Do Robot Vacuum Work With Home Assistant & What Can They Do?

Imagine coming home from work and, as you walk in, the lights glow instantly, your Bluetooth speaker starts playing your favourite tunes, and your robot vacuum goes into action – all orchestrated by one app. That’s the magic of Home Assistant, a free and open-source hub developed by the Open Home Foundation and Home Assistant Core Team and Community for controlling your smart home gadgets. In fact, approximately 73% of Australian households had at least one smart device installed, including robot vacuums that automate cleaning. Although not all models officially integrate with Home Assistant, for those that do, it brings convenience and better control in your routine.

Do Robot Vacuums Work With Home Assistant?

Robot vacuums can work with Home Assistant, but it depends on the model. Some offer official support, while others don’t. Users should always double-check compatibility before integration. For example, DEEBOT does not officially support Home Assistant – it isn’t listed in our product manuals or supported platforms. Stay tuned to ECOVACS’ official channels for compatibility updates.

It could be risky if you attempt to pair devices without official support. First, this might lead to unstable performance, such as delayed commands, unreliable navigation, or even hardware strain from mismatched systems. As a result, your vacuum may keep stopping or even become unresponsive. Curious to try anyway? Proceed with caution and weigh the potential issues carefully, since any hiccups from unofficial setups might not be covered by warranty. 

If your robot vacuum isn’t formally compatible with Home Assistant, don't worry! Most come with its own user-friendly app like ECOVACS HOME app, allowing you to review the virtual maps, set no-go zones and more; some even sync up with smart home systems like Google Home or Amazon Alexa for extra control.

Why Integrate A Robot Vacuum With Home Assistant?

One of the main benefits of pairing Home Assistant with a robotic vacuum cleaner is the ability to manage its schedule along with other smart home devices (e.g. lighting, security, blinds, etc.) via one app. For instance, as you’re rushing to leave home, it could be time-consuming (and annoying) to manually turn off your smart vacuum and all the lights. With Home Assistant, you can schedule your smart vacuum’s cleaning cycle and have your smart lights dim and smart blinds close with only the touch of a button. You can even set your auto vacuum to trigger your speakers to play your favourite music while it cleans.

Home Assistant can also create reports that can help you enhance the efficiency of your robotic floor cleaner. You can use it to track cleaning metrics, identify high-traffic areas that need more attention, and receive reminders for maintenance. Moreover, try create custom cleaning areas and adjust the cleaning patterns to suit your needs. If you have solar panels or other renewable energy sources installed, it's a good idea to charge your automatic vacuum during the day to lower your carbon footprint.

If you’re a homeowner, you know that safety and security are of utmost importance. Though as an open-source platform, Home Assistant might store device data, like certificates and tokens, in plain-text config files that pose exposure risk, it is acutally known for not being dependent on any cloud services and relies on local networks instead. Better yet, you can protect your home using the platform’s security features, for instance, receiving alerts if your smart vacuum cleaner detects unusual obstacles or movement, such as potential intruders in your home.

What Features Can You Control with Home Assistant?

With Home Assistant, you can control settings and monitor its every move, from scheduling cleaning times, checking its status, tracking its history and more.

Start & Stop Cleaning

The most straightforward function you can control with Home Assistant is starting or pausing the vacuum’s cleaning spree. Say you need to move a sofa: you can pause it remotely to avoid tripping over the vacuum and damaging floors; then hit resume when you’re ready.

Schedule Cleaning Times

Scheduling, or automation, is a key feature of Home Assistant. Create an automation by defining the “trigger”, say 8:30am when you head to work, then pick an “action”, which is starting the vacuum, save it and voilà! Of course, you can always finetune all the cleaning settings to meet your needs. 

Even better, you can group various assets by room or task, bundling different house chores into one command. Take that same morning routine: on top of vacuuming cleaning, add “switch off the lights” and “turning off fans” as you step out. 

Zone Cleaning

The “Map” function on the Home Assistant app shows a live map of your vacuum’s cleaning area. To target high-traffic areas like the kitchen, go to “Cleaning area” and select specific zones for cleaning.

Set Cleaning Modes

To properly clean different floor surfaces, adjust the settings and set up different cleaning modes. For instance, vacuum on high suction on carpeted areas, and mop with a low water level and high intensity for coffee spills.

View Cleaning Status & History

Keep tabs on your vacuum’s current status, i.e. the action it is currently running. Check if it’s charging, cleaning, or drying its mop; or, find out which room the vacuum is currently cleaning. Plus, you can track its past runs: when they started and ended, total cleaning time and area covered, and more, giving you better, smarter control over the machine.

Get Error Notifications

Stay ahead of hiccups with the “alert” integration, which sends you notifications when problematic issues occur. Similar to other settings, this is fully customisable. Get alerts if the mop’s missing or there is an error on the docking station. This is very helpful as it saves you from guessing why the vacuum suddenly smells bad or stopped mid-session.

Monitor Status

Apart from monitoring the cleaning status, you can also track the status of different internal parts of the machine, such as how much time is left before replacement is required for the vacuum’s brushes or filters, based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. This way, you have time to order new ones and help extend its lifespan.

Return to Dock

Send your vacuum back to the docking station on demand. Despite most vacuums automatically returning to the dock after completing the clean, sometimes you have a surprise family visit and need to stop the session immediately; then this function will be useful.

Why Isn't My Robot Vacuum Connecting To Home Assistant?

Although setting up a smart vacuum with Home Assistant involves some easy steps, you could encounter connectivity issues along the way.

Wi-Fi Signal Too Weak

If your Wi-Fi signal is weak, the auto vacuum won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi or your Home Assistant. To fix this, move your Wi-Fi router or access point to improve coverage in the areas where the robot vacuum tends to operate. If you live in a large house, consider upgrading to a mesh Wi-Fi system or installing a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal.

Incorrect Network Settings or Restrictions

Check that the smart vacuum is connected to the correct wireless network and ensure your home network isn’t blocking any necessary ports or protocols. You might need to adjust your router’s settings or firewall rules to allow the robotic floor cleaner to communicate with Home Assistant.

Incorrect Credentials

Incorrect credentials, such as incorrect login password or a Home Assistant API key, can also cause a bad connection. Check the credentials in the vacuum’s settings and in Home Assistant, and make any necessary corrections.

Fail to Discover the Robot Vacuum

In case your smart vacuum isn’t discoverable by Home Assistant, try restarting the device and your Home Assistant server. If this doesn’t work, you can try manually adding the robot vacuum feature to Home Assistant.

Conflicts with Other Smart Home Apps or Devices

When other smart home apps or devices on your network conflict, it sometimes hinders the smart vacuum from connecting or functioning properly with Home Assistant. Try temporarily disabling or uninstalling any other smart home apps or devices that might be interfering.

FAQ