use risk for decision-making
✅ Use advisory for understanding
✅ Review reasons before acting


8. Let Debounce Work

Do not try to react instantly to spikes.


Why It Matters

  • Prevents false positives
  • Stabilizes system behavior

Best Practices

✅ Allow time for confirmation
✅ Avoid over-reactive automations


9. Build Automation Carefully

Automation should respond to confirmed conditions.


Best Practices

✅ Trigger on RED (confirmed issues)
✅ Use advisory for notifications
✅ Combine with time or occupancy conditions


Example

  • RED → Close shades
  • AMBER → Send notification

10. Use Activity History

Do not rely only on current state.


Best Practices

✅ Review history when troubleshooting
✅ Identify recurring issues
✅ Validate that changes improved conditions


11. Maintain Document Storage

Treat document storage as part of the system.


Best Practices

✅ Use reliable external storage (NAS)
✅ Organize documents consistently
✅ Include metadata (type, date, notes)


12. Treat Assets as Real-World Objects

Think beyond “devices.”


Best Practices

✅ Model things that matter
✅ Include ownership, value, and placement
✅ Keep descriptions meaningful


13. Improve Over Time

Do not aim for perfection on day one.


Best Practices

✅ Start simple
✅ Add sensors gradually
✅ Refine limits over time
✅ Use advisory feedback to improve


Summary

To get the most from Asset Intelligence:

  • Model your rooms correctly
  • Configure sensors intentionally
  • Define realistic limits
  • Provide accurate asset context
  • Use labels consistently
  • Trust the system’s evaluation
  • Use automation thoughtfully

The goal is not just automation.

The goal is awareness that leads to better decisions.

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